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Do you want to go a little outside of Tokyo and enjoy a little bit more of Japan? If you have an extra day and want to enjoy a little bit more of Japan, without having to travel very far from Tokyo, consider going to Kanagawa Prefecture. In Kanagawa Prefecture, there is a town called Hakone. Hakone is extremely popular as a tourist destination because you can see Mt. Fuji while taking a day trip from Tokyo.
If you are worried about how to travel to Hakone from Tokyo, or what you can do in Hakone, you don’t have to be. With so much information on the internet, including this article, it will only take a few minutes for you to get the answer to that.
In this article, I am going to introduce a little bit of Hakone to you, how to travel to Hakone from Tokyo, places to go in Hakone, day tour options for Hakone, and more recommendations. So, keep reading!
Hakone is located in the far west of Kanagawa prefecture. Most of the town is within the border volcanically active Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Hakone is a town filled with hot springs, art museums, and other leisure facilities.
Its extreme popularity among tourists is also because of the incredible view of Mt. Fuji you can see from Hakone. The splendid beauty of nature is also evident from Hakone. It’s definitely recommended to squeeze a day in to travel to Hakone after you travel to Tokyo. It is located not very far from Tokyo and it’s the perfect place for a day trip away from Tokyo.
How to travel to Hakone from Tokyo?
The customary route to Hakone is by using the Odakyu Romance Car from Tokyo Station via Shinjuku which takes around 1 hour and 40 minutes.
But, I’ll also list some ways to travel to Hakone from some major places in Tokyo.
Tokyo station to Kamakura (around 1 hour- ¥3910)
- Take the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen to Odawara Station.
- At Odawara station, go to the Odawara Station bus stop, and get on the bus. Get off at Hakone-Yumoto Station.
*From Odawara Station, you can also take the Romancecar Hakone or the Hakonetozan Line to Hakone-Yumoto Station.
Shinjuku station to Kamakura (around 1 h 30 m - ¥2080)
- Take the Odakyu Romancecar to Hakone-Yumoto Station.
Narita Airport Terminal 2 to Kamakura (around 2 h 30 m - ¥4910)
-Get on the Narita Airport Limousine Bus, and get off at Tokyo Station (Yaesu South Exit)
- Walk 2 mins to Tokyo Station, and take the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen to Odawara Station.
- At Odawara Station, go to the Odawara Station bus stop, and get on the bus. Get off at Hakone-Yumoto Station.
*From Odawara Station, you can also take the Romancecar Hakone or the Hakonetozan Line to Hakone-Yumoto Station.
Haneda Airport Terminal 2 to Kamakura (around 1 h 30 m- ¥4230)
- Take the Haneda-Airport Limousine Bus to Shinyokohama station bus stop.
- From the bus stop, walk 2 mins to the Shinyokohama station, and get on the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen. Get off at Odawara Station.
- At Odawara Station, go to the Odawara Station bus stop, and get on the bus. Get off at Hakone-Yumoto Station.
*From Odawara Station, you can also take the Romancecar Hakone or the Hakonetozan Line to Hakone-Yumoto Station.
Akihabara Station to Kamakura (around 1h 15 m- ¥3910)
- You have two choices, you can either take the JR Yamanote Line (green colored) or the Keihintohoku line (light blue/tosca colored) to Tokyo Station.
- At Tokyo Station, get on Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen and get off at Odawara Station.
- At Odawara Station, go to the Odawara Station bus stop, and get on the bus. Get off at Hakone-Yumoto Station.
*From Odawara Station, you can also take the Romancecar Hakone or the Hakonetozan Line to Hakone-Yumoto Station.
Shibuya station to Kamakura (around 1 h 40 m - ¥2240)
- Take the JR Yamanote Line (green colored) to Shinjuku Station.
- At Shinjuku Station, get on the Odakyu Romancecar and until you reach Hakone-Yumoto station.
Where to go in Hakone?
Famous for its view, you can look anywhere and it’d be a great view. But, if you want to visit the popular spots in Hakone, here’s what and where:
The Hakone Open-Air Museum
Japan's first open-air museum opened in 1969 with thousands of artworks made by Picasso, Henry Moore, Taro Okamoto, and many others. Here, you can enjoy the 120 sculpture displays outdoor, with a view of the mountains of Hakone. There are also 5 indoor exhibitions in addition to the outdoor sculpture displays.
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Address |
1121 Ninotaira, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun 250-0493, Kanagawa Prefecture (map) |
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Phone |
+81 460-82-1161 |
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Business hours |
9:00 am-5:00 pm (last entrance 4:30 pm) Open all year round |
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Price |
¥1600 for adults / ¥1200 for university and high school students/ ¥900 for middle and elementary school students |
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Website |
Pola Museum of Art
This museum built within the Hakone National Park Hakone houses over 9,500 works, including Japan’s largest collection of French Impressionism art such as Monet, Renoir, and Picasso.
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Address |
1285 Kozukayama, Sengokuhara, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa, 250-0631 Japan (map) |
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Phone |
+81 460-84-2111 |
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Business hours |
9:00 am - 5:00 pm (No admission after 4:30 pm) Open daily (closed occasionally for display renewal) |
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Price |
¥1800 for adults / ¥1300 for university and high school students/ ¥700 for middle and elementary school students/ ¥1600 for seniors (above 65) / ¥1000 for persons with disabilities and companion or caretaker |
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Website |
Lake Ashi
Here, there are ships operated by Hakone Sightseeing Cruises that connect the three ports on the lake. You can experience many different activities and attractions. 10 minutes away from the Hakone-machi and Moto-Hakone ports, there is Onshi Hakone Park, from where you can enjoy the incredible scenery of Lake Ashi and Mt. Fuji. At Togendai Port, you can enjoy meals while viewing the lake. There are also onsen for day visits and a small road where you can walk along the shore.
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Address |
Lake Ashi, Motohakone, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture 250-0522 (map) |
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Website |
Hakone Shrine
A shrine located at the shore of Lake Ashi with a history more than 1200 years. It is popular as a power spot and as a marriage shrine where many women come to pray. It also has a small museum, which includes 5 items regarded as national Important Cultural Property.
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Address |
Hakone jinja, 80-1 Motohakone Hakone-machi Ashigarashimo-gun Kanagawa (map) |
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Phone |
0460-83-7123 |
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Business hours |
March-September 8:00 am- 5:00 pm October-February 8:00am- 4:30 pm |
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Price |
Free |
Owakudani
Created when the Hakone volcano exploded about 3000 years ago, it is now a popular tourist spot for its scenic views, volcanic activity, and especially, Kuro-Tamago -meaning “black egg" — a local specialty of eggs hard-boiled in the hot springs. Here, powerful outbursts of smoke and sulfur can be seen up-close.
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Address |
Owakudani Hot Spring, 1251 Sengokuhara, Hakone-machi Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa (map) |
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Phone |
0460-84-9605 |
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Business hours |
Everyday ( 08:30 AM-05:00 PM ) |
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Price |
Free |
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Website |
Day tours to Hakone from Tokyo
Hakone is the perfect place for travel, but there are ways to make your travel in Hakone more interesting, If you want an enhanced and deeper experience while traveling to Hakone, here’s how. Go with day tours!
There are many great day tour options to in Hakone. It’s way more convenient as you don’t have to plan your itinerary yourself and you are even guided by a qualified tour guide. You can visit the popular places and enjoy the view without hassle. Feel free to send a Tour Request.
Look, the thing is…
There are many places on the web that offer day tours to Hakone, but you never know whether they are a trustworthy and good website or not. That’s why I’m recommending you GoWithGuide. The website is trustworthy, offering many different day trip options to Hakone. You can also customize the tour itinerary according to your preferences.You also don't have to figure out the transport from Tokyo to Hakone because your guide will help you with that.
Not only the website offers day tours to Hakone, it also offers many different qualified tour guides you can hire to make your trip more interesting and meaningful.
Recommended day tours
My recommendation for a great day tour to Hakone from Tokyo is the One day trip to Hakone tour, the Hakone Unforgettable one-day tour, and also the Best Memories of Hakone tour.
With these day tours, not only you can have a better experience in Hakone by visiting beautiful and popular spots, you can also learn with the insights given by your private guide. You can also have an easier travel to and from Hakone. This allows you to have an enhanced yet hassle-free experience!
There are still many more day tour to Hakone from Tokyo options, if you want to check them out, click here.
From the tours mentioned above, they also provide set itinerary suggestions which you can follow or customize according to your preferences.
Wait, there's more:
If you are not looking for private tours but for private guides in Hakone, you can click here. For tours or private guide options for other areas in Japan, you can click here.
I hope this article helps provide useful information for your trip to Hakone, including how to go to Hakone from some major places in Tokyo, where are the must-visit spots in Hakone, options for day tours to Hakone from Tokyo, and more recommendation for a great Hakone trip. I hope you have a great time in Hakone!
Recommended Blogs:
13 Best Japan Tours & Tips by Local Guides
Tokyo to Hakone: Day Trip from Tokyo
5 Best Day Trips from Tokyo: All you need to know
Tokyo Itinerary: Tokyo up to 3 days - First Timers
Top Japanese Culture: 5 Traditions You Must Try in Japan