Hakone

Hakone is a picturesque town located in Kanagawa Prefecture, known for its stunning natural beauty and onsen hot springs. The town is easily accessible from Tokyo making it an ideal spot for a day trip or a weekend getaway. Hakone is home to a wide range of attractions, including various museums, the beautiful Lake Ashinoko, parks, and golf courses. Visitors can also enjoy breathtaking views of Mount Fuji from various vantage points around the town.

Onsen (hot springs) in Hakone

The Hakone onsen has long been renowned for its healing properties and stunning natural beauty. The onsen is characterized by its high mineral content, which is said to have numerous health benefits, such as relaxing sore muscles, improving circulation and reducing stress. One of the most relaxing experiences is to soak in an outdoor onsen with breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and forests. All of the hotels and ryokans in the area have onsens.

Gora, Miyanoshita, Lake Ashinoko

The links below provide information on recommended hotels and places of interest to visit in Hakone. The hotels and ryokans (Japanese inns) are places where I’ve either stayed or gone on a one-day outing. Each place offers a different atmosphere and level of luxury,

Link to Gora area:

/https://specialdialtravel.com/hakone-gora-area/

Link to Fujiya Hotel Miyanoshita:

/https://specialdialtravel.com/fujiya-hotel-miyanoshita-hakone/

Link to Lake Ashinoko area:

/https://specialdialtravel.com/hakone-lake-ashinoko-area/

Transportation to Hakone

To get to Hakone from Tokyo, there are various methods of transportation available. The distance from Tokyo to Hakone is about 100 kilometers, which can be covered in approximately two hours or less by train or bus.

1. 90 minutes from Tokyo Station – Kodama Shinkansen (35 mins) to Odawara station east exit. Take bus or taxi to your destination

2. 140 mins from Shinjukuku station – Odakyu Line Express Romance car (90 mins) to Hakone Yumoto station – Hakone Tozan railway (40 mins) to last stop Gora

3. By car around 90 minutes using the expressway

Highly recommended! Hakone Tozan Railway

I highly recommend the Hakone Tozan Railway, known for its steep incline and switchback routes. It offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and forests, making it a popular tourist attraction. The trains are designed with special mechanisms to handle the sharp curves and steep gradients of the track.

After you get off at Hakone Yumoto station you can easily transfer to the Hakone Tozan Railway. It’s a 40 minute-train-ride on Hakone Tozan Railway from Hakone Yumoto station (the starting point) to Gora station (the final stop). You can get to the places I recommended – Fujiya Hotel (get off at Miyanoshita), Hakone Open Air Museum (get off at Hakone Chokoku no Mori Bijutsukan) and the hotels, museums, parks and hotels in the Gora area by riding this train.

The Embassy of Switzerland in Japan has published an interesting history of Hakone Tozan Railway which was inspired by Switzerland and which has a sister railway partnership with the Swiss railway.

/https://grandtourofswitzerland.jp/cms/820/