Hakone Circle Tour
Hakone loop or circle tour (no car needed)
Welcome to Hakone, a scenic region near Mount Fuji known for its hot springs, museums, and natural beauty. Even without a car, Hakone is easily navigable thanks to its excellent public transportation network. This tour will guide you through the top sights using trains, buses, cable cars, and boats.
This tour follows the popular Hakone Loop (Hakone Round Course) which brings you to Hakone’s top attractions while using different modes of transportation—train, cable car, ropeway, sightseeing cruise, and bus.
Here's how the loop works:
Start at Hakone-Yumoto Station (arriving via Odakyu Romance Car from Tokyo).
Hakone Tozan Railway to Gora.
Hakone Tozan Cable Car from Gora to Sounzan.
Hakone Ropeway from Sounzan to Owakudani (volcanic valley).
Continue on the Ropeway to Togendai at Lake Ashi.
Sightseeing cruise on Lake Ashi to Moto-Hakone or Hakone-machi.
Visit Hakone Shrine and historical sites like the Hakone Checkpoint.
Hakone Tozan Bus back to Hakone-Yumoto Station.
It's a seamless way to experience Hakone’s natural beauty, hot springs, and cultural sites, all in one day!
1. Start at Hakone-Yumoto Station:
Most visitors arrive via the Odakyu Romancecar from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo. Hakone-Yumoto Station is the gateway to Hakone’s attractions.
Explore Hakone-Yumoto: Take a stroll around the town to visit souvenir shops, traditional snack stands, and relax in a hot spring (onsen). The Tenseien Onsen is a popular option.
1. Stroll Through Hakone-Yumoto Shopping Street (Hakone-Yumoto Shotengai)
Start by wandering along the main shopping street right outside Hakone-Yumoto Station. The street is lined with local shops, souvenir stores, and food stalls.
Must-Try Snacks:
Yosegi Zaiku Crafts: Traditional Japanese marquetry boxes, perfect as souvenirs.
Onsen Manju: Sweet buns filled with red bean paste, often steamed with hot spring water.
Freshly Made Senbei (Rice Crackers): Grilled on-site and served warm.
Fish Cakes (Kamaboko) from Suzuhiro Kamaboko, known for their quality.
2. Hakone Tozan Railway to Gora:
From Hakone-Yumoto, board the Hakone Tozan Railway, Japan’s oldest mountain railway, which winds through lush forests and scenic valleys.
Stop at Chokoku-no-Mori Station to visit the Hakone Open-Air Museum, featuring an impressive collection of modern sculptures set against the natural landscape. Highlights include works by Henry Moore and Pablo Picasso.
Continue to Gora Station, a charming town known for its onsen resorts and gardens.
3. Hakone Tozan Cable Car to Sounzan:
From Gora, take the Hakone Tozan Cable Car up to Sounzan Station. The ride offers beautiful views of the mountainous landscape.
Stop at Koen-Kami Station to visit Gora Park, a French-style landscape park with fountains, greenhouses, and tea houses where you can try a traditional tea ceremony.
4. Hakone Ropeway to Owakudani:
At Sounzan, transfer to the Hakone Ropeway, an aerial gondola that offers panoramic views of Mount Fuji (on clear days) and the surrounding valleys.
Owakudani: Disembark at Owakudani, an active volcanic valley known for its sulfur vents and hot springs. Try the famous black eggs (kuro-tamago), boiled in the sulfuric hot springs, which are said to add seven years to your life.
5. Hakone Ropeway to Lake Ashi:
Continue on the Hakone Ropeway to Togendai Station, where you’ll arrive at the shores of Lake Ashi (Ashinoko).
Lake Ashi Sightseeing Cruise: Board a pirate-themed sightseeing boat for a scenic cruise across the lake. The boat offers unparalleled views of Mount Fuji, Hakone Shrine’s red torii gate, and the surrounding mountains.
6. Hakone Shrine:
Disembark at Moto-Hakone and visit the iconic Hakone Shrine, nestled in a forest at the lake’s edge. The shrine’s torii gate, standing in the water, is one of Hakone’s most photographed landmarks.
Onshi-Hakone Park: Just a short walk from Hakone Shrine, this park offers beautiful gardens and lookout points with stunning views of Lake Ashi and Mount Fuji.
7. Hakone Checkpoint and Cedar Avenue:
Walk along the historical Hakone Checkpoint (Hakone Sekisho), a restored Edo-period checkpoint that controlled travelers on the Tokaido Road between Tokyo and Kyoto.
Stroll down the Ancient Cedar Avenue, lined with towering cedar trees that have stood for centuries, offering a peaceful and shaded path along the lake.
8. Return via Hakone Tozan Bus:
From Moto-Hakone or Hakone-machi, take the Hakone Tozan Bus back to Hakone-Yumoto Station. The bus ride offers a different perspective of Hakone’s natural beauty.
Optional Add-Ons:
Polá Museum of Art: Accessible via bus from Gora, the Polá Museum houses an impressive collection of Western and Japanese art, all within a modern glass building set in a forest.
Hakone Glass no Mori (Glass Forest): A Venetian glass museum with beautiful glass sculptures and a European-style garden.
Yunessun Spa Resort: For a fun, family-friendly onsen experience with wine baths, coffee baths, and traditional hot springs.
Additional Tips:
Hakone Free Pass: Purchase the Hakone Free Pass from Odakyu Railway, which covers most transportation in Hakone, including trains, buses, boats, and the ropeway.
Best Time to Visit: Autumn for vibrant foliage or spring for cherry blossoms. Clear days offer the best views of Mount Fuji.