Things to do in Hakone

Why go to Hakone

• Mt. Fuji View from Lake Ashi

  Board a pirate-ship cruise on the caldera lake for the postcard-perfect Fuji silhouette that defines Hakone.

• Hakone Open-Air Museum

  Dozens of monumental sculptures by Picasso, Rodin, and Calder scattered across manicured mountain gardens-jaw-dropping and totally worth it.

• Owakudani Volcanic Valley

  Walk steaming sulfur vents and eat a black-shell onsen egg said to add seven years to your life.

• Hakone Ropeway

  Glide in a gondola directly over bubbling volcanic craters with Mt. Fuji looming on clear days.

• Ryokan Onsen Experience

  Soak in a traditional hot-spring bath-many ryokans allow day-use onsen access for under $15, a bucket-list Japanese ritual.

Good to know in Hakone

• Buy the Hakone Free Pass ($45-55 from Tokyo) covering the Romancecar train, Tozan Railway, ropeway, Lake Ashi cruise, and buses-it pays for itself on day one.
• Tipping is not practiced in Japan and can cause awkwardness; simply bow and say 'arigatou gozaimasu' instead.
• Tap water is safe to drink everywhere in Hakone; carry a reusable bottle to save on constant vending machine purchases.
• The Hakone Open-Air Museum has no free-entry days, but the Hakone Checkpoint Museum (Hakone-juku) is entirely free to visit.

Trip essentials