Bucket list experience:
Hakone, Kanto, Japan
As overnight trips from Tokyo go, it’s hard to beat the mountainous Hakone region – under 90 minutes west of the city centre by train.
A trip here takes you close to iconic Mount Fuji, at 3,776 metres Japan’s tallest peak. Add in boat trips with Fuji views on Lake Ashi, superb art at the Hakone Open-Air Museum, cable car trips to the volcanic Owakudani Valley, and more onsen (natural hot springs) baths that you could dip a toe into, and there’s plenty to please even the most discerning visitor.
The area is also home to dozens of ryokans (traditional Japanese inns) where guests stay in tatami mat rooms, are served multi-course kaiseki dinners and soak in in-house, private onsen – classic traditional Japanese hospitality. If time allows, book into a ryokan for an overnight stay and get the full cultural experience.
Hakone, Kanto, Japan
Formed by an eruption several thousand years ago, this volcanic valley features bubbling hot-spring pools, billowing steam vents and Mount Fuji views. You can walk around parts of it, but it looks best from above on the Hakone Ropeway.
Best for ages 6+
Duration: 2-3 hours
When: March, May and Sept
Frequency: annually
Hakone, Kanto, Japan
Lake Ashi, with its forested rim punctuated by the red gateway of Hakone Shrine and the white-capped Fuji looming behind, is the classic Hakone photo op. Jump on the pirate galleon sightseeing boats for a tour.
Adult price: £12
Best for ages 6+
Duration: 1-2 hours
When: March, May and Sept
Frequency: annually
Hakone, Kanto, Japan
Contemporary sculptures, art, and nature converge in this art museum with more than 100 outdoor pieces by Rodin, Moore, and Miro, plus a 300-piece indoor Picasso collection.
Adult price: £10
Best for ages 18+
Duration: 2-3 hours
When: March, May and Sept
Frequency: annually
Hakone, Kanto, Japan
About as close as you’ll get to a hot-spring theme park, Yu Nessun has 23 indoor and outdoor public baths, ranging from traditional looking affairs to fun, gimmicky tubs infused with wine, sake and coffee.
Adult price: £5
Min age 3
Best for ages 6+
Duration: 2-3 hours
When: March, May and Sept
Frequency: annually
The best way to get there from Tokyo is on the Odakyu Romance Car. Pre-booking online is not essential, but advisable.
There are numerous organised tours from Tokyo, but it’s fairly easy to do it independently. Odakyu has a great self-guided model course for taking in Hakone’s main attractions. You can get a brochure at the ticket office. It will lead you on a trip that takes in an open-air museum, a volcanic valley, views of Fuji, Hakone Shrine, and a boat trip on picturesque Lake Ashi.
There are numerous organsied tours from Tokyo, but it’s fairly easy to do it independently. Odakyu has a great self-guided model course for taking in Hakone’s main attractions. Details are online but you can also get a brochure at the ticket office. It will lead you on a trip that takes in an open-air museum, a volcanic valley, views of Fuji, Hakone Shrine, and a boat trip on picturesque Lake Ashi.
Before you go, get a money-saving 2-day or 3-day Hakone Free Pass at Shinjuku Station. This covers the 80-minute train trip on the Odakyu Romance Car both ways between Shinjuku and Hakone-Yumoto, plus unlimited rides on all the transportation services you’ll need to get around Hakone – local railway, ropeway, cable car, Lake Ashi sightseeing boat, buses, and more. Buy the passes at the ticket machines by the gates to the Odakyu Line or at the station’s Odakyu Sightseeing Service Centre.
There’s no bad time to visit Hakone, but the spring colours of April and May and autumnal hues of October and November are the most scenic. However, those times and the summer holidays also bring the biggest crowds.
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