 Japan City Guides: Hakone
Gora | Hakone Attractions | Getting to Hakone
Hakone 箱根
Hakone is a mountainous area in Kanagawa Prefecture about 80km (50 miles) southwest of Tokyo on the Tomei Expressway, just north of the Izu Peninsula, in the 121,850 hectare Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Historically it was a rest and relaxation area for those making the journey between Kyoto (seat of the imperial Court) and Tokyo (seat of the Shogun). To this day it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Kanto region.
Mt Fuji from Hakone
Hakone lies within the vast crater of an extinct volcano in a mountain range that features Mount Fuji, offering fine views of Fuji-san, Lake Ashi, and numerous hot springs.
Gora
 The town of Gora in Hakone is the closest Hakone has to a center. Gora connects to Togendai, the town by Lake Ashi, by means of the Hakone Tozan Cablecar to Sounzan, and then by the Hakone Ropeway to Togendai. The Owakudani ropeway stop is famous for thermal activity, including trademark eggs boiled in a thermal pool.
From the lakeside ropeway terminal station, Togendai, gaily painted pirate ships ply Lake Ashi between Togendai and the towns at the lake's southern end, Moto-hakone and Hakone-machi.
Halfway down Lake Ashi is Hakone-en, the first station of Hakone's other ropeway, the Komagatake Ropeway, which goes up to the 1,327m Komagatake Peak. Like Owakudani on the Hakone Ropeway, it is very thermal, and also sells hot pool boiled eggs - also said to prolong life by seven years!
Besides Mt. Komagatake, the other two mountains within the area are Mt. Kamiyama (1,438m), and Mt. Futago (1,091m), the slopes of all three being covered with thermal hot spots.
Hakone Open-Air Museum
Two stops before Gora on the Hakone Tozan Railway line, at Kowakidani, is the Hakone Open-Air Museum: one of Hakone's must-sees. It features, among others, the huge sculptures of the British sculptor Henry Moore, and has its own dedicated Picasso Museum.
Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands
These gardens, known in Japanese as the Hakone Shisseikaen, are open only between March 20 and November 30. They are highly recommended for their superbly laid out, prolific displays of the flora that characterizes Hakone, allowing the visitor access to landscapes normally inaccessible. More about Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands
Fujiya Hotel
Three stops before Gora on the Hakone Tozan line, at Miyanoshita, is Hakone's grandest accommodation: the Fujiya Hotel. This elegant aged hotel has hosted innumerable foreign dignitaries and celebrities since its opening in 1878.
Pola Museum of Art
A little west of Gora is the Pola Museum of Art is a gallery run by the Pola cosmetics company. Stylishly implanted into the surrounding scenery, it boasts some seriously great works of art, including Monet's Waterlilies, lots of Renoir and special exhibitions featuring major artists and artistic movements.
Other Hakone Attractions - Museums
Art Museums | Craft Museums | History Museums | Nature Museums | Sport Museums
The map of Hakone is dotted with museums, halls and gardens offering something for everyone. Here is a list based on art, crafts, history and nature as a starting point for itinerary planning.
Art
Hakone Art Museum
Hakone Mononofu no Sato Art Museum
Hakone Open Air Museum
Hakone Picnic Garden Art Museum(spring through autumn)
Homma Museum of Art
Lalique Museum, Hakone
Mental Image Art Museum (Shinshouha no Kan)
Moa Museum of Art (sister museum to the Hakone Museum of Art)
Museum of Saint-Exupery and The Little Prince in Hakone
Nakagawa Kazumasa Art Museum, Manazuru
Narukawa Art Forum
Pola Museum of Art
Recorve Hakone Art Museum
Sano Art Museum
Yugawara Art Museum
Lake Ashinoko, Hakone
Crafts
Hakone Ashinoyu Flower Center
Hakone Folkcraft Hall (Hakone Kankou Bussankan) 'Hakone Glass Forest': a Venetian glass museum
Hakone Gora Park Craft house (Handicrafts Studio)
Hakone Music Box Museum (and Hakone Garden Museum)
Hakone Museum of Art (sister museum to the Moa Museum of Art and specializing in Japanese ceramics through the ages)
Hakone Teddy Bear Museum
Hakone Toy Museum (and Hakone Garden Museum)
Kamaboko(steamed fish paste) Museum of Suzuhiro Corp.
Sengokuhara Cultural Center
Wooden Handicraft Center (Hatajuku Yoriki Kaikan)
History
Hakone Check Point Exhibition (Hakone Sekisho Shiryoukan) relating to the toll gate established there in 1619
Hakone Detached Palace Garden (Onshi Hakone Koen), the old resort palace of the Emperor Meiji
Hakone Old Tokaido Highway Museum (Hakone Kyuukaidou Shiryoukan)
Hakone Shrine Treasure Museum
Museum of Historical Materials
Odawara Castle Donjon
Pearl-Shimokawa Memorial Hall commemorating the life of Yasaburo Shimonaka, the founder of the "Heibon-sha" publishing company (accessible only by appointment)
Eating hot spring eggs, Owakudani
Nature
Ashinoyu Flower Center
Hakone 3-D Space Dinosaur World (Hakone 3-D Uchu-Kyouryuu Waarudo)
Hakone Begonia Garden
Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands
Hakone-en Aquarium
Hakone Garden Museum (and Hakone Toy Museum)
Hakone Gora Park
Hakone Wetlands Botanical Garden
Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History
Mori no Fureaikan: a small natural history museum on the shore of Lake Ashi
Owakudani Natural Science Museum
Wild Grass Garden (Ashinoko Nogusa Koen)
Sport
Gotemba Sports Car Garden
Hakone-en Golf Course Golf driving range
Hakone Picnic Garden Snow Board Park & Snow Sled Park (winter)
Hakone Prince Hotel Tennis Courts
Hotel Dai-Hakone Tennis Court
Access - how to get to Hakone
Togendai Station, Hakone Ropeway
Train
From Tokyo: a regular (futsuu) train takes about 90 minutes from JR Tokyo station to Odawara on the Tokaido line, and the fare is about 1500 yen, departing every 15-30 minutes.
The bullet train from Tokyo station takes about 40 minutes and costs just over 3000 yen.
From Odawara change to the Hakone-Tozan line to Hakone-Yumoto.
From Shinjuku Station, the cheapest way to go is on the Odakyu line (under the big Odakyu Department Store on the west side of Shinjuku Station). For 850 yen take the Odawara line limited express (kaisoku kyuuko) bound for Fujisawa, then change trains after about 30 minutes at Sagami-ohno to the express (kyuuko) bound for Hakone Yumoto and alight at Hakone-Yumoto. It takes about 1 hour 50 minutes in total.
Odakyu Freepass
Odakyu offers what is called the 'Hakone Freepass' (actually 5,500 yen for adults - 4,700 on weekdays) that, as well as covering your return trip to Hakone, gives you unlimited access for three days to seven types of transportation in Hakone and discounts at a huge number of shops and facilities. More than pays for itself if you are spending more than a day moving around Hakone.
Bus
Odakyu also runs a bus service from Shinjuku Station. It takes just under two hours and a half to Hakone-machi and costs around 2000 yen one-way. There are buses and bus tours to Hakone from many other cities in Japan including Osaka, Hiroshima, Nagoya, Shizuoka and Yokohama.
Tourist Information
Hakone Tourist Information Service
Tel: 0460 5 8911
Hakone Yumoto Station Odakyu Line
Book Hotel Accommodation in Hakone Japan
Hotels in Hakone - Bookings
Hostels in Hakone - Hostelworld
Hotels in Tokyo - Bookings
Hotels in Tokyo - Agoda
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