Hakone Day Trip: Museums, Shrines, and Owakudani Valley

A Day Trip Itinerary in Hakone

It takes up to two hours to travel from Tokyo to the hot spring town of Hakone, which is blessed with abundant natural scenery, museums, and more. Hakone’s accessibility makes it a popular one-day trip destination.

If you travel to Hakone from Tokyo, use the Hakone Freepass, a convenient ticket that includes transportation to and within Hakone, as well as rides on the Lake Ashi cruise and Hakone Ropeway.

10:00: Stroll around Hakone Yumoto Station

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First, head to Hakone from Tokyo by train. The Odakyu Romance Car travels directly from Shinjuku Station to Hakone Yumoto Station, and the journey takes up to an hour and a half.

Photo by Pixta

After you arrive, stroll around the area around Hakone Yumoto Station! The downtown area is in front of the station, and shops sell souvenirs and regional specialty food items to eat as you walk around.

11:00: Enjoy Art Outdoors at the Hakone Open-Air Museum

Visitors to the Hakone Open-Air Museum can enjoy art installations in the great outdoors. The museum has extensive grounds, and most of the pieces on display are set up outside.

The art pieces at the museum are only truly complete after they become one with nature. The museum has no prescribed routes or time limits, so feel free to take your time and look as much as you like.

The Hakone Open Air Museum

1121 Ninotaira, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, 250-0407

14:00 -- Sengokugahara: Art and Silver Grass Fields

Hakone Venetian Glass Museum. Photo by Pixta

The Sengokuhara area of Hakone was once a crater lake, and is a popular destination for its wetlands, grasslands, and autumn foliage. In the present day, places like the Hakone Venetian Glass Museum and the Pola Museum of Art offer more things to enjoy than just the natural beauty of the region.

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One of the most picturesque spots in the area is the Sengoku Plateau where fields of silver grass rise up to meet the sky all year round. In the fall, the grass turns honey-colored and shines radiantly in the sunlight.

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The plateau is outfitted with walking paths, and from up close, you can see the entirety of the silver grass fields, swaying gently in the wind. A view like this can’t be seen anywhere else.

Sengokuhara Susuki Fields

Sengokuhara, Hakone, Ashigarashimo district, Kanagawa Prefecture

16:00 -- Feel the Intensity of a Volcano at Owakudani

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At Owakudani, you can physically experience the intensity of Hakone’s active volcano. White smoke shrouds the surrounding areas, and this unique scenery is why it was known as “Hell Valley” during the Edo period (1603-1868).

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Owakudani’s specialty is the black egg. When eggs are boiled in the hot springs here, the egg shells oxidize and turn black. Legend has it that eating a black egg will extend your lifespan by seven years, so be sure to try this gourmet regional food when you visit Owakudani.

17:00 -- Go Sightseeing at Lake Ashi and Explore Hakone Shrine

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Lake Ashi was formed by an ancient volcanic eruption. With a circumference of 21 km, it is Kanagawa Prefecture’s largest lake.

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Pleasure cruises, decked out in pirate decor, make round trips from three spots on Lake Ashi: Togendai, Hakonemachi, and Moto-Hakone. From atop one of these cruise ships, you can gaze at the view of Hakone’s mountains, reflected in the waters of the lake.

Book the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise Ticket

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One part of the lake is home to Hakone Shrine. The highlight of the shrine is the giant torii gate, which rises out of the waters by the lake shore! There are good spots to take photos, so you’ll want to stop by.

Hakone Shrine

80-1 Motohakone, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, 250-0522

19:00 -- Return to Hakone Yumoto Station and Enjoy a Dip in the Hot Springs

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At this point, you’ve made it back to Hakone Yumoto. After a tiring day exploring Hakone, wash away your fatigue in the hot springs.

Hakone Yumoto has over 40 hot spring inns, with hot springs for day-trippers and places with amenities like foot baths. Finding the hot spring that’s best for you is one of the best things about a trip to Hakone.

After a refreshing soak, your day in Hakone is over. Return your rental car and head back to Tokyo by train. This time, you’ve done a circuit around the Hakone area and seen plenty of its best tourist spots.

Hakone is a perfect day-trip destination from Tokyo, with bountiful nature, museums, and more. When you go to Hakone yourself, by all means, think about trying out this itinerary.

Book the Hakone Freepass!

Main image by Pixta