Hakone

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Mt. Fuji from Lake Ashino

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Overview

Offering serene onsen, world-class art museums, traditional inns and spectacular mountain scenery crowned by Mt Fuji, Hakone (箱根) can make for a blissful escape from Tokyo. Ashino-ko (芦ノ湖) is the lake at the centre of it all, the setting for the iconic image of Mt Fuji with the torii of Hakone-jinja rising from the water.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • HAKONE, KANAGAWA, JAPAN - 2014/06/20: The Hakone Open Air Museum creates a harmonic balance of the nature of Hakone National Park with art in the form of scultpures and other artwork, usually replicas, using the nature of Hakone National Park as a frame or background. The park encourages children to play and be entertained as well as to inspire visitors. (Photo by John S Lander/LightRocket via Getty Images)

    Hakone Open-Air Museum

    Hakone

    Occupying a verdant swath of Hakone hillside is this unmissable art safari, leading visitors past a rich array of 19th- and 20th-century sculptures and…

  • Okada Museum of Art

    Okada Museum of Art

    Hakone

    This mammoth museum showcases the dazzling Japanese, Chinese and Korean art treasures of industrialist Okada Kazuo. You could easily spend hours…

  • Pola Museum of Art

    Pola Museum of Art

    Hakone

    Showcasing the private collection of the late Suzuki Tsuneshi, son of the founder of the Pola Group (a cosmetics company), this impressive building…

  • Enoura Observatory

    Enoura Observatory

    Hakone

    Book well in advance to be sure of securing a ticket to view this extraordinary art, architecture and performing arts complex overlooking scenic Sagami…

  • Ōwakudani

    Ōwakudani

    Hakone

    The 'Great Boiling Valley' was created 3000 years ago when Kami-yama erupted and collapsed, also forming Ashino-ko. Hydrogen sulphide steams from the…

  • Hakone Ropeway

    Hakone Ropeway

    Hakone

    The Hakone Ropeway is a 30-minute, 4km gondola ride, taking travellers to Tōgendai from Sōun-zan. It glides over the steaming crater of Ōwakudani, one of…

  • Onshi Hakone Kōen

    Onshi Hakone Kōen

    Hakone

    Occupying a peninsula on Ashino-ko, this scenic park was formerly the grounds of an imperial summer retreat. The 'Lakeside Panorama Pavilion', said to…

  • Ashi-no-ko

    Ashi-no-ko

    Hakone

    Cobalt-blue crater-lake Ashi-no-ko was created by an eruption of Hakone-yama nearly 3000 years ago. It's famous for the view of Mt Fuji, reflected on the…

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Planning Tools

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Best Things to Do

Spilling inland from the coast southwest of Tokyo, Hakone serves up unreal scenery on all sides. From hot springs to hikes, here are the top things to do.

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Young traveler takeing photo at red Torii gate of Hakone shrine at lake Ashi, Japan; Shutterstock ID 1120651097; GL: Marketing; netsuite: 65020; full: Amazon; name: Eoin Hederman 1120651097 Young traveler takeing photo at red Torii gate of Hakone shrine at lake Ashi, Japan

Activities

The 8 best things to do in Hakone, Japan

Apr 1, 2025 • 9 min read

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