Best Things to Do in Hakone: Top 12 Sights for First-Time Visitors (2026)

Few day trips from Tokyo offer as much variety as Hakone. In a single mountain loop you can stand beside hissing volcanic vents, cruise a crater lake on a pirate ship, walk among Picasso sculptures on an open lawn, photograph a red torii floating on the water, and finish the day neck-deep in a natural hot spring. The hard part is not finding things to do in Hakone — it is fitting them all into the time you have.

This guide ranks the best things to do in Hakone for first-time visitors, with the practical details you actually need: what each attraction costs, how long to budget, and how to string them together efficiently. From the must-see Open-Air Museum to the quiet teahouses of the Old Tokaido, here are the top 12 sights and experiences, plus tips on tickets, timing, and where to stay so you can build the perfect Hakone itinerary.

🎬 Watch Before You Go

Overview: Planning Your Hakone Day

How the Round Course Works

Hakone’s attractions are spread across slopes and ridgelines, so the smart way to see them is the famous round course: the Hakone Tozan Railway up to Gora, a cable car to Sounzan, the ropeway over Owakudani, a pirate ship across Lake Ashi, and a bus back to Hakone-Yumoto. Each leg is itself a small attraction. The whole loop takes about 6–7 hours at a relaxed pace and is fully covered by the Hakone Free Pass. For the complete planning picture — transport, passes, and budgets — start with our Hakone travel guide for first-time visitors.

How Long You Need

One full day covers the highlights below if you start early. Two days let you slow down, add the art museums of Sengokuhara, and enjoy an onsen ryokan overnight. If you only have a day, prioritize items 1 through 5; if you have two, work your way down the whole list. Hot-spring beginners should skim our Japan onsen guide first so the bathing etiquette feels natural.

Top Recommendations

1. Hakone Open-Air Museum

The single best things-to-do-in-Hakone highlight for art lovers, this hillside park scatters more than 120 sculptures across manicured lawns with mountains as the backdrop. A dedicated Picasso Pavilion holds over 300 works, and a warm foot bath fed by hot-spring water lets you rest your feet mid-visit. Adult admission is about 2,000 yen and most visitors stay 90 minutes to two hours. Our full Hakone Open-Air Museum guide covers tickets, discounts, and the best photo spots.

2. Owakudani Volcanic Valley

Ride the ropeway to this active volcanic valley at around 1,000 meters, where sulfur vents hiss and the air smells of egg. The signature snack is kuro-tamago, black eggs boiled in the sulfur springs — a pack of five costs about 500 yen and legend says each adds seven years to your life. On clear days Mount Fuji looms beyond the steam.

3. Lake Ashi Pirate Ship Cruise

Brightly painted replica pirate ships sail Lake Ashi between Togendai, Hakonemachi, and Moto-Hakone. The 30–40 minute crossing is free with the Free Pass (about 1,200 yen otherwise) and offers the postcard view of Fuji rising behind the water. For the full ropeway-plus-cruise sequence, see our Lake Ashi and Hakone Ropeway guide.

4. Hakone Shrine and the Torii of Peace

The vermilion gate standing in the lake at Moto-Hakone is one of Japan’s most photographed torii. The shrine itself sits in a cedar forest up a moss-covered staircase. Come near sunrise to beat the queue that can stretch an hour by mid-morning in peak season.

5. Hakone Ropeway

More than transport, the ropeway is a 30-minute aerial journey over the volcanic valley with sweeping views toward Fuji. Cabins depart every minute, so there is rarely a long wait. It connects Sounzan, Owakudani, and Togendai on the round course.

6. Hakone Tozan Railway

Japan’s oldest mountain railway switchbacks up from Hakone-Yumoto to Gora, reversing direction three times as it climbs. In late June the line is famous for hydrangeas, earning it the nickname “the hydrangea train.” The 40-minute ride is a highlight in its own right.

7. Soak in a Hot Spring

Hakone Onsen draws from more than a dozen sources. Day-use baths cost 1,000–2,000 yen, while an overnight ryokan unlocks private and open-air rotenburo baths. A soak at the end of the loop is the perfect full stop to a Hakone day.

Short on time and wondering what to skip? If you want to eat and soak rather than rush every stop, our one-day Hakone itinerary sequences these highlights for the smoothest loop.

8. Old Tokaido and the Hakone Checkpoint

A 400-year-old avenue of cedar trees shades the original Tokaido highway near Moto-Hakone, leading to the reconstructed Hakone Checkpoint where Edo-period officials once inspected travelers. Entry is about 500 yen and the walk takes 30–45 minutes.

9. Gora and Gora Park

Gora is the upper terminus of the Tozan railway and a hub of ryokan and cafes. Hakone Gora Park is a French-style hillside garden with a tropical greenhouse and craft workshops, a relaxed stop for about 550 yen.

10. Sengokuhara Art Museums

The quiet Sengokuhara plateau holds the Hakone Venetian Glass Museum, with its glittering crystal gazebo, and the Pola Museum of Art, home to Impressionist masterpieces in a forest setting. Each charges roughly 1,600–2,000 yen and rewards art fans with far smaller crowds.

11. Amazake Chaya Teahouse

This thatched-roof teahouse has served travelers on the Old Tokaido for some 400 years. Stop for a cup of warm, non-alcoholic amazake (sweet fermented rice drink) and a plate of grilled mochi for under 1,000 yen — a genuine taste of the old road.

12. Hakone-Yumoto Town

The gateway town is more than a transit point. Its main street is lined with souvenir shops, soba restaurants, and free public foot baths where you can soak tired feet before the train home. It is the perfect place to buy yosegi-zaiku, Hakone’s traditional marquetry woodcraft.

Bonus: What to Eat in Hakone

Sightseeing in Hakone works up an appetite, and the region has its own specialties worth seeking out. The most iconic is the Owakudani kuro-tamago, the sulfur-blackened black egg sold in packs of five for about 500 yen at the ropeway summit. Down in Hakone-Yumoto, hand-cut soba noodles are the local staple; a steaming bowl of tempura soba runs 1,000–1,500 yen at long-running shops near the station. Gora is known for its hot-spring-steamed buns and craft cafes, while the Old Tokaido teahouse Amazake Chaya serves warm amazake and grilled mochi just as it did 400 years ago. For something sweet, look for yuba (tofu skin) desserts and locally brewed Hakone beer. Many ryokan also serve a multi-course kaiseki dinner built around seasonal mountain vegetables and river fish — reason enough to stay the night. Budget travelers can assemble a satisfying picnic from the bakeries and convenience stores in Yumoto before heading up the mountain, where food prices climb along with the altitude.

How to Book / Where to Experience

Tours and Tickets

Most of these attractions are covered or discounted by the Hakone Free Pass, but pre-booking a guided tour can save planning headaches, especially if you are short on time. Compare Hakone day tours and tickets on Klook →, or grab the pass directly: Browse the Hakone Free Pass on Klook →. Bundling the Open-Air Museum and Owakudani add-ons in advance means less queuing on the day.

Where to Stay

To do all 12 without rushing, stay one night. Gora and Sengokuhara offer the most atmospheric ryokan, while Hakone-Yumoto is the most convenient and affordable base. Check Hakone hotels and ryokan on Booking.com →. For a neighborhood-by-neighborhood breakdown, see where to stay in Hakone.

Tips & What to Expect

Best Time to Visit

For the clearest Fuji views, come November through February when the air is dry and cold. Late June brings hydrangeas along the Tozan railway, and October–November paints the hills in autumn color. Summer is green but hazy. Check our month-by-month Mt Fuji visibility guide before fixing dates.

What to Bring

Bring layers — Owakudani can be 8–10 degrees cooler than Tokyo — plus a small onsen towel, cash for snacks and small museums, and good walking shoes for the shrine steps. Tattoo cover patches help at traditional baths.

Getting There and Around

From Shinjuku, the Odakyu Romancecar reaches Hakone-Yumoto in about 85 minutes (around 2,470 yen). First-timer insider tip: ride the round course clockwise and start before 9 a.m. so you reach the ropeway and lake before tour buses and the midday clouds arrive. To pair Hakone with the wider region, browse the best day trips from Tokyo or a classic Mt Fuji day trip from Tokyo.

Suggested Two-Day Itinerary

With two days you can do Hakone justice. On day one, ride the Tozan railway from Hakone-Yumoto to Gora, spend the late morning at the Hakone Open-Air Museum, then take the cable car and ropeway to Owakudani for the black eggs and Fuji views around noon. Cruise Lake Ashi in the afternoon, photograph the Torii of Peace, and walk a stretch of the Old Tokaido before checking into a Gora or Sengokuhara ryokan for an onsen soak and kaiseki dinner. On day two, slow down: visit the Pola Museum of Art and the Venetian Glass Museum in Sengokuhara, enjoy a leisurely lunch, and stop at Amazake Chaya on the way back. Finish with a free foot bath and souvenir shopping in Hakone-Yumoto before the Romancecar back to Tokyo. This pace turns a checklist into a genuine retreat and leaves room for the weather to cooperate on a Fuji sighting.

Hakone on a Budget vs Splurge

Hakone flexes to fit almost any budget. A frugal day trip can be done for roughly 9,000–11,000 yen all in: the 2-day Hakone Free Pass from Shinjuku, a soba lunch, the black eggs, one museum, and a 1,000-yen day-use onsen. Spend a little more — around 30,000–45,000 yen per person — and you unlock an overnight in a mid-range ryokan with private onsen, kaiseki dinner, and breakfast included. At the top end, Hakone’s luxury ryokan in Gora and Sengokuhara charge 60,000 yen and up per person for in-room open-air baths and Fuji-facing suites, the kind of once-in-a-trip splurge many travelers build a whole Japan itinerary around. Wherever you land, the round-course attractions cost the same, so the main lever is whether you day-trip or stay the night. Our money-saving advice: book the ryokan first, since the best rooms sell out months ahead in autumn, then build the rest of the day around it.

FAQ

What are the must-see things to do in Hakone for first-time visitors? The top five are the Hakone Open-Air Museum, Owakudani volcanic valley, the Lake Ashi pirate ship cruise, the Hakone Shrine torii, and a hot-spring soak. Together they capture Hakone’s mix of art, nature, and onsen culture.

Can you see all the main attractions in one day? Yes, the round course links the major sights and takes 6–7 hours. Start early and you can comfortably fit items 1 through 7 on this list.

How much does a day of sightseeing in Hakone cost? Budget about 6,100 yen for the 2-day Free Pass plus 3,000–5,000 yen for museum tickets, the black eggs, and lunch.

What is the best thing to do in Hakone when it rains? The indoor museums shine in bad weather — the Open-Air Museum’s Picasso Pavilion, the Pola Museum of Art, and the Venetian Glass Museum all stay enjoyable rain or shine.

Is Hakone good for kids? Very. The pirate ship, the ropeway, the black eggs, and the open lawns of the sculpture park make it one of the more family-friendly day trips near Tokyo.

Do I need to reserve the pirate ship or ropeway? No reservations are needed for the round-course rides; just tap your Free Pass. Only the Romancecar seats and ryokan need advance booking.

What should I not miss eating in Hakone? The Owakudani black eggs are the signature bite, but do not leave without trying Hakone-Yumoto soba and, if you can, a ryokan kaiseki dinner. Amazake at the historic Old Tokaido teahouse is a memorable, inexpensive treat too.

Is one day or two days better for Hakone? One day covers the headline sights, but two days let you add the Sengokuhara art museums, slow down at the lake, and enjoy an onsen ryokan overnight — the experience most visitors remember best.

Can I store luggage in Hakone? Yes. Coin lockers and a paid luggage-forwarding service operate at Hakone-Yumoto Station, so you can explore the round course hands-free and have bags delivered to your ryokan.

Is Hakone or Nikko the better day trip from Tokyo? Both are excellent. Hakone wins for onsen, lake scenery, and Mt Fuji views; Nikko wins for ornate shrines and waterfalls. If hot springs and a relaxing soak top your list, choose Hakone.

Related Articles

You might also like:

• Hakone Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors
• Hakone Open-Air Museum Guide: Tickets, Picasso Pavilion & Best Time
• Lake Ashi & Hakone Ropeway Guide
• Where to Stay in Hakone

Conclusion

From volcanic steam to Picasso sculptures to a sunset soak, the best things to do in Hakone add up to one of the most rewarding short trips in all of Japan. Three takeaways to plan around: first, the round course connects nearly everything on this list, so let it shape your day. Second, start early to catch Mt Fuji before the clouds and crowds. Third, stay one night if you can, so you can reach the quieter art museums and enjoy an onsen after the day-trippers head home.

Ready to go? Secure your transport and tickets with the Hakone tours and passes on Klook →, then book the right base with our guide to where to stay in Hakone or browse Hakone ryokan on Booking.com →. Tick off all 12 and you will understand why Hakone tops so many Japan itineraries.