How to Spend a Perfect Day in Hakone: A Tokyo Day-Trip Guide

One-Day Hakone Loop Itinerary from Tokyo

9:00 AM: Traveling from Tokyo to Odawara (1 hour)

This itinerary begins in Tokyo, and depending on where you stay in the city and which train you want to take, you may or may not have to switch trains in Odawara. If you are not a JR Pass holder, you can travel from Shibuya Station straight to Hakone-Yumoto with the Limited Express Romancecar, skipping this step entirely. However, you have to reserve the seat in advance. The roundtrip ticket is 2470 JPY per person.

If you are a JR Pass holder, you can take the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station or Shinagawa Station to Odawara for free. Then, from Odawara Station, you can get the Hakone Freepass for around 5,000 JPY at the tourist information right as you exit the platform and travel on a local train to Hakone-Yumoto for free.

To be able to make it to all the tourist attractions I mentioned here before sundown, I highly recommend you start your journey from Tokyo no later than 9 AM. I started my day at 9 AM sharp and I made it all the way around the loop just in time to watch the sunset. It took me almost 11 hours for the entire trip, arriving back in Tokyo at 8 PM, so be sure to plan carefully.

10:00 AM: Take a Local Train From Odawara to Hakone-Yumoto (15 minutes)

Once you enter the local train platform, you can follow the white/orange arrow labeled "11: For Hakone-Yumoto/Gora" on the floor of the platform and take the train from there.

It should take about 15 minutes before you arrive in Hakone-Yumoto, where you will have to switch to another train to travel to Gora.

10:15 AM: Take a Local Train From Hakone-Yumoto to Chokokunomori Station (30 minutes)

After you get on the train in Hakone-Yumoto, it will be another 30 minutes before you arrive at Chokokunomori Station, where we will be getting off to visit the Hakone Open-Air Museum.

This route requires the train to go up a mountain, so the trip can be painfully slow. If you get a chance to secure a seat on this leg, do it because you will be standing for quite some time as the train slowly ascends.

10:45 AM: Stroll Around The Hakone Open-Air Museum (1 hour)

After hours of traveling, we have finally arrived at our first proper tourist attraction. Situated right across Chokokunomori Station, the Hakone Open-Air Museum is a fantastic modern art museum where you can take a break and stretch your legs before we continue our journey. Trust me, after an almost 2-hour trip from Tokyo, you are going to need it.

The museum has a beautiful and spacious outdoor sculpture park with an awesome view of the surroundings. You can spend about an hour here exploring and checking out some of its awesome collection of art installations, as well as indoor exhibitions.

Although my favorite thing about the museum is definitely the outdoor exhibition, there are so many cool art installations to see here, dotted across the open-air space, with some hidden away at the remote corners of the park. So, be sure to spend some time and enjoy the museum before we continue our journey around the Hakone loop.

The Hakone Open-Air Museum is open from 9 AM to 5 PM every day, and the entrance fee is 1600 JPY per person. If you hold the Hakone Freepass, you will receive a 10% discount on the entrance ticket.

Once you are done at the museum, you can exit the same way and continue walking north along the road until you arrive at Gora Train Station. It's only around a 5-minute walk, so there's no need to wait for the train.

11:45 PM: Take the Cable Car from Gora to Owakudani (30 minutes)

From Gora, you can stop for a light lunch at the station before taking the mountain tram to Sōunzan Station, where you will have to switch to a cable car along Hakone Ropeway to get to Owakudani or the Great Boiling Valley, our next stop.

The journey from Gora to Sōunzan should take about 10 minutes, and from Sōunzan to Owakudani, another 15 minutes. This is where you will finally get a glimpse of the pristine Lake Ashi on your left, and if you are lucky, you might be able to spot the iconic Mt. Fuji towering over you on your right. Unfortunately, when I was there in late October, Mt. Fuji was a little shy as it hid behind a massive cloud for most of the day 😥.

As you approach the ridge of a mountain, you'll begin to witness fumes and smoke delicately hovering above the landscape. This captivating sight marks the presence of the Great Boiling Valley of Owakudani, our next destination. Get your camera ready, as this is the only opportunity to see Owakudani from above before we explore the ground level.

12:15 PM:Explore Owakudani (30 minutes - 1 hour)

As you take the cable car over the rolling hills of Hakone, you will start to see fumes and smoke as you ascend above a mountain ridge. You have arrived at the Great Boiling Valley, or Owakudani, a volcanic valley with active sulfur vents and hot springs in Hakone created by the explosion of Hakone Volcano around 3000 years ago.

This unique and geothermally active area is renowned for its hot springs, sulfurous fumes, and scenic views, with walking trails, cafes, restaurants, and other facilities for you to enjoy while you marvel at the incredible power of Mother Nature.

One of the best things to do here is to try out Kuro-tamago, or black eggs. These eggs are hard-boiled from the hot springs here and are believed to add seven years to your life when consumed. The shells turn black due to the sulfur in the water, and you can buy them from the souvenir shops at the ropeway station. If you want to live forever 😂, be sure to buy a dozen of these black eggs and eat them while you are there.

Spend around 30 minutes to an hour here admiring the unique landscape before we continue on our journey. There are several street food stalls, shops, and restaurants here, so if you haven't had lunch yet, this is a good place to do so. Once you've concluded your visit to Owakudani, a brief 10-minute cable ride will transport you to the shores of Lake Ashi, our next destination.

1:15 PM: Cruise Across Lake Ashi On A Pirate Ship (1.5 hours)

One of the best ways to explore Lake Ashi and its pristine shoreline is to get on one of these pirate ships and go on a 45-minute cruise across the entire length of the lake.

The ships leave from Tōgendai Port, which is directly connected to the Togendai ropeway station. To get on one, all you have to do is walk straight to the port after you get off the Hakone Ropeway cable car and start queuing up for the ship. It's all in the same building, so you do not have to find your way to get there.

The ship leaves every 45 minutes starting from 9:30 AM to around 3:50 PM every day, and the ship will take you to Hakonemachi Port and Motohakone Port in about 45 minutes. If you want to continue following this itinerary, you will be closer to the next tourist attractions if you get off at Motohakone Port.

Along the way, you will get to see some really cool tourist attractions in Hakone, such as the famous Heiwa no Torii gate and Komagatake mountain, as well as Mount Fuji looming behind you. There are plenty of seats on the ship, but if you want to enjoy the view, you can go straight up to the deck and secure one of the few benches up there.

The price for a one-way trip across Lake Ashi is free with Hakone Freepass, and you will have access to the economy cabin, which is situated on the backside of the ship. However, if you pay 400 JPY more, you will get access to the premium front cabin with a better view of the lake.

Personally, I found the view in economy to be more than sufficient for taking photos, but it does get a little crowded sometimes. After 45 minutes, you will arrive at Motohakone, where we can finally spend some time and relax without having to worry about which other mode of transportation we have to take.

2:45 PM: Explore Motohakone (2 hours)

After you cross Lake Ashi, you will arrive in Motohakone, a small town on the other side of the lake and the final stop of the Hakone Loop. While here, be sure to go for a little stroll along the lake's shoreline and check out the iconic Heiwa no Torii, a big Torii gate located photogenically by the lakeside.

This Torii gate is considered to be one of the most picturesque spots in Hakone, so much so that you might find yourself having to queue up to get that iconic photo of yourself and the gate. I was there right around sunset, and the place is jam-packed with people, lining up to get that money shot.

Nothing turns me off more than having to line up to get the same photo as everyone else. But if, somehow, you are there when there are no people around (say, at sunrise), make sure not to miss out on taking that iconic photo of yourself with the Torii gate.

Not too far from Heiwa no Torii, you'll come across the beautiful Hakone Shrine, nestled in the lush forest, surrounded by some of the oldest trees of Hakone. It is a great place to stop by as you explore the shoreline of Lake Ashi in Motohakone.

At the temple, you will find yourself surrounded by stunning red-painted Shinto structures, with the main temple being the Kuzuryu Shrine built to honor the nine-headed dragon that was once said to live in the adjoining Lake Ashi.

It is a great place to stroll around and discover the small shrines and Torii gates that are dotted around the temple complex. The temple is open from 8:30 AM to 5 PM every day, and it is free to enter.

Now that we have some time to chill, you can spend as much time as you like in Motohakone. I highly recommend you stay until sunset, which is between 4 PM to 7 PM depending on the season. Just make sure you don't stay after 7:23 PM, as that is when the last bus between Motohakone and Hakone-Yumoto runs.

5 PM: Take a Bus Back to Hakone-Yumoto (45 minutes)

Once you are done, you can then catch the Hakone Tozan bus back to Hakone-Yumoto from Hakone Bus Stop. Make sure to line up behind platform 2 as this is the most direct route to Hakone-Yumoto. It should take about 45 minutes before you arrive back in Hakone-Yumoto.

5:45 PM: Take a Train Back to Odawara and Tokyo (1 hour 15 minutes)

From Hakone-Yumoto, you can either take the Limited Express Romancecar back to Shibuya station directly from Hakone-Yumoto Train Station if you have booked the train back, or you can take the 15-minute local train back to Odawara the same way you got here.

Once you arrive in Odawara, switch to the JR Station, and from there, you can take the Shinkansen back to Tokyo for free as long as you hold a JR Pass. You should arrive in Tokyo by 7 PM, give or take, completing this epic one-day Hakone itinerary from Tokyo. Congratulations!

When to Visit Hakone?

The best time to visit Hakone is between June and October when the weather is not too cold, and you have a higher chance of seeing Mt. Fuji. While it's possible to see Mt. Fuji in winter, spending most of your time outdoors during this season might not be ideal for some visitors.

Try to avoid visiting Hakone on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, as well as during public holidays, as the place can get extremely crowded. You'll likely spend much of your time cramped with other people, especially at bottlenecks like the cable cars you have to traverse on the Hakone Loop.

How to Get to from Tokyo to Hakone?

To get from Tokyo to Hakone, you have two options. You can either use the Limited Express Romancecar from Shibuya Station to travel directly to Hakone in about 80 minutes. It is the fastest and most convenient way to get to Hakone, but the train doesn't run as often as regular trains and you will have to book the seat in advance.

If you are a JR Pass holder, you can travel from Tokyo JR Station or Shinagawa JR Station to Odawara JR Station via one of the many Shinkansen bullet trains, for free. Once you arrive in Odawara, you can then take the local train to Hakone-Yumoto Station, where the Hakone loop begins.

How to Get Around Hakone?

Getting around Hakone requires a lot of time and patience because you will be switching between several modes of transportation, from local trains to cable cars to buses and more. It can get pricey very quickly if you are not careful.

One of the best ways to get around Hakone affordably is to get the Hakone Freepass, a 1-day pass that will give you unlimited access to local trains and buses, as well as a single trip on the cable car, mountain train, and the ship across Lake Ashi.

The Hakone Freepass costs about 5000 JPY and you can either buy it online here or get it from the tourist information at Odawara Train Station.

With the Freepass, you can traverse the Hakone Loop that goes around the lake, starting and ending in Odawara. You can take the local train to Hakone Yumoto and to Gora, access the mountain car to Sōunzan, traverse the Hakone Ropeway to Lake Ashi, cross the lake on a pirate ship, take the local bus back to Gora, and a train back to Odawara Station, all for free.

If you plan to do the Hakone Loop, getting the Hakone Freepass will save you a ton of money and time. You will also receive a 10% discount on other tourist attractions around Hakone, such as the Hakone Open-Air Art Museum and more. Be sure to get the Hakone Freepass for your trip to Hakone.

If you do not want to deal with any of this, and trust me, I completely understand, you can also opt for an organized tour instead. That way, you will get to see many of these tourist attractions without always having to worry about your next move. You can browse for organized day trips from Tokyo here.

Tips: If you are a train pass holder like JR Pass and want to only see train routes that you can use with a JR Pass, try NAVITIME app. You can filter train routes based on the train pass you hold. Highly recommended.

How Much Money Do I Need For A One-Day Trip To Hakone?

From this one-day itinerary, we can calculate approximately how much money you will be spending here as follows:

Accommodation: 0 since you will be staying in Tokyo and visiting Hakone only as a day trip.

Food: For a day, you can expect to pay around 30 USD for food at regular restaurants.

Transportation: For this itinerary, you can expect to pay around 7470 JPY (-2470 JPY if you hold a JR Pass) (50 USD) for transportation in total; 2470 JPY for a roundtrip ticket on the Limited Express Romancecar from Shibuya Station and back, and 5000 JPY for the Hakone Freepass.

Activities: Depending on how much you want to follow my itinerary, you can expect to pay around 1600 JPY (10 USD) for activities, including the Hakone Open-Air Museum.

Total Budget for a Day in Hakone: 80 USD

What to Pack for Hakone, Japan?

As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Hakone, Japan:

• Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
• Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
• Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
• Fleece Jacket: For colder weather, layering is the key, and a fleece jacket makes an excellent insulating layer. I recommend the Columbia Steens Mountain Fleece (for women).
• Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
• Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
• Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
• Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
• Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
• Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
• Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
• Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
• Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.

For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.

Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:

Flights: Skyscanner and Expedia are the best places to start looking for cheap flights and great deals from your home country.

Accommodation: Hostelworld, Booking.com, and Agoda.com are the ultimate go-to platforms to search for amazing hostels and hotels at affordable prices.

Travel Insurance: Heymondo covers theft, medical emergencies, cancellations, and more during your travels. Get a 5% discount if you sign up today.

Transportation: For buses, I always go with 12Go when traveling in Hakone, Japan while for trains, JR Pass is my go-to place to book all my train travels in advance.

Car Rental: DiscoverCars.com is a great and reliable platform to find rental cars.

Internet: Airalo is the best way to get a sim card and has reliable internet access for your trip. All you need is an esim compatible smartphone, install it on your phone prior to your trip, and you are all set.

VPN: To stay connected with people at home, I always make sure to have ProtonVPN, installed before traveling. It's FREE, and I can gain access to services that may be blocked in certain countries.

Day Trips & Tours: Viator, GetYourGuide and TripAdvisor are great platforms to search for trips and tours to join.

Tickets & Deals: Klook is always my go-to website when I want to find cheaper deals for entrance tickets to tourist attractions.

Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.

Further Reading for Japan

Looking for more information for your trip to Japan? Here are a collection of articles about Japan that you might find useful:

• For a complete Japan itinerary, check out: 2 Weeks Backpacking Japan Itinerary.
• Visiting Japan for the first time? Here are a few things I wish I knew before visiting Japan: 13 Important Things To Know Before Visiting Japan.
• Looking for a complete list of things you shouldn't miss when you are traveling in Japan? Check out: 16 Best Things to Do in Japan.
• Want to climb Mount Fuji? Here is a complete guide on how to and not to climb Mount Fuji for a real-life experience.
• What is it like to climb Mount Fuji during a super typhoon? Here's A Backpacking Travel Guide to Mt Fuji and Kawaguchiko.
• Looking for a complete travel guide to Tokyo? Check out: 14 Best Things To Do In Tokyo.
• For a complete itinerary of Tokyo, check out: 3 Days Backpacking Tokyo Itinerary.
• Another awesome place to visit in Japan for a great view of Mt. Fuji is Hakone. Here are the 9 Best Things to Do in Hakone.
• Planning to visit Nikko soon? From hiking to best temples to visit, here are the 10 Best Things to Do in Nikko.
• Kyoto, the old capital city of Japan, is a one-of-a-kind city that you should not miss. Here are the 16 Best Things To Do In Kyoto.
• For a complete itinerary of Kyoto and Osaka, check out: 3 Days Backpacking Kyoto-Osaka Itinerary.
• There are more to Hiroshima than the war memorial. Here are the 13 Best Things to Do in Hiroshima.
• Want to go off the beaten path in Japan? What about exploring Kyushu island? Here is a 3-day road trip itinerary for Kumamoto and Aso.
• Not convinced by my words about Japan? Watch these videos: Just Japan and Japan Day & Night travel videos.
• Wondering where to go after Japan? How about hopping over to China or visiting the islands of Taiwan or Hong Kong?
• For all articles about Japan, visit the Japan Travel Guide page.
• Looking to travel to East Asia? Check out all my articles about East Asia here: East Asia Travel Guide page.
• You can see all my Asia-related articles here: Asia Travel Guide page.
• For more of my travel guides like this, visit my Destinations page.