Hakone, in Kanagawa Prefecture approximately 80 kilometres southwest of Tokyo, is Japan’s most popular day trip and short-break destination, combining views of Mount Fuji, volcanic landscapes, natural hot springs, and an excellent open-air sculpture museum into a single accessible loop. The Hakone Free Pass makes the circular route seamless and economical.
The Hakone Free Pass
The Hakone Free Pass (2-day ¥6,500 / 3-day ¥7,000 from Shinjuku) covers: Odakyu Romance Car or express train from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto; Hakone Tozan Railway; Hakone Tozan Cable Car; Hakone Ropeway; Hakone Lakeship; and buses throughout the area. It also provides discounts at major attractions. This is the definitive way to do Hakone — buying individual tickets is cumbersome and more expensive.
The Classic Loop Route
The standard Hakone circuit runs: Shinjuku → Odawara/Hakone-Yumoto by Romance Car → Hakone Tozan Railway (zigzag mountain train through cedar forest, late June hydrangea season is spectacular) → Gora → Cable Car → Owakudani (volcanic valley, sulphur vents, black eggs boiled in hot springs — each egg said to add seven years to your life) → Ropeway over volcanic caldera → Lake Ashi (Ashinoko) → Lakeship to Hakone-machi or Moto-Hakone → bus back to Hakone-Yumoto → Romance Car to Shinjuku.
Total loop: approximately 6–8 hours including stops. Mount Fuji views are best from the ropeway and Lake Ashi on clear days (October–February optimal; summer often obscured by cloud/haze).
Key Stops
Hakone Open-Air Museum (near Chokoku-no-Mori Station on the Tozan Railway): an outdoor sculpture park with works by Picasso, Rodin, and Henry Moore set against mountain scenery. The Picasso Pavilion alone justifies the ¥1,600 admission. Onsen: Hakone-Yumoto and Gora are the main onsen towns; day-use bath facilities (higaeri onsen) are available at many ryokan (¥1,000–¥2,000) — excellent for a foot bath or full soak before the return train.
Practical Tips
- Owakudani ropeway section occasionally closes during elevated volcanic activity — check Hakone Ropeway official site before travel.
- The Romance Car (Romancecar) observation cars have front-facing seats — book in advance via Odakyu online.
- Stay overnight to access ryokan onsen and see Fuji at dawn — one night in Hakone transforms the experience.
- Late June: the Tozan Railway hydrangea tunnel is one of Japan’s most photographed seasonal sights.