Hakone is at the historic, cultural, and natural crossroads of Japan. Get inspiration and information for your visit and come discover the tradition, culture and history of Japan in Hakone.

Hakone is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, less than one hundred kilometers from Tokyo.

Famous for hot springs, natural beauty and the view across Lake Ashinoko of nearby Mount Fuji, Hakone is one of the most popular destinations among Japanese and international tourists looking for a break from Tokyo.

A popular and attractive way of visiting Hakone is by circling the region with five different means of transport (train, cablecar, ropeway, boat and bus), using the Hakone Free Pass. The round course outlined below starts and ends in Hakone-Yumoto and circles the Hakone region in the counter-clockwise direction. Of course, it is also possible to follow the course in the opposite direction or to start and end somewhere different.

If you leave early in the morning, it is possible to completed the Hakone round course in a one day trip from Tokyo. However, we recommend allocating two days and one night to your visit, preferably with a stay at a ryokan with hot spring baths.

Mont Fuji: is with 3776 meters Japan’s highest mountain. It is not surprising that the nearly perfectly shaped volcano has been worshiped as a sacred mountain and experienced big popularity among artists and common people throughout the centuries.

Mount Fuji is an active volcano, which most recently erupted in 1707. It stands on the border between Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures and can be seen from Tokyo and Yokohama on clear days.

Another easy way to view Mount Fuji is from the train on a trip between Tokyo and Osaka. If you take the shinkansen from Tokyo in direction of Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka, the best view of the mountain can be enjoyed from around Shin-Fuji Station on the right hand side of the train, about 40-45 minutes into the journey.

Note however, that clouds and poor visibility often block the view of Mount Fuji, and you have to consider yourself lucky if you get a clear view of the mountain. Visibility tends to be better during the colder seasons of the year than in summer, and in the early morning and late evening hours than during the middle of the day.

If you want to enjoy Mount Fuji at a more leisurely pace and from a nice natural surrounding, you should head to the Fuji Five Lake (Fujigoko) region at the northern foot of the mountain, or to Hakone, a nearby hot spring resort. Mount Fuji is officially open for climbing during July and August via several routes.