Hakone packs gondolas, a lake cruise, an open-air museum and a hot-spring park into one area, so where you start shapes the day. The ropeway takes about 15 minutes between stations, the cruise is a 70-minute round trip, and the Open-Air Museum is 70,000 square metres to walk. Check the hours and ticket pickup of the 7 below and pick what fits your day.
7 recommended activities7 recommended activities
Hakone · Ropeway
Swiss-built glass gondolas run via Owakudani and Ubako to Togendai, 130 m above the valley with views of the volcanic crater, Lake Ashi and, on clear days, Mount Fuji. The ride between stations takes about 15 minutes and runs 09:00–16:45 from February to November and 09:00–16:15 from December to January. Choose a one-way or round-trip ticket.
Hakone · Lake Ashi Cruise
A pirate-ship-style cruise making a 70-minute round trip on Lake Ashi between Hakone-machi, Moto-Hakone and Togendai ports. On clear days it shows Mount Fuji and the Hakone Shrine torii, and it also works as transport between ports. It runs 09:30–17:00 from 20 March to 25 July and 26 August to 30 November, and until 17:35 from 26 July to 25 August.
Hakone · Moto-Hakone Port
A cruise ticket for choosing among pirate ship, catamaran and sightseeing boats; the described route starts at Togendai on the pirate ship and passes Hakone-machi and Moto-Hakone ports. The newly designed Sorakaze also sails. The e-ticket is validated by staff swiping the screen, so do not press the use button or slide it yourself.
Hakone · Sengokuhara
An open-air museum on about 70,000 square metres with more than 100 works by Rodin, Bourdelle, Moore and others, and about 120 on permanent display. It has five pavilions including the Picasso Pavilion, a children's playground and a hot-spring footbath, and is open 09:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30). Parking is extra and photography inside pavilions is restricted.
Hakone · Sengokuhara
A museum of about 100 Venetian glass works from the 15th to 19th centuries plus contemporary pieces, including a cobalt-blue cup handed down in the Rothschild family. The signature sight is a "flame tree" fountain made of glass beads; the outdoor café has canzone or instrumental music, and a workshop offers glass crafts. Open 10:00–17:30, last entry 17:00.
Hakone · Kowakien
A hot-spring theme park with 23 baths, including wine, coffee and green-tea baths, plus a slide and pool; on clear days you can see Mount Fuji and Sagami Bay. Yunessun runs 10:00–18:00 on weekdays and 09:00–19:00 on weekends and holidays, and children under 3 enter free. Only for visitors from abroad, not Japanese nationals or residents; tattoos must be covered.
Hakone · Moto-Hakone
At 723 m it is described as Japan's highest marine exhibit, showing about 32,000 fish of 450 species across sea-water, freshwater and seal zones. Sharks, emperor penguins and king crabs share the building with electric eels and piranhas, and the Komagatake Ropeway beside it reaches the summit in 7 minutes for views of Lake Ashi and Mount Fuji. Open 09:00–16:30; the outdoor seal zone depends on the weather.
To go by rides, take the ropeway past Owakudani down to Togendai and cross Lake Ashi by cruise. The ropeway hangs 130 m above the valley with views of volcanic terrain and Mount Fuji, and the pirate-ship-style cruise links Togendai, Hakone-machi and Moto-Hakone ports.
Art and gardens cluster around Sengokuhara. The Open-Air Museum shows more than 100 works by Rodin, Bourdelle, Moore and others plus a Picasso pavilion, while the Glass Forest displays 15th- to 19th-century Venetian glass and a fountain made of glass beads. Both close around 17:00, so start in the morning.
With children, Yunessun and Hakone-en Aquarium fit. Yunessun has 23 baths, including wine, coffee and green-tea baths, plus a slide and pool; Hakone-en is the highest marine exhibit in Japan at 723 m, right beside the Komagatake Ropeway station.
Rates and availability depend on dates, guests and selected options. Check the terms on the product page.
