• Lake Ashinoko - Lake Ashinoko (芦ノ湖, Ashinoko) was created in the caldera of Mount Hakone following the volcano’s last eruption 3,000 years ago. Today, the lake, with Mount Fuji in the background, serves as a symbol of Hakone. The lake’s shores remain largely undeveloped, except for small towns in the east and north and a few lakeside resort hotels.

The most stunning views of the lake alongside Mount Fuji can be seen from Moto-Hakone (just a few steps south of the sightseeing boat pier), from the Hakone Detached Palace Garden, and from the sightseeing boats cruising the lake.

• Hakone Shrine - Hakone-jinja Shrine is a serene place of worship with a history spanning over 12 centuries. Although its buildings have been destroyed by fire and rebuilt multiple times, the shrine and its surrounding forest maintain an atmosphere of tranquility and mystery.
• Hakone Ropeway - The Hakone Ropeway (箱根ロ－プウエイ) is part of the Hakone Round Course, a popular way to explore Hakone. It connects Sounzan Station (the terminus of the Hakone Tozan Cablecar) with Togendai Station (on the shore of Lake Ashinoko) and stops at Owakudani and Ubako stations along the way. The ropeway is fully covered by the Hakone Free Pass.

The ropeway’s gondolas depart every minute and accommodate around ten people each. The full journey on the ropeway takes approximately 30 minutes. Passengers can enjoy views of the active, sulfuric hot spring sources of the Owakudani Valley between Sounzan and Owakudani, and of Lake Ashinoko and Mount Fuji between Owakudani and Togendai, weather permitting. A gondola transfer is required at Owakudani, but not at Ubako.

Admission
1480 yen (one way), covered by the Hakone Free Pass

• Owaku-dani Valley - An active volcano that powers many of the hot springs in the area. Famous for black boiled eggs that are said to bring long life!
• Pola Museum of Art - The POLA group, a skincare and beauty products company, opened the POLA Museum of Art (ポーラ美術館, Pōla Bijutsukan) in 2002 to showcase the extensive private art collection of the company’s late owner, Suzuki Tsuneshi.

The museum was constructed amid a forest of 300-year-old beech trees, and although made of concrete and glass, it is designed to blend with the natural environment. To achieve this, most of the building is located underground.

The museum features modern and contemporary paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and glassware by mostly Japanese and European artists. In addition to temporary exhibits, the museum displays rotating exhibits from its permanent collection, which includes works by artists such as Cezanne, Monet, Picasso, and Renoir.

Admission
1800 yen (1600 yen with the Hakone Free Pass)

• Okada Museum of Art - The Okada Museum of Art (岡田美術館, Okada Bijutsukan) is a privately-owned museum showcasing a wide collection of art pieces from antiquity to the modern era. Opened in 2013, the museum features a large array of East Asian ceramics, sculptures, and paintings, all housed in a spacious, modern facility surrounded by expansive grounds that include a Japanese garden, a teahouse, and a cafe with a hot spring foot bath.

The heart of the museum’s collection lies in its extensive collection of Chinese and Japanese ceramics and sculptures, which dominate the first two floors, including ancient Chinese bronzes, Tang and Ming porcelain, early Japanese pottery, and more. The upper floors focus on Japanese art, with a variety of art forms and time periods represented. Most items on display are labeled with basic information in English, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.

Upon entering, be aware that the museum’s security measures are quite strict, requiring guests to store phones, cameras, bags, and even stationery in free lockers at the entrance.

Admission
2800 yen (museum and footbath; 200 yen off with the Hakone Free Pass)
300 yen (garden)
500 yen (footbath only)

• Sengokuhara - A field renowned for its long pampas grass, which is most beautiful in the fall.
• The Hakone Open-Air Museum - The most renowned art museum in Hakone, featuring a stunning stained glass staircase.
• Choanji Temple - Choanji Temple (長安寺, Chōanji) is a temple of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism in the Sengokuhara area of Hakone. Established in 1356 in a tranquil area at the base of a hill, the atmospheric temple has a small network of pleasant walking trails that wind through its wooded grounds and cemetery.

What gives Choanji its unique charm are the over two hundred statues of rakan (disciples of Buddha) scattered around the temple grounds. The statues began appearing in the 1980s and have been accumulating ever since. Each statue has a unique face and shape, some contemplative and serious, others casual and humorous, and many exhibit a modern edge in their artistic style and expressiveness compared to other collections of rakan statues.

In autumn, the temple grounds are also one of Hakone’s best spots to enjoy the autumn colors. The many color-changing trees here usually reach their peak color around mid-November.

• Hakone Museum of Art - The Hakone Museum of Art (箱根美術館, Hakone Bijutsukan), located in Gora, was founded by Okada Mokichi in 1952. Its sister museum, the MOA Museum of Art, was later built in Atami City on the Izu Peninsula.

The museum primarily displays Japanese ceramics from prehistoric times through the Edo Period (1600-1868). These include a number of large earthenware and ceramic vessels, such as a haniwa burial statue classified as an Important Cultural Property.

Admission
900 yen (700 yen with the Hakone Free Pass)

• Hakone Shisseikaen - The Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands (箱根湿生花園, Hakone Shisseikaen) is a botanical garden in the highlands of Fuji Hakone Izu National Park. The park was founded in 1976 to preserve and exhibit over 1,700 varieties of marsh and alpine plants native to Japan.

The garden offers a network of boardwalk paths through different types of marshland where visitors can learn about the plants that populate the wetlands. Information signs are in English and Japanese. The garden is popular during June when its Nikko Kisuge (daylily) are in full bloom, but it is closed during the winter months.

Admission
700 yen (600 yen with the Hakone Free Pass)

• Dollhouse Museum Hakone - A quaint museum with a collection of dollhouses from around the world. A wonderful place for miniature enthusiasts.
• Gora Park - Gora Park (強羅公園, Gōra Kōen) is a western-style landscape park located on the steep slope above Gora Station. It is a relaxing place to unwind and enjoy the scenery and views of Hakone.

Gora Park is primarily a French-styled landscape park featuring a large fountain and a rose garden. The park also has two greenhouses, one housing a tropical botanical garden while the other contains a flower garden. Additionally, there is a restaurant overlooking the main fountain, as well as the Hakuun-do Chaen teahouse.

In the Crafthouse, visitors can participate in craft activities such as glass blowing, glass etching, pottery, and dried flower arrangement. Activities range in cost from 1,000 to 5,000 yen and take from 30 minutes to an hour to complete.

Admission
550 yen (free with the Hakone Free Pass)

• Hakone Venetian Glass Museum - The Hakone Glass no Mori (箱根ガラスの森) features Italian-styled buildings housing a museum and shops. Outside is a large strolling garden surrounding a canal-like pond. The garden has a number of large glass sculptures laid about it, as well as a cafe with an open terrace at one end where live canzoni (Italian ballads) performances are held.

The Glass no Mori’s Venetian Glass Museum houses a collection of over 100 pieces of Venetian glassware. It displays both modern and classical works in all forms, including vases, goblets, lamps, and sculptures.

The Hakone Glass no Mori is operated by the Ukai Group, an operator of themed high-class restaurants, which also owns the Kawaguchiko Music Forest at Kawaguchiko in the Fuji Five Lakes region.

Admission
1500 yen (1400 yen with the Hakone Free Pass)

• Narukawa Art Museum - The Narukawa Museum of Art (成川美術館, Narukawa Bijutsukan) is a contemporary art museum dedicated to a style of painting known as nihonga. Literally meaning “Japanese-style painting,” nihonga are paintings that adhere to traditional Japanese artistic conventions, techniques, tools, and materials. The label was originally meant to simply distinguish the art from Western-style paintings, but artists have since expanded the scope of nihonga to also include Western techniques.

Besides the art collection, the museum features an impressive panorama lounge and cafe with large windows overlooking Lake Ashinoko. On a clear day, it offers one of the best views of Mount Fuji, the lake, and the floating torii gate of Hakone Shrine.

Admission
1300 yen (1100 yen with Hakone Free Pass or online coupon)

• Meet up with guide on foot within designated area of Tokyo
• Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
• Customizable Tour of your choice of 3-4 sites from ‘What to expect’ list

• Round-trip train ticket from Tokyo: approx.5,000JPY(for yourself)
• Transportation fees, Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
• Private Vehicle
• You cannot combine multiple tour groups.
• Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under What to Expect.

Join us for a trip to the breathtaking mountainous resort town of Hakone. Tucked away amid the hills, Hakone is a town rich in natural beauty and cultural heritage. Take a visit to Owakudani where you can witness the ceaseless emission of sulfur gases from the region’s active volcano which heats the surrounding hot springs. Don’t miss the region’s renowned black boiled eggs which get their distinct color and a unique taste from the spring’s minerals. Glide down the mountain via the rope way to Lake Ashinoko and soak in the stunning view of Mount Fuji. Cross the lake to reach the Torii gate by the Kuzuryu shrine dedicated to the area’s nine-headed dragon god. Art enthusiasts can explore Hakone’s numerous art museums.

Once you’ve booked your excursion, your tour guide will reach out to you to finalize your customized itinerary. Choose 3-4 places you’d like to explore. We look forward to guiding you on your journey!

Please keep in mind that Hakone is geographically mountainous. For those who struggle with mobility, refer to ‘pick-up details’ for information about private transportation.

• This is a walking tour. Pick up is on foot.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.