I’ll be trustworthy: I’ve by no means totally understood the hype about Hakone. I’ve been there many occasions, and prefer it effectively sufficient—don’t get me mistaken. However whether or not as a spot to get pleasure from onsen or a vantage level for seeing Mt. Fuji, it’s simply at all times struck me as second-rate.
That, after all, is a subject for an additional submit.
At this time, I’m writing for these of you who’ve already made the choice to journey from Tokyo to Hakone. Spoiler alert: It’s simple, though there are a few issues to remember.
Why Do So Many Individuals Go to Hakone?
The journey from Tokyo to Hakone takes lower than two hours, however that’s not the one purpose so many individuals make the journey. For starters, Hakone might be essentially the most well-known onsen sizzling spring vacation spot in Japan, even when I dispute it being characterised as one of the best. Whether or not you come for the morning or afternoon to go to a day spa or keep in a single day at an onsen-ryokan like Hakone Retreat Villa (the place every room has its personal personal, open-air bathtub), Hakone is a simple place to dip your toes into onsen tradition—actually and figuratively.
One more reason folks come? They consider it’s one of the best place to get a take a look at Mt. Fuji. This isn’t true—Hakone is comparatively removed from Fujisan, which signifies that until the climate is ideal, you’ll be able to’t see the mountain in any respect. Nevertheless, the attract of probably with the ability to view the mountain, mixed with onsen alternatives and secondary sights together with museums and geothermal formations…effectively, it’s laborious to search out that array of experiences in another single vacation spot in Japan.
Methods to Get From Tokyo to Hakone
(Partially) through Shinkansen
You may’t get all the best way to Hakone utilizing a Japan Rail Cross, however you will get fairly shut. Particularly, you’ll need to journey a Shinkansen Kodama from Tokyo Station or Shinagawa Station to Odawara, the place you’ll be able to board the personal Hakone-tozan Line and journey it to Hakone-Yumoto Station.
By way of the Odakyu Railway
Don’t care about utilizing JR trains? A extra direct approach from Tokyo to Hakone begins at Shinjuku Station. Right here, you’ll be able to board frequent trains operated by Odakyu (the identical firm that runs the Hakone-tozan Line) all the best way to Hakone-Yumoto. A few of these trains are unusual restricted categorical providers, whereas others are Romancecar vacationer trains with large statement home windows and different distinctive options.
By way of freeway bus
Shinjuku Station can be the place nonstop freeway bus departures to Hakone depart. Whereas these providers take a bit longer than the prepare—given how hilly the terrain they cross is, it’s a lot slower-going—it’s a calming, direct journey that doesn’t require a lot thought when you get on board.
By way of rental automobile
Now, in case you are merely touring from Tokyo to Hakone and don’t personal a car (or know somebody who does), I most likely wouldn’t suggest renting a automobile to achieve the city. However, when you plan to go to different locations within the area (similar to Kamakura and Enoshima to the south and east, or Mt. Fuji to the north and west, having your personal set of wheels may show very helpful.
By way of small group tour
Hakone is a simple place to discover and uncover by yourself, however what if you wish to expertise it with none exploration or discovery? Small group excursions (I like this one) are an awesome various to any type of prepare or bus you need to guide by yourself. These usually embrace lunch, and naturally a information, who will clarify vital particulars, and hopefully make your expertise full of life and attention-grabbing.
Methods to Get Round in Hakone
If you happen to simply plan to remain round Hakone-Yumoto Station, visiting day spas like Hakone Yuryo and Tenzan Onsen, then you’ll be able to largely discover your approach round by foot. Nevertheless, if you wish to go to locations additional afield (such because the Hakone Open Air Museum), you’re higher off using the Hakone-tozan Line additional up into the hills, or utilizing native buses.
However, if the primary purpose of touring from Tokyo to Hakone is using to the Owakudani mountaineering space, you’ll need to journey the Hakone-tozan Line to the tip (i.e. Gora Station), the place you’ll be able to switch to the Hakone Ropeway. Need to go to Lake Ashi? Whereas the Ropeway can take you right down to the “pirate ship” port alongside its northern shores, you’re higher off getting a bus from the Hakone-Yumoto space to the southern coast if Narukawa Artwork Museum or the Hakone Jinja shrine are your goal locations.
Different FAQ About Visiting Hakone from Tokyo
How lengthy is the bullet prepare from Tokyo to Hakone?
You solely want round half-hour to journey through bullet prepare from Tokyo Station to Odawara, the closest Shinkansen cease to Hakone. Nevertheless, you’ll want a further quarter-hour on the personal Hakone-tozan Line (which isn’t lined by the Japan Rail Cross) to achieve Hakone-Yumoto Station, and longer to journey deeper into Hakone.
Is Hakone a superb day journey from Tokyo?
Hakone is an eclectic day journey from Tokyo, which presents you with the chance to soak in sizzling springs, go to attention-grabbing museums, get pleasure from a wonderful lake from on shore or on the water and even to see Mt. Fuji if the climate cooperates. It’s not my favourite day journey from Tokyo, however I can see why so many individuals adore it.
Are you able to do Hakone and Mt. Fuji in someday?
Assuming skies are clear, you’ll be able to go to each Hakone and the Fuji 5 Lakes area in someday. To do that, I’d most likely recommend touring from Hakone again to Odawara, then getting the Shinkansen from there to Mishima. From right here, you’ll be able to catch a freeway bus to Kawaguchiko Station; when you end there, journey the Fujikyu Railway to Otsuki and the JR Azusa Restricted Specific all the best way again to Shinjuku.
The Backside Line
Planning a day journey from Tokyo to Hakone? You’ve arrived in the appropriate place. Whether or not you journey utilizing JR trains or personal ones, or go by one other means fully (be it bus and even rental automobile), Hakone is extraordinarily simple to achieve from Tokyo. This (greater than its intrinsic high quality as a vacation spot, in my view) is why it’s change into such a preferred tour from the capital. Want customized assist planning your subsequent journey to Japan? Whether or not that’s recommendation on how you can get from Level A to Level B, or help deciding which factors are price visiting within the first place, think about hiring me to do the heavy lifting.