TRAVELOG

TRAVELOG

15 Best Places to visit in Hakone

15 Best Places to Visit in Hakone

Written by: Sonoda’ diary

I used to think that there are only pirate ships, good quality of hot spring water, taking the ropeway to go eat black eggs and nothing more than that in Hakone, but actually, there are many interesting spots that are worth visiting. What about you guys? If you think you might not know much about Hakone, or you are looking to explore somewhere not far from Tokyo but thinking those famous tourist spots like Hakone are boring, don’t give up just yet! Please follow me and check this out!

1.HAKONE YUMOTO ONSEN HOTEL TENSEIEN

Good accommodations, great guestroom, delicious foods and many good hot springs.

The distance from Hakone to Tokyo might not be an obstacle for many of you who want to find a spot to soak your body in the real good hot spring baths. However, I have heard from many people that they prefer going to Hakone for just a day trip, not spend a night there. Well, actually same as me! I used to buy the train pass and visited every spots in the famous route in one day! But I have come to think, why do we have to rush and visit those spots in one day? Some might say because it is too far to get to a hotel. For those thinking like that, here it is! There is a hotel which is not far from train station at all. This is a convenient accommodation and located in a great town. Their hot spring is so wonderful and foods are incredible. Now that you know all these good information, you shouldn’t miss to stay and soak your body in this hotel’s hot spring bath! I recommend that everyone should come here to relax.

The atmosphere around the HAKONE YUMOTO ONSEN HOTEL TENSEIEN is so great in the morning. It takes about 15-minute walk from Hakone-Yumoto Station or just 5 minutes by taxi to the hotel.  

There is a “Power Spot” to wish for luck in love and also a shrine in the hotel area.

This area also has a waterfall that you can look it from a restaurant.

Once you get here, you need to walk around the hotel as well.

Because the atmosphere is very nice.

In the hotel, there is a waterfall.

The guestroom is so great.

There are many open-air baths.

The private bath is also available but reservation is required.

The hot springs has a very good quality. If you soak in this bath, the water will make your skin more beautiful.

The hotel’s buffet is so delicious with many kinds of dishes.
https://www.tenseien.co.jp/en/

waterfall

guestroom

open-air baths

2.PIRATE SHIPS

The new model of pirate ships comes with a classic tone of color. Let’s come and take a nice photo shot of the pirate ship and Mt. Fuji.

The ship that I will board today is called “Victory”. This is not the most elegant one yet. Today I chose to sit in the VIP room and had to pay 500 yen extra but it’s more easy to take photos at the front of the ship and the deck’s special zone.

This is how the Victory looks like. Very beautiful brown color.

For the green ship, it is no longer available.

Here is the most elegant pirate ship. The design didn’t originate from other countries.

I will write more about these pirate ships in another article. Normally I just looked at them but don’t really know about the details of each ship.

This is an executive zone.

It is very comfortable to sit inside here.

And you can take a picture of the pirate ship named “Royal Ⅱ” right in front of you.

https://www.hakone-kankosen.co.jp/foreign/en/

Royal Ⅱ

3, Hakone Hotoriya

There is a restaurant in Hakone Hotoriya, Cafe KOMON that is well-known for delicious sweets. It was opened 4 years ago. I never thought I would come to eat here but when I gave it a try, it was so delicious. Moreover, it is also a great photo shoot spot if you want to have a pirate ship and Mt. Fuji together in one picture!

And here it is! Many people said they couldn’t take picture of this kind of scenery. That was because everyone was in a hurry to board on and off the ship and had no time to take this shot.

Even though there is no pirate ship passing by, but only Torii-gate and Mt. Fuji are so beautiful enough for your pictures.

A huge Torii-gate is a symbol of Hakone.

A sweet shop at the port has fruit Daifuku which is quite delicious.

You can sit at the port area and enjoy it.

The Daifuku texture is really soft.

Alright, let’s go check for the meal.

Café KOMON

Check more information of the shop here >> https://www.hakone-kankosen.co.jp/restaurant/hotoriya/

I would like to recommend this menu. It is so delicious.

Grilled Dango is also good.

This beef tastes very good, so I recommend these 3 menus.

You can also sit here and see the port. It would be really beautiful here, if the sky is clear and Mt. Fuji shows up.

Ochatsuke-salmon is really delicious, I must say!
*Limited -time item

There is also Ikura (fish roe) here.

Now, let’s eat all of this grilled dango!!!

Daifuku

Grilled Dango

Ochatsuke-salmon

Roast Beef

Ochatsuke-salmon

4.Kinosuke

There are many foods you can enjoy at Hakone-yumoto Station. I never had grilled salmon that tastes this delicious like this restaurant before! Also these sweets will hold you guys up for many hours for sure.

This is purple sweet potato and green tea soft cream shop.
https://www.evastore2.jp/eva-ya/(Japanese)

Or you might want to try this tart.

For lunch I recommend this restaurant “Kinosuke”. They have the most delicious grilled salmon that I have ever eaten in Japanese restaurants.

For more details >> https://www.kinosuke.co.jp/index-en.html

It is a little more than a thousand yen for this dish which is a good deal.

For those who don’t like fish, you can order chicken or beef.This is the most popular dish here, 3 kinds of fishes.They grill chicken skin so crispy. Once u put it in your mouth, you won’t be able to stop eating.

This is the front of the restaurant.

Here is the opposite side, in case you can’t find it.

5.There are more things to do in Owakudani than going up there to eat black egg.

You can take pictures with Hello Kitty.

Or try this Hoji-cha. It has a very strong taste.

Hakone Milk is also worth to try. Very delicious.

The atmosphere around here is nice.

Mt. Fuji is so beautiful looking from here.

You can see a beautiful view of Mt. Fuji from a ropeway as well.

http://www.owakudani.com/index_e
https://hakone-japan.com/plan-your-trip/access/how-to-get-to-owakudani/

6. Worshiping at Hakone shrine is not only for love wish.

Most of people come here to wish for love luck but today I will wish for something else.

This is a very unique Torii-gate floating in water.

There is a long line of people waiting to take picture at this spot.

Alright, let’s wish for this blog!

Give me the power!! I’m so superstitious lol

This is a huge “Power spot”.

Artists will come here to worship Bensaiten Goddess and nine-headed Dragon God at Kuzuryu Shrine.

You will see it right at the orange Torii-gate floating in water when you riding on a pirate ship.

Benzaiten Goddess is one of Seven lucky Gods and also a Goddess of poetry, language, dance and music. My writing works are also included, so if you are working as an actor/actress or idols, you can come here before going for the debut.

If you come to Hakone, you shouldn’t miss Lake Ashi as well.

For more information about the shrine, click here  >> http://hakonejinja.or.jp

Nine-headed Dragon God

7. Amasake Chaya

There is an Amasake shop and delicious Mochi on the mountain where u can get up there by bus.
This spot is beautiful, impressive and so romantic.

If u are looking for a good photo shoot spot, nice views and delicious foods, here is the place. I’m really impressed.

You can come to Amasake shop “Chaya” from Hakone-yumoto by bus, get off at Amasake Chaya bus stop. The shop has its own bus stop. Located at this high mountain but still always have people stop by this place. Their popular drink is Amasake (It’s not an alcohol)

Especially, Amasake and mocha are so delicious.

http://www.amasake-chaya.jp/index.html

Especially, Amasake and mocha are so delicious.

Autumn leaves are incredibly beautiful

Autumn leaves with snow.

8. Grand Riviere Hakone

These delicious rusk with whole lot of butter have so many flavors. Have you guys ever seen this when you visited here?

Hakone Rusk is sold in pirate ships, and many shops in the city. Especially, at the Grand Riviere Hakone located near Hakone-yumoto station. You will find various kinds of flavors and they are all delicious.

Here is how it looks like. I knew only almond flavor 5 years ago. Now I came to their shop and found many stuffs I like.

This is my new favorite lol. Green tea taste is so strong, this strawberry is very delicious as well.

This one I used to like the most but once I tried green tea, my mind changed.

For this tart you can also buy it at this shop. Take it out and eat near the lake. It is good.

https://www.hakonerusk.com/(Japanese)

Green tea

9. Hakone Sekisyo (Checkpoint)

Get great views at Edo Village “Hakone Sekisyo”. This is a village recreated from Edo period that has history about transportation in that era. And this place is also great for beautiful views of Lake Ashi

This is a great photo shoot spot.There is an entrance fee though.There is also historic story here.And also story of locals.

Let’s go up to the hill and check it out!

I have to climb up a little bit. Keep going!!

This is one of the best spot for Lake Ashi view. If you have time please travel to this place. Outside of the building is also beautiful, and you can take pictures here.

Check for more information on website>> http://www.hakonesekisyo.jp  
https://hakone-japan.com/discover/see-do/hakone-sekisho-checkpoint/

There is an entrance fee

10. ODAKYU highway bus from Shinjuku

Get great views at Edo Village “Hakone Sekisyo”. This is a village recreated from Edo period that has history about transportation in that era. And this place is also great for beautiful views of Lake Ashi

There is a bus terminal at NEWoMan department Store.

There is convenient store up here as well . We will get on the 9.05 am bus at B4.

Check for more information on website>> https://www.odakyu-hakonehighway.co.jp/common/pdf/english.pdf

There is convenient store up here as well . We will get on the 9.05 am bus at B4.

11. There is an art museum or an open air museum allowing you to take beautiful pictures. Also foot bath is available there.

At the Hakone Open-Air Museum, there is a photo shoot spot which is so cool for your Instagram post.

Get up there and have fun taking beautiful pictures.

There are many beautiful spots for real.

A great concept of art works at HAKONE OPEN AIR MUSEUM giving support for people who are discouraged or hopeless to go out, dress up confidently, and also be happy in life.

The girls have to dress beautifully to relieve stress.(The below in the middle)

A person who created this good meaning artwork is a lady who was thinking outside the box and different from other Europeans in the past that all parents wanted their daughters to get married only. But what she wanted was to work. She finally got herself out and went to work but life didn’t go well for her so she was sick with depression (in the past, there was no such illness) but she still continued to work on arts. She then met her lover who was American that doesn’t have any way of thinking like Europeans in the past. After that she got married, has a family and her illness started to get better, forgot about the sadness. The face that is smaller than body means you don’t need to think you are pretty or not pretty, old or young, just focus on your own style and dress in the way you like.

There is a foot bath which the water flows directly from natural hot spring source.

https://www.hakone-oam.or.jp/

The girls have to dress beautifully to relieve stress!

Picasso Pavillion

12. Yosegi Zaiku

  1. There is a hand-on activity you can try to make a special product. It’s a wood work with cool design from Edo period called Yosegi Zaiku. From a difficult thing, we can create it into a saucer or some easy stuffs. When I tried it for the first time, I thought it would be difficult but once I could do it, nothing was difficult anymore. Moreover, you are going to have a lot of fun at this Kanazashi shop.
    For more information >>http://www.kanazashi-woodcraft.com/information.html(Japansese)

    Which one should I get?

    You can choose any type you want.

We will get these kind of woods but if you don’t like its attern, you can change it.

I chose to do a cat shaped saucer.
Done!

13. Pampas grass field (Or Susuki Field)

During autumn season, you can enjoy taking nice pictures of pampas grass field (Or Susuki Field) for your Instagram posts.
There actually are many fields around this area where you can get in and take pictures. But today I chose to go to the field that is close to the Sengokuhara Prince Hotel which is located at the opposite side of Lawson convenient store. As you can see in this picture, here is Sengokuhara Prince Hotel. It is a place where golfers love to come and stay. And the pampas grass field is right at the hotel’s entrance.

With the sunshine, it is quite beautiful or you can take silhouette shots of sunset.

I recommend going with friends so you can take turns taking pictures.

Anybody who will come to Hakone during November, shoudn’t miss this!

https://hakone-japan.com/discover/see-do/sengokuhara-pampas-grass-fields/

14. Hakone Luggage Transport Service

14. There is luggage transport service that partner with this station. They will send your luggage to the hotel for you. I used to put my luggage in locker but now I recommend when you come to this station, you can leave your bags with them before climbing up the stairs and go out of the station. For the hotel list you can check it at the station since they might be updated from time to time, you can ask staffs there directly.

When you get off from a romance car, don’t get out of the station yet.

Walk straight and don’t climb up stairs.

Bring your luggage here to use luggage transport service and they will send your bags to the hotel.

For more information >>https://www.hakone-tozanbus.co.jp/carry/

Here is the price list.

15. Hakone Tozan Train

Lastly, what I want to remind all of you is that Tozan line train isn’t going to return to service anytime soon. If you want to use their service, you might have to wait until next summer because the railway was heavily damaged by Typhoon no.19 in 2019. We now just have to wait for the service to return and come support them again. Until then please come and enjoy other spots for now.

https://www.hakone-tozan.co.jp/en/

I will keep supporting all staffs of Tozan line!

There are still a lot more for you to explore in Hakone, so let’s go find it out everyone!

written by SONOKO
https://sonoko.life/2019/12/13/hakone-fuji/

15-best-places-to-visit-in-hakone