Kanagawa, Kanto
Ryokans in Hakone
The closest serious onsen country to Tokyo, spread across a caldera of six distinct districts. Where you stay changes the trip more than which inn you choose.
Start with the districts, then pick an inn.
Image placeholder: Hakone photography to be added
Hakone at a glance
- From Tokyo
- About 85 minutes to Hakone-Yumoto by direct limited express from Shinjuku
- Spring water
- Around twenty separate sources, from clear simple springs to sulphur
- Stay
- One night works; two nights let you use the loop without rushing
- Getting around
- Train, cable car, ropeway and lake boat, covered by one regional pass
Inns in Hakone
We are still verifying inns in this region, and we would rather show you nothing than something we have not checked. Kyoto is finished, and this page is next.
Where to stay in Hakone
Hakone is not one town. These six districts sit within half an hour of each other but feel entirely different.
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Hakone-Yumoto
The gateway and the busiest district. Shops, buses and the most inns within walking distance of a station.
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Miyanoshita
Halfway up the mountain railway, with the area's oldest hospitality history and steep, wooded surroundings.
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Gora
Where the railway ends and the cable car begins. Hillside inns, gardens and the open-air museum nearby.
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Sengokuhara
Open plateau in the north, known for pampas grass in autumn. Quiet, cooler, and easier with a car.
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Lake Ashi and Moto-Hakone
Lakeside stays with views across to Mount Fuji on clear days, at the far end of the sightseeing loop.
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Kowakidani and Ashinoyu
Smaller pockets between the main stops, with fewer inns and correspondingly fewer visitors.
Getting there and getting around
From Shinjuku, the direct limited express reaches Hakone-Yumoto in about eighty-five minutes and needs a reserved seat. The ordinary express takes longer with one change at Odawara and costs less. From Tokyo Station, the shinkansen to Odawara is the fastest route, then the local line up to Yumoto.
Inside the caldera, the mountain railway, cable car, ropeway, lake boat and buses form a loop. A regional pass covering all of them is usually cheaper than paying separately for a two-day trip, and most inns will hold your luggage if you arrive before check-in.
What to check before you book
- Whether the inn runs a shuttle from the nearest station, and when the last one leaves
- Dinner start times, which are usually fixed and early
- The tattoo policy, which varies between inns even within one district
- Whether the open-air bath is shared, reservable, or attached to the room
Our booking guide covers what these terms mean on Japanese reservation pages.
When to visit
| Season | What it is like | Booking |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Mild, with blossom later than Tokyo because of the altitude | Busy around the early-May holidays |
| Summer | Cooler than the city, often misty, with rain in June | Easier, outside the August holiday weeks |
| Autumn | Foliage from late October, pampas grass on the plateau | The hardest season to book; several months ahead |
| Winter | Cold and clear, the best odds of seeing Mount Fuji | Quiet except for the New Year period |
Not set on Hakone?
Compare it with the other regions we cover, or see every inn currently featured on the site.