By World Lens Editors Updated November 2, 2026 3 min read
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Key points Recommended stay: 1–2 daysBest season: Good all year: autumn leaves in November, clearest Mount Fuji views on winter mornings.Getting there: About 85 minutes from Shinjuku on the Romancecar; about 35 minutes from Tokyo to Odawara by shinkansen.🏨 Area Area Good for Access Price Hakone-Yumoto Day-trip baths and easy access Romancecar terminus ¥¥ Hotels in this area Gora Ryokan with private open-air baths, museums Change for the mountain railway and cable car ¥¥¥ Hotels in this area Lake Ashi (Moto-Hakone) Lake and Fuji views, pirate-ship cruises About 40 minutes by bus from Yumoto ¥¥¥ Hotels in this area
🤩 WOW spots nearby Owakudani Volcanic Valley Eggs boiled in sulphurous hot springs turn black; legend says each one adds seven years to your life.
Stay at a Ryokan Tatami rooms, yukata, hot springs and kaiseki served in your room. The world's oldest hotel is a ryokan in Yamanashi, founded in 705.
Mount Fuji Japan's highest peak at 3,776 m. Open to climbers only in July–September; over 200,000 people a year hike up to watch the sunrise from the summit.
Tokyo · Kyoto · Osaka · Sapporo · Fukuoka · Okinawa · Kanazawa · Where to stay
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Frequently asked questions Which area is best for a first stay in Hakone? For a first visit, Hakone-Yumoto is the best choice: Day-trip baths and easy access. Gora is also popular.
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