10 Best Things to Do
Hakone’s hot springs sit among wooded slopes, art museums and villages linked by mountain railway, cable car and boat. Gora is convenient for bathing and sculpture gardens, while Sengokuhara offers quieter forest stays and museums. Around Lake Ashi, cedar-lined paths lead to shrines and reminders of the old Tokaido road. Stay overnight to enjoy a ryokan dinner and a private soak, and keep plans flexible: Mount Fuji views and ropeway journeys depend on the weather.
Hakone Open-Air Museum
Ninotaira, Japan
Sculpture spreads across the lawns and slopes of this outdoor museum, with Hakone’s mountains forming part of the setting. Walk between large modern works, then step inside the Picasso Pavilion or climb the stained-glass Symphonic Sculpture when open. The changing light and seasons make the grounds as interesting as the indoor displays. Allow time for a slow circuit, wear comfortable shoes and check individual installation closures before visiting.
Sculpture in a mountain landscape
Pola Museum of Art
Sengokuhara, Japan
Much of the Pola Museum sits below ground, allowing its glass entrance and surrounding woodland to remain the first impression. Inside, rotating displays draw on a collection of Japanese and European art, including Impressionist paintings, sculpture and decorative objects. Check the exhibition programme rather than expecting every celebrated work to be on view. It is a rewarding choice for a rainy afternoon, with the architecture and forest setting giving the visit an additional dimension.
European and Japanese art in a forest setting
Owakudani and the Hakone Ropeway
Owakudani, Japan
The ropeway passes above pale volcanic slopes and rising steam, offering one of Hakone’s most dramatic views. At Owakudani, viewpoints reveal the active landscape that supplies the area’s hot springs, and clear weather may bring Mount Fuji into sight. The famous black eggs are a local curiosity, coloured by the spring water in which they are cooked. Check operating conditions and the operator’s volcanic-gas guidance before travelling; access can change with conditions.
Volcanic scenery from above
Lake Ashi Sightseeing Cruise
Lake Ashi, Japan
A cruise puts Hakone’s wooded slopes, lakeside settlements and red shrine gate into a single view. The sightseeing boats connect Togendai, Motohakone and Hakonemachi, so the journey can also link different parts of your day. Mount Fuji appears only when the weather cooperates, but the lake remains attractive under cloud. Check the sailing timetable and return connection before boarding, and bring a layer if you plan to stay on an outside deck.
Mountain and lakeshore views
Hakone Shrine
Motohakone, Japan
The red torii at the edge of Lake Ashi is the familiar image, but Hakone Shrine rewards a walk beyond the waterfront. Paths and steps lead through tall cedars to the main buildings, where dragon motifs recall the lake’s guardian legend. Allow time to explore the wooded precincts rather than making a single photograph the whole visit. This remains an active place of worship, so follow signs and keep entrances clear.
Cedar-lined paths and lakeside history
Old Tokaido Road and Hakone Checkpoint
Hakonemachi and Hatajuku, Japan
The restored Hakone Checkpoint helps explain why this mountain passage mattered to travellers moving between Edo and Kyoto. Combine its buildings and displays with a walk along the cedar-lined road beside the lake, or plan a longer outing on the old stone-paved route towards Hatajuku. These are different walks, so choose your section before setting out. Uneven paving can be slippery after rain; comfortable footwear and a checked return route are worthwhile.
Walking Hakone’s historic route
Hakone Museum of Art and Shinsenkyo Garden
Gora, Japan
Ceramics and carefully composed gardens make this museum a quieter counterpoint to Hakone’s larger art attractions. The collection spans early earthenware and later Japanese ceramics, while Shinsenkyo brings together moss, stone, bamboo and maples. Autumn colour is a particular draw, though the garden changes throughout the year. Leave time for matcha and sweets at Shinwatei if available, and check the opening calendar before making the journey to Gora.
Moss gardens, ceramics and autumn colour
Okada Museum of Art
Kowakudani, Japan
Okada Museum offers a substantial indoor visit, with Japanese painting, East Asian ceramics and other decorative arts displayed across several floors. The exhibition programme changes, so check what is showing before you go. Outside, a wooded garden and a hot-spring footbath café provide a slower finish to the visit. Choose it when you want time with individual objects and room to explore, rather than trying to fit several museums into one afternoon.
Japanese and East Asian art
Sengokuhara Pampas Grass Field
Sengokuhara, Japan
A broad path climbs through the pampas grass on this Sengokuhara hillside, opening up views as you walk. Autumn brings the best-known display, when the grasses turn pale gold and silver; summer offers a greener landscape. The path returns the way it came, making this an easy stop to combine with nearby museums. Stay on the marked route, and check access around the seasonal controlled burn rather than expecting the same scene year-round.
A seasonal landscape walk
Hakone Yuryo
Tonosawa, Japan
Hakone Yuryo makes a hot-spring visit possible without booking a ryokan overnight. Choose between the larger public bathing facilities and a reservable private outdoor bath, with places to eat and rest extending the visit. A shuttle links the property with Hakone-Yumoto station. Private baths are particularly useful when you want your own space; check the room’s capacity, bathing rules and reservation window before booking, since public and private access are charged separately.
A private onsen without an overnight stay