Tokyo - Day trip to Hakone

Hakone is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, less than 100 kilometers from Tokyo. Famous for hot springs, outdoor activities, natural beauty and the view of nearby Mt. Fuji

Direction :

Tokyo ->Sinjuku ->Odawara-> Hakone-Yomoto -> Gora -> Sounzan ->Owakudan-> Togendai -> Hakone-Mache -> Moto Hakone-Ko -> Odawara ->Sinjuku ->Tokyo

We traveled from Sinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto by Odaku line.We took the express train but you can also take the romance car for the novelty value! The ride from Sinjuku to Yumoto passes Tokyo country side and is a good opportunity to take some nice pics. This journey takes around 2 hrs by normal express. Once you reach Hakone-Yumoto it’s a good idea to take the Hakone Free Pass by Odakyu Railways.

Tokyo -Country side houses

Country side - Mt Fuji in the background

Alternatively if you want to use the romance car this pass can be taken from the sinjuku station itself! Refer link for more details http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_008.html

Famous 'Romance Car'

From Hakone-Yumoto we took the Hakone Tozan Train, a delightful, mountain-climbing two car electric streetcar that winds its way through forests and over streams and ravines as it travels upward to Gora,making several switchbacks along the way.The train takes a leisurely 40 minutes to cover the 15-kilometer distance to Gora but it’s a beautiful ride on a narrow track through the mountains.

Inside the hakone tozan train

Just a short walk beside the tracks located on the steep slope above Gora Station is the Hakone Gora-koen a French style park with a fountain, rock garden and several green houses. We had our lunch (packed) in this park amides lovely flowers and cherry blossoms.

Hakone Gora-Park

The Fountain -Hakone Gora-Park

Packed Lunch at Hakone Gora-Park

Next we took the Hakone Tozan Cablecar covers the 1.2-kilometer distance between Gora and and Sounzan Station in 9 minutes. The Swiss-made cable cars have large windows through which visitors can enjoy ever-changing scenic panoramas throughout the four seasons. The difference in elevation between Gora and Sounzan is 214 meters.

Hakone Tozan cablecar

Inside the cable car

From Sounzan we took the Hakone Ropeway service and embarked on a 30-minute journey to Togendai Station, which nestles on the shore of Lake Ashi. The views from the ropeway gondolas is spectacular as one sees the crystal-clear blue waters of Lake Ashi, the rising volcanic fumes of Owakudani and the grandeur of Mount Fuji.
The Ropeway

Gondolas with a capacity of 18 passengers operate at approximately one-minute intervals from each station. You need to take a break at the Owakudani station and switch over to Togendai station.
Inside the Gondolas

Owakudani is the area around a crater created during the last eruption of Mount Hakone some 3000 years ago. Today, much of the area is an active volcanic zone where sulfurous fumes, hot springs and hot rivers can be experienced.

Sulfurous fumes in Owakudani-from Ropeway

A short walking trail (about ten minutes one way) leads from the ropeway station into the volcanic zone, where you will find a number of steam vents and bubbling pools. Here you can purchase eggs, cooked in the naturally hot water, whose shells are blackened by the sulfur and which are said to prolong one's life by seven years.

Owakudani- from Ropeway

We just to pictures from the station and headed to Togendai.
Lake Ashi- from Ropeway

Togendai is located at the northern shore of Ashinoko which is a large crater lake. Mt. Fuji can be viewed in clear weather.
Mt Fuji view from the ropeway

Fuji-san

From here one can take a boat cruise down lake Ashi using Hakone Kankosen boats which are modeled like colourful pirate ships. These boats are operated between the Togendai Pier and the the Hakone-machi Pier and then continue to Moto Hakone-Ko.

Kankosen- Pirate ship

The ride to Hakone-Machi takes around 40 mins. We got down there and then walked to Moto Hakone-Ko, a 30 minutes walk going past an ancient cedar tree avenue.
Lake Ashi from Hakone-machi

Cedar Tree Avenue

From Moto Hakone-Ko bus stop we took the bus directly to odawara(I think from bus stop 1,not sure though!) and then the train back to Sinjuku.

We were tiered alright, but what fun!

Places to see in Tokyo