In this blog, I am going to tell you the model plans of Hakone for 1 day and 2 days.
Hakone is a resort area that you can access easily from Tokyo and you can enjoy hot springs, beautiful sightseeing, shopping, and historical places.
You can stay for just one day or two days to enjoy this resort spot by car and train, called Odakyu Line.
If you would like to know about Hakone more, Please access this link.
Odakyu Line offers an express line that allows you to go to Hakone from Shinjuku Station directly and faster. However, you can get there by ordinary train, which takes a long time.
In the winter, sometimes we can not climb the mountain by car because of snow. Therefore I will give you some model plans for using only trains and buses.
Model plan of Hakone for 1 day
You can access Hakone for just one and a half hours from Shinjuku station.
So you can enjoy Hakone for 1 day without staying at the hotel. However, you would rather stay at Hakone for two days so that you can relax at the hotel. Sometimes a person who has a tattoo is prohibited from using a hot spring.
Morning
Take a Romancecar – 8:00~9:30
The Romancecar is an express train that connects Shinjuku with Hakone, allowing you to reach Hakone in approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. You can purchase tickets from here.
Owakudani and Ashino Lake – 9:45~11:30
9:45 AM Take the Hakone Tozan Railway from Hakone-Yumoto to Gora Station.
10:15 AM At Gora Station, transfer to the cable car and head to Sounzan Station
10:45 AM From Sounzan Station, take the Hakone Ropeway to Owakudani, which is a volcanic area where you can enjoy boiled eggs cooked in the hot springs and amazing view of Mount Fuji from ropeway.
11:30 AM Continue on the ropeway to Lake Ashi, where you can take a stroll by the lakeside or hop on a cruise boat.
Afternoon
Ashino Lake
12:30 PM Have lunch at a restaurant around Lake Ashi. Local specialties such as kamaboko(fish cake) or Hakone soba are recommended.
Hakone Open-Air Museum → Hakone Yumoto Onsen
1:30 PM Head to The Hakone Open-Air Museum to enjoy an afternoon of art and sculpture viewing.
3:00 PM Return to Hakone-Yumoto and relax at a day-use onsen facility such as Hakone Yuryo.
Hakone Yumoto → Shinjuku
5:30 PM Depart from Hakone-Yumoto Station on the Romancecar bound for Shinjuku.
7:00 PM Arrive at Shinjuku Station.
Model plan of Hakone for 2 days
Access
Before I am going to talk about the model plan of Hakone, I highly recommend purchasing the Hakone Freepass in planning a two-day trip to Hakone. Hakone offers numerous attractions, many of which are spread out, requiring the use of various modes of transportation.
This pass allows unlimited access to buses, trains, cable cars, and boats within the Hakone area. Additionally, it covers the cost of regular round-trip train fare from Shinjuku to Hakone (excluding the Romancecar express surcharge).
It’s a convenient and cost-effective way to explore Hakone, so be sure to consider it for your trip!
Click here to book the Freepass
Day 1
Shinjuku → Hakone-Yumoto → Gora
8:00 AM Depart from Shinjuku Station on the Romancecar to Hakone-Yumoto (90 minutes).
9:30 AM Arrive at Hakone-Yumoto Station.
10:00 AM Take the Hakone Tozan Railway from Hakone-Yumoto to Gora (approximately 40 minutes).
11:00 AM Arrive at Gora Station. Check in at Gora Kansuiro (leave your luggage and head out for sightseeing).
Owakudani & Lake Ashi
12:00 PM Take the cable car and ropeway to Owakudani.
1:00 PM Enjoy hot spring eggs and the volcanic scenery at Owakudani.
2:00 PM Ride the ropeway to Lake Ashi, take a cruise on the lake, and enjoy the scenic views.
3:30 PM Visit Hakone Shrine and stroll through the cedar-lined path.
Gora Onsen
5:00 PM Return to Gora Kansuiro and relax in the onsen.
6:30 PM Enjoy a seasonal kaiseki dinner at the ryokan.
Day 2
9:00 AM After breakfast, enjoy the garden and onsen before checking out.
10:30 AM After checking out, Head to the Hakone Open-Air Museum (a 5-minute walk) for art viewing.
12:00 PM Stroll through Gora Park and enjoy a light meal or tea at a café in the park.
Hakone-Yumoto → Shinjuku
2:00 PM Travel from Gora to Hakone-Yumoto.
3:00 PM Relax at a final onsen in Hakone-Yumoto (if time allows).
4:00 PM Take the Romancecar back to Shinjuku.
5:30 PM Arrive in Shinjuku.