Hakone: Volcanic Landscapes, Hot Springs and Lake Ashi
Accommodation in Hakone
Hakone combines the landscape of a volcanic area with Lake Ashi, hot springs and traces of the old Tōkaidō. The area is part of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. On your trip, you can weigh up experiences by the water, historic routes and hot springs—and then decide which experiences should be at the heart of your accommodation choice.
Volcanic Landscapes and Hot Springs
Ōwakudani is a volcanic valley with active sulfur gas vents and hot springs. The main area is about a ten-minute walk from Ōwakudani Station. If you are interested in volcanic landscapes, this offers a different focus from the lakeshore or one of the hot spring resorts. Hakone has seven hot spring resorts and 17 different types of hot springs. Hakone Kowakien Yunessun is a hot spring theme park in Hakone; Miyanoshita, meanwhile, was already established as a hot spring resort during the Edo period, from 1603 to 1867.
This variety makes it easier to define what interests you on your trip: you can focus on hot springs, a theme park or the volcanic valley landscape. The places and activities mentioned offer different starting points for your Hakone trip; choose a holiday apartment based on which experiences interest you most.
At Lake Ashi: Boats, Shoreline and Natural History
Lake Ashi is a crater lake formed by the Hakone volcano and lies at an elevation of 724 metres. It is thought to have formed about 3,100 years ago, when a steam explosion on Mount Kamiyama triggered a landslide that dammed an old river. This history of its formation gives the lake a special geological dimension. From sightseeing boats, you can also see the red torii gate of Hakone Shrine, which stands directly on the lakeshore.
Hakone Sightseeing Boats operate pirate ships on Lake Ashi, stopping at Moto-Hakone, Togendai and Hakone-machi. Swan pedal boats are available to rent for activities on the water. The lake is home to fish including wakasagi smelt, trout, carp and crucian carp. This gives you different ways to experience the lake: take a sightseeing boat, go for a pedal-boat ride or spend time by the water with a fishing rod. You can reach the lake by bus from Hakone-Yumoto; the journey to Motohakone-ko on the south shore takes about 35 minutes.
The Old Tōkaidō and Hakone’s History
A preserved stone-paved section of the old Tōkaidō is open to walkers and runs from Hatajuku to the shore of Lake Ashi. The cedar avenue along the old Tōkaidō can also be found by the lakeshore; it is about 400 years old. If you are interested in historic routes and landscapes, you can take in these sights alongside the lake’s and hot springs’ use today.
Every year on November 3, Culture Day, the Hakone Daimyō Procession takes place on the old Tōkaidō. A total of 170 people march with brandished spears. Another annual event is the Lake Water Festival on July 31: more than 3,000 lanterns float on Lake Ashi, accompanied by fireworks. Both events connect Hakone with tradition-focused celebrations, but each has a different emphasis—the procession on the old road, the festival on the lake.
The Hakone Detached Palace lies between Motohakone and Hakonemachi on the south shore of Lake Ashi. It once served as a summer palace for the Japanese imperial family; today, the site is home to Onshi-Hakone Park, with walking paths and views of the lake. The former palace and the present-day park thus represent different chapters in the area’s history.
Getting There and Finding Your Way Around
Hakone-Yumoto Station is considered the gateway to Hakone and is easily accessible from Tokyo. Together with the approximately 35-minute bus ride to Motohakone-ko, this provides practical guidance if you are weighing up a stay based around Hakone-Yumoto and trips to the lake’s south shore. When choosing your holiday apartment, consider whether you want to focus mainly on the hot spring resorts, the volcanic valley or experiences at Lake Ashi.
For more help finding your way around, you can also visit the pages on Sengokuhara and Yumoto.
For the broader travel overview: Kanagawa Prefecture.
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