Visiting Hakone today
- What it is: A mountain resort area. Owakudani is a steaming volcanic valley known for black eggs boiled in hot springs, and the Lake Ashi cruise boats look out towards Mt Fuji.
- Getting there: About 80 minutes on the Odakyu Romancecar from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto. Continue by train and cable car to Sounzan, then take the ropeway to Owakudani and down to Togendai on Lake Ashi.
- Hours: Ropeway 9:00–17:00 February–November and 9:00–16:15 December–January. It stops in strong wind or high gas levels.
- Admission: The area is free. Ropeway Sounzan–Togendai is ¥2,000 one way (raised October 2025). The Hakone Freepass from Shinjuku is ¥7,100 for 2 days.
- Tip: The volcano is at JMA Alert Level 1 (unchanged since October 2019, no entry ban). People with asthma, heart or lung conditions may not ride between Sounzan and Ubako because of volcanic gas.
Best time
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
Checked against: Hakone Ropeway – Cautions and safety measures (official) · Hakone Navi – Hakone Ropeway · JMA – Volcanic activity (Hakoneyama) · Odakyu – Romancecar from Shinjuku to Hakone. Check opening times and prices before you go.
Hakone on Shibuya246
We haven't been yet, so there are no photos here. The notes above come from official sources and are checked every quarter. Our own photos and story will appear here after we visit.