The Circle Route
Main sightseeing spots along the route
The Hakone Circle Route takes you around the main highlights of the entire area.
⓪ Hakone Yumoto Station
① Hakone Tozan Train
② Hakone Open Air Museum
③ Gora station and Gora Park
④ Hakone Tozan Cable Car
⑤ Hakone Ropeway
⑥ Owakudani Valley
⑦ Lake Ahi & Pirate Ship Cruise
⑧ Motohakone & Hakone-machi
⑨ Express bus to Hakone Yumoto
Sample Itinerary of Hakone Circle Route
9:00am: meet the guide at the Hakone Yumoto station (⓪)
9:00 – 10:30: Hakone Tozan Train (①), Hakone Tozan Cable Car (④), Hakone Ropeway (⑤)
10:30 – 11:00: Owakudani Valley (⑥)
12:00 – 12:30: Cross Lake Ashi by a pirate ship (⑦)
12:30 – 13:30: Lunch
13:30 – 14:45: Walk through Sekisyo and Old Tokaido road (⑧)
15:30 – 17:00: Open Air Museum (②)
17:45: Return to Hakone Yumoto station (⓪)
Each location
⓪ Hakone Yumoto Station
Hakone-Yumoto Station is the terminus of the Odakyu Limited Express Romancecar, limited express from Shinjuku. It is the gateway to the Hakone mountains, and the Hakone Tozan Train starts from this station.
① Hakone Tozan Train
The Hakone Tozan Train is one of the most famous mountain railways in Japan. It runs from Hakone-Yumoto (108 m) to Gora (553 m) in about 40 minutes. Along the way, the train uses three switchbacks, where the crew changes ends and the train reverses direction—an experience unique to the Hakone Tozan Train.
② Hakone Open Air Museum
The Hakone Open-Air Museum, founded in 1969 as Japan’s first outdoor art museum, displays about 120 modern and contemporary sculptures in a 70,000 m² garden overlooking the Hakone mountains. Visitors can enjoy the artworks while strolling or having a picnic, and there are several pieces that children can enter, climb, and play with. A visit typically takes about 1–2 hours, depending on your pace.
③ Gora station and Gora Park
Gora Station is the terminus of the Hakone Tozan Train, where you transfer to the Hakone Tozan Cable Car. It is located 553 meters above sea level.
Gora Park
Just above Gora Station is Gora Park, a Western-style garden opened in 1914. The park features seasonal flowers such as cherry blossoms, roses, azaleas, hydrangeas, and bougainvilleas.
Hakuun-do Tea Garden
Hakuun-do Tea Garden, built in 1914 inside Gora Park, follows the basic style of a traditional tea house and garden while incorporating unique elements selected by its original master. Visitors can enjoy matcha and experience a taste of Japanese tea ceremony.
④ Hakone Tozan Cable Car
At Gora Station, you transfer to the Hakone Tozan Cable Car. The cable car connects Gora Station with Sounzan Station, covering 1.2 kilometers in about 10 minutes.
⑤ Hakone Ropeway
The Hakone Ropeway is the most convenient way to reach Owakudani Valley. The ropeway consists of two sections—Sounzan to Owakudani and Owakudani to Togendai—and the full journey takes about 30 minutes. Along the way, you can enjoy spectacular views of Lake Ashi, the volcanic steam of Owakudani, and—on clear days—the grandeur of Mt. Fuji.
⑥ Owakudani Valley
Owakudani Valley was formed about 3,000 years ago by a landslide and volcanic activity on the northern slope of Mt. Kamiyama. Volcanic activity has continued in the area ever since, with gases still venting from the valley slopes today.
Black Egg
The famous “Black Egg” is made by boiling regular eggs in the hot-spring water of Owakudani. Substances in the water cause a chemical reaction that turns the eggshell black. Locals say that eating one Black Egg adds seven years to your life. This belief is said to have originated from Owakudani’s Jizo statue, which is associated with longevity and healthy children. The number seven has long been regarded as lucky in Japan, and over time became linked to the legend.
Hakone Geo Museum
Hakone Geo Museum is a natural science museum located in Owakudani. Through informative exhibits, visitors can learn about the formation of the Hakone volcano, its hot springs, and the highlights of Owakudani.
⑦ Lake Ahi & Pirate Ship Cruise
Lake Ashi was formed about 3,000 years ago when eruptions caused Mt. Kamiyama to collapse and block nearby rivers. The lake is 21.1 km around, up to 43.5 m deep, and sits at an elevation of 723 m.
Hakone’s popular “Pirate Ships” cruise across the lake in about 30 minutes.
⑧ Motohakone & Hakone-machi
There are many historical sites around the two Pirate Ship ports, Motohakone-Ko and Hakonemachi-Ko.
Hakone Sekisho
Hakone Sekisho (Hakone Checkpoint) was established in 1619 by the Tokugawa shogunate as an inspection post on the old Tokaido road between Edo (Tokyo) and Kyoto. It served as a key security point protecting the capital. The checkpoint was fully restored in 2007 to its original Edo-period appearance.
Old Tokaido Road with cedar trees
A section of the Old Tokaido (Cedar Avenue) near Hakone Sekisho is well preserved, with centuries-old cedar trees lining both sides. Their tall canopy provides pleasant shade on sunny summer days.
Onshi-Hakone-Koen Park
Onshi-Hakone Park sits on a peninsula extending into Lake Ashi. The Imperial Household Ministry built a summer villa here in 1886 for the imperial family and foreign guests. After World War II, the land was transferred to Kanagawa Prefecture, which opened it to the public as Onshi-Hakone Park in 1946.
Hakone-jinja Shrine
Hakone-jinja Shrine, located in Moto-Hakone, is one of the major centers of mountain worship in the Kanto region. Surrounded by rich nature and steeped in legend, it is known as a sacred place believed to bring spiritual energy. Its iconic red torii gate stands in Lake Ashi.
Narukawa Art Museum
Narukawa Art Museum is located on a hillside overlooking Lake Ashi. It is one of Japan’s leading museums, housing a collection of over 4,000 works of modern Nihonga (Japanese-style paintings). From the second-floor lounge, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of Lake Ashi and Mt. Fuji.
⑨ Express bus to Hakone Yumoto
After strolling through the historic area along Lake Ashi, you can take an express bus back to Hakone-Yumoto Station.
