Hakone

Hakone is a place famous for its hot springs, beautiful nature, and breath taking views of Mt. Fuji. It is a popular tourist attraction amongst Japanese and foreigners. The area is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, which is located south west from Tokyo in Kanagawa Prefecture. There are many ryokans (Japanese traditional inn) with hot spring baths. The most known place for onsens (hot springs) in Hakone is Yumoto. It is located near the Odawara and has a long history for having high quality water. There are public bath houses available for visitors to enjoy or you can visit different ryokans at certain times to enter their hot springs for a nominal fee.

Aside from the hot springs there is the Hakone Ropeway that goes over Owakudani. It is a thirty-minute ride starting from Sounzan and ending at Togendai station. From the ropeway you can see Lake Ashinoko, Mt. Fuji and the volcanic fume emitting from Owakudani. While there it is recommended to have the famed kuro tamago (black egg). It is a hard-boiled egg that was cooked in the hot springs with sulfuric properties. The black color comes from the chemical reaction with the sulfur in the water. It is said that eating one of the eggs will increase your life expectancy by seven years. They can be found along the short walking trail from the ropeway station. There are also hiking trails that lead to the peak of Mount Kamiyama and Mount Komagatake.

Lake Ashi is a caldera lake that was formed 3000 years ago from the last volcanic eruption of Mount Hakone. The natural beauty surrounding the blue lake with Mount Fuji in the background has become the symbol of Hakone. There are sightseeing boats you can take to fully enjoy the scenery. The cruise around Lake Ashi can be taken not on just any boat, but on a pirate ship. There are three different ships called Royal II, Victory and Vasa.

Things To Do in Hakone