Activities in Hakone

The Hakone Tozan Cable Car is a funicular railway climbing steeply from Gora to Sounzan, connecting the mountain railway to the ropeway that continues to Owakudani. The short but dramatic ride ascends through lush forest in just 10 minutes.

The Hakone Tozan Railway is Japan's oldest mountain railway, climbing 527 meters through forested gorges from Hakone-Yumoto to Gora using dramatic switchbacks where the train reverses direction. In June, the tracks are lined with over 10,000 hydrangea bushes in full bloom.

The Hakone Craft House, located within Gora Park, offers hands-on workshops where visitors can create their own traditional and modern crafts. It is one of Hakone's most interactive cultural experiences.

Hakone-Yumoto is the gateway to the Hakone region and its oldest hot-spring district. Natural thermal waters have drawn visitors here for over 1,200 years, and today the area offers both traditional ryokan baths and public day-use onsen.

The Hakone Sightseeing Cruise operates ornate replica pirate ships across Lake Ashi, connecting Togendai Port with Hakone-machi and Moto-Hakone. The theatrical vessels offer a whimsical way to cross the scenic crater lake.

The Hakone Ropeway is a 4-kilometer aerial gondola system connecting Sounzan to Togendai via the volcanic valley of Owakudani. It is one of the longest aerial tramways in Japan and offers extraordinary views of volcanic steam vents, Lake Ashi, and Mount Fuji.

Tenzan Tohji-kyo is a beloved rustic outdoor onsen complex tucked into a forested river valley between Yumoto and Tonosawa. Its naturalistic open-air rock pools and wooden baths blending into the forest make it one of Hakone's most atmospheric bathing experiences.

Yunessun is a unique themed hot-spring water park that combines traditional Japanese onsen culture with playful novelty baths. Visitors can soak in pools of coffee, wine, green tea, and even sake alongside more conventional hot-spring pools.