Travel Guide: Hakone, Japan

When planning our trip to Japan, Hakone was the wildcard destination. I first stumbled upon this somewhat sleepy resort destination after reading about traditional Japanese inns or Ryokans and the natural hot springs called osens that are dotted across the country. We settled on Hakone as both Ryokans and onsens are a major draw to this area, and its a relatively easy spot to get to from Tokyo.

We stayed at Yama No Chaya which we booked through Ryokan Collection. This wasn't our first choice property, which was sold out (tip: book early!), but it was absolutely delightful. We reserved a room with an private onsen which I would definitely recommend. At most Ryokans you have breakfast and dinner served in your room so there will likely be a separate living/dining area.

{See & Do}
When you arrive in Odawara, the closest large town to Hakone, you can get a Hakone Free Pass transit card which includes your transfer via train to Hakone, as well as unlimited transit via bus, cog railway, ropeway etc., around the Hakone area. There really isn't another way to get around so I would recommend taking advantage of this option.

Lake Ashi(noko) with its Mt Fuji views and the Hakone Shrine is a must do. I'd go first thing in the morning to try and avoid some of the crowds. Stop at Bakery & Table for a mid-morning snack. The wasabi baguette is pretty much life changing.

In the afternoon, I'd recommend a stop at the Hakone Open Air Museum, which an interesting park slash open air sculpture garden. Of course there is a famous Picasso collection on property, though it wasnt the highlight for me.

And of course, you'll want to save plenty of time for relaxing in the onsens, either at your Ryokan, or if you're more adventurous try out some of the public ones as well.

{Eat & Drink}
If you're staying at a Ryokan, which is pretty much the only option in the area, breakfast and lunch will most likely be included in your room rate and you are expected to take both meals there. From my experience they do try and accommodate dietary restrictions however, if you are limited in what you can eat or not too adventurous when it comes to food, I'd recommend having a healthy reserve of snacks on hand.

The food at Yama No Chaya definitely was not all to our taste, (we're going to be laughing about the dried barracuda for breakfast for a long time!), but it was all beautifully prepared and presented and its more about the experience than having the best meal of your life.

{Things to Know}
Before staying in a Ryokan I'd recommend reading a bit about some of the customs, though the staff will be more than happy to explain things to you. Same goes for bathing in an onsen. There are pieces of etiquette you should be aware of.