What this area is like
A loop by mountain railway, cable car, ropeway and lake boat passes Owakudani’s volcanic vents and Lake Ashi. The Hakone Open-Air Museum and many hot-spring inns are along the way.
Odakyu Romancecar runs from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto. Fuji views depend on the weather; clearer mornings in winter are best.
Choose your next step
Places to see in this area
Hakone Ropeway & Owakudani
A 4 km ropeway from Sounzan to Lake Ashi that passes over Owakudani, a steaming volcanic valley. Mount Fuji can be seen on clear days.
- Access
- About 1 minute on foot from Sounzan Station on the Hakone Tozan Cable Car.
- Hours
- 9:00–16:45 (last departures earlier in December and January). Stops in bad weather or when volcanic activity is raised.
- Fee
- Full route: ¥2,000 one way, ¥3,000 return. Included in the Hakone Freepass.
- Address
- Sounzan Station, Gora, Hakone, Kanagawa
Try the black eggs boiled in the hot springs at Owakudani. Check the operating status before you set off.
Hakone Open-Air Museum
Sculptures set across a hillside lawn with mountain views, plus a Picasso pavilion and a hot-spring footbath.
- Access
- About 2 minutes on foot from Chokoku-no-Mori Station (Hakone Tozan Railway).
- Hours
- 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30).
- Fee
- Adults ¥2,000; high school and university ¥1,600; elementary and junior high ¥800.
- Address
- 1121 Ninotaira, Hakone, Kanagawa
On Saturdays, each adult can bring up to five schoolchildren free.
How to plan your time here
- Do the classic loop: Hakone Tozan Railway from Hakone-Yumoto, cable car, ropeway over Owakudani, then a sightseeing boat across Lake Ashi and a bus back.
- The Hakone Freepass covers most of the loop. Stay a night at a ryokan with a hot-spring bath to avoid rushing.
Information checked 26 October 2026. Plans are JapaLens editorial suggestions, not on-site reviews. Hours and fees can change; check the official page before you go.