Most of all this area is known for the unforgettable view of Mount Fuji rising up above Lake Ashinoko. Although Hakone is closer to Tokyo, it can be reached from Osaka fairly easily by train, and by bus.
Alternatively, the Odakyu line runs between Tokyo's Shinjuku Station and Hakone-Yumoto Station. There is an express train which takes around 85 minutes or a slower, cheaper train which takes around two hours (you change at Odawara Station). Another option is to buy a Hakone Free Pass.
Hakone: If you don't have a rail pass, the cost from Tokyo is much cheaper vs from Kyoto. And if you have a nationwide JR Pass, you can take Shinkansen to Odawara and then transfer to an Odakyu train to Hakone. The entire trip takes around 45 minutes.
There is so much to see and do in the Hakone Region that we would definitely recommend that you plan to stay in Hakone for at least 1-2 nights to make the most of the local options. However, many people are on a tight timeframe when they visit Japan so plan to do a day trip to Hakone instead.
Five degrees cooler throughout the year. It can be said that on average, Hakone is five degrees cooler than Tokyo. That is one of the reasons why people visit Hakone from all over Japan during the hottest seasons. On the other hand, Winter becomes cold.
Many splendid views of Mt.Fuji can be found around the Hakone area. Each viewpoint shows a different profile of the famous mountain and the surrounding areas are also worth exploring for the diverse historical and natural sites.
Yes, you can use the JR Railpass to get to Hakone. The JR Railpass will allow you to ride the shinkansen bullet train to Odawara Station. All shinkansen does not stop at Odawara so make sure you catch the Kodama shinkansen. The shinkansen ride from Tokyo to Odawara is only about 40 minutes.
Hakone is a short train ride from Tokyo, but feels like a world away. The fastest way to reach Hakone is to take the Shinkansen to Odawara Station and then the short 15 minutes train ride to Hakone Yumoto at the base of the Hakone mountains.
Helpful InfoHAKONE AND KAWAGUCHIKOKawaguchiko gives one of the best views of Fuji in all of Japan, but the logistics of getting there and other activities are very limited. Hakone has good views of the mountain, but convenient connection to transportation and many other attractions in the area.
The distance from Tokyo to Mount Fuji is around 100 km (62 miles), and from Kyoto to Mount Fuji is around 270 km (168 miles). It takes around 2-3 hours by car or train to get to Mount Fuji from Tokyo, and around 4-5 hours from Kyoto.