What time does the Hakone open?

Museum Hours 9:00 – 17:00, 365 days/year * Last admission is 30 minutes before closing.



"Hakone" refers to an entire region, but its most popular attractions generally operate from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Specifically, the Hakone Open-Air Museum is open year-round from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with the last admission at 4:30 PM. The Hakone Ropeway, which offers the best views of Mount Fuji and the volcanic valley of Owakudani, also typically starts running at 9:00 AM and closes around 4:45 PM or 5:00 PM depending on the season and weather conditions. If you are using the Hakone Free Pass, the mountain buses and the "Hakone Tozan" railway start much earlier, around 6:00 AM, allowing you to reach the trailheads or lakefronts before the crowds. In 2026, it is highly recommended to start your "Hakone Round Course" as soon as the Ropeway opens at 9:00 AM to avoid the heavy mid-day congestion at the Lake Ashi pirate ship docks. Always check the official website on the day of your visit, as volcanic activity or high winds can lead to sudden closures of the Ropeway or the sulfurous vents at Owakudani.

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How much time will you need? All exhibitions can be seen in about 60–90 minutes.

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The Hakone Open-Air Museum is Japan's first open-air museum, opened in 1969 in Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture. It holds collections of artworks by Picasso, Henry Moore, Taro Okamoto, Yasuo Mizui, Churyo Sato, Susumu Shingu, and many others, featuring over a thousand sculptures and works of art.

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As for private tour, visiting both in a day is possible with a hired car. But even with a car, it's not so recommended for the above reason. One day for Mt. Fuji and one day for Hakone is recommended to appreciate the area fully.

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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.

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It connects Sounzan Station (at the terminus of the Hakone Tozan Cablecar) with Togendai Station (at the shore of Lake Ashinoko) and stops at Owakudani and Ubako stations on the way. The ropeway is fully covered by the Hakone Free Pass. The ropeway's gondolas depart every minute and fit around ten people each.

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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.

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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.

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It's up to you how long you want to stay in each place. We visited the museum and spend little over an hour there but you can spend longer there. In total we spend about 8 hours for the round from Hakone Yumoto and back there including waiting time for the ship which we used to get lunch in the restaurant.

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Traveling the full length of the ropeway takes around 30 minutes. Along the journey, passengers can enjoy views of the active, sulfuric hot spring sources of the Owakudani Valley between Sounzan and Owakudani and of Lake Ashinoko and Mount Fuji between Owakudani and Togendai if visibility allows.

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Helpful InfoHAKONE AND KAWAGUCHIKO Kawaguchiko 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.

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The Hakone Free Pass by Odakyu Railway is a discount pass for exploring Hakone. It provides unlimited use of Odakyu-affiliated buses, trains, boats, cablecars and ropeways in the Hakone area and discounted admission to selected tourist attractions on two or three consecutive days.

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