Outdoors · Hakone · Japan
8 best outdoor things to do in Hakone
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Start with Hakone Open-Air Museum, Ōwakudani and Old Tōkaidō road and cedar avenue. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 10–14 hours across 5 areas; 3 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 10–14 hours
- Areas
- Gōra, Ōwakudani and Moto-Hakone and Hakone-machi
Outdoors in Hakone
Museum · Gōra
1.Hakone Open-Air Museum
Climb the spiral stairs inside the Symphonic Sculpture tower for its stained glass and a view over the grounds, and finish at the footbath.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Art
- Kids
- Outdoors
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Nature · Ōwakudani
2.Ōwakudani
Visitors with asthma or heart conditions should take care, as volcanic gas levels can be high; access is sometimes restricted when the volcanic alert level rises, so check before travelling.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Nature
- Views
- Food
Historic site · Moto-Hakone and Hakone-machi
3.Old Tōkaidō road and cedar avenue
Walk the stone section downhill from Moto-Hakone towards Amazake-chaya; the stones are slippery after rain, so wear shoes with grip.
- Time needed
- 1–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Outdoors
- Nature
Park · Moto-Hakone and Hakone-machi
4.Onshi Hakone Park
Visit between the Hakone Checkpoint and Moto-Hakone, walking via the cedar avenue, and come in winter for the clearest Fuji views.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Nature
- Couples
Gallery · Sengokuhara
5.Pola Museum of Art
Walk the forest trail after the galleries; it is especially beautiful in autumn and needs only about 20 minutes.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Nature
Garden · Gōra
6.Gōra Park
Ride the cable car up to Kōen-kami station and walk down through the park to Gōra.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Rainy day
Nature · Sengokuhara
7.Sengokuhara susuki grassland
Come in late afternoon in October or early November, when low sun lights the grass; the grassland is burned in early spring and looks bare until summer.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Experience · Hakone-Yumoto
8.Tenzan onsen
Bring your own towel to save on hire, and check the tattoo policy before you go.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Rainy day
- Nature
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Gōra | Hakone Open-Air Museum and Gōra Park | 2–3 hours + 1 hour |
| Ōwakudani | Ōwakudani | 1 hour |
| Moto-Hakone and Hakone-machi | Old Tōkaidō road and cedar avenue and Onshi Hakone Park | 1–3 hours + 45 minutes |
| Sengokuhara | Pola Museum of Art and Sengokuhara susuki grassland | 2 hours + 1 hour |
| Hakone-Yumoto | Tenzan onsen | 1.5–2 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 3 free, 3 low cost, 2 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Hakone Open-Air Museum; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Gōra and Ōwakudani): Hakone Open-Air Museum → Gōra Park → Ōwakudani, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Moto-Hakone and Hakone-machi): Old Tōkaidō road and cedar avenue → Onshi Hakone Park, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Sengokuhara): Pola Museum of Art → Sengokuhara susuki grassland, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Hakone-Yumoto): Tenzan onsen, at least 2 hours.
The best months to be outside
- May: highs of 20°C (68°F), about 11 rainy days, busy crowds. Fresh green forests and azaleas, though the Golden Week holidays at the start of the month are very crowded.
- November: highs of 13°C (55°F), about 8 rainy days, very busy crowds. Autumn colours peak across the caldera, and clearer skies return Fuji views; very busy weekends.
- December: highs of 9°C (48°F), about 6 rainy days, moderate crowds. Cold and clear, with good Fuji views and cosy ryokan stays; prices rise for the New Year.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Hakone-Yumoto — The gateway onsen town by the station, with souvenir streets and riverside ryokan
- Miyanoshita — Historic hot-spring village around the 1878 Fujiya Hotel
- Kowakudani — Resort hotels and the Okada Museum on a plateau between Miyanoshita and Lake Ashi
- Gōra — The hub at the top of the Tozan line, with the cable car, Gōra Park and many ryokan
- Sengokuhara — A highland plateau of museums, golf courses and silver-grass fields
- Moto-Hakone and Hakone-machi — Lakeside villages at the southern end of Lake Ashi
More of Hakone
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Hakone?
Hakone Open-Air Museum. Opened in 1969, Japan's first open-air art museum spreads more than a hundred modern sculptures, by artists including Henry Moore and Rodin, across landscaped hillsides.
+Which of these are free in Hakone?
Old Tōkaidō road and cedar avenue, Onshi Hakone Park and Sengokuhara susuki grassland.