Rainy day · Hakone · Japan
6 things to do in Hakone when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Start with Pola Museum of Art, Okada Museum of Art and Gōra Park. Together the 6 picks below take roughly 9–10 hours across 5 areas; all charge for entry. June is usually the wettest month, with about 15 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 6
- Free entry
- 0
- Time to see them all
- 9–10 hours
- Areas
- Sengokuhara, Kowakudani and Gōra
Hakone on a rainy day
Gallery · Sengokuhara
1.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
Gallery · Kowakudani
2.Okada Museum of Art
Even without visiting the galleries, the footbath café in front of the mural is a pleasant stop.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Art
- Rainy day
- Couples
Garden · Gōra
3.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
Museum · Sengokuhara
4.Lalique Museum Hakone
Reserve the Orient Express carriage tea when you arrive, as places are limited.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Couples
Experience · Hakone-Yumoto
5.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
Architecture · Miyanoshita
6.Fujiya Hotel
Stop for curry or pie in the café while waiting for the Tozan Railway at Miyanoshita station, about ten minutes' walk away.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Architecture
- History
- Food
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Sengokuhara | Pola Museum of Art and Lalique Museum Hakone | 2 hours + 1.5 hours |
| Kowakudani | Okada Museum of Art | 1.5–2 hours |
| Gōra | Gōra Park | 1 hour |
| Hakone-Yumoto | Tenzan onsen | 1.5–2 hours |
| Miyanoshita | Fujiya Hotel | 1 hour |
Booking and timing
Of these 6, 2 low cost, 3 mid-priced, 1 expensive. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Pola Museum of Art; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Sengokuhara): Pola Museum of Art → Lalique Museum Hakone, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Kowakudani, Gōra and Hakone-Yumoto): Okada Museum of Art → Gōra Park → Tenzan onsen, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Miyanoshita): Fujiya Hotel, at least 1 hour.
The wettest months
- June: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 15 rainy days, moderate crowds. The rainy season brings mist and showers, but hydrangeas bloom along the Tozan Railway.
- July: highs of 26°C (79°F), about 15 rainy days, busy crowds. Humid with frequent cloud; a cool escape from Tokyo's heat once the rainy season ends.
- September: highs of 23°C (73°F), about 14 rainy days, moderate crowds. Still warm, with typhoon risk early in the month; the silver grass starts to turn.
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
More of Hakone
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Hakone?
Pola Museum of Art. Set in beech forest in Sengokuhara, this glass-and-concrete museum houses a large private collection including Impressionists such as Monet and Renoir, Japanese Western-style paintings and ceramics.