Solo travel · Hakone · Japan
Solo travel in Hakone
How to enjoy Hakone at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Hakone is easy alone: the transport loop is simple, signs are in English and many guesthouses in Yumoto and Gōra welcome solo travellers, though some ryokan charge more for single occupancy. Many solo travellers base themselves in Hakone-Yumoto.
Key facts
- Base
- Hakone-Yumoto
- Getting around
- Train
- Emergency number
- 110 (police), 119 (fire and ambulance)
- Language
- Japanese
Solo travel tips
- Look for ryokan or guesthouses that accept single guests; some only take two or more per room.
- Day-use onsen such as Tenzan let you bathe without booking a ryokan.
- Ride the loop early in the day to avoid the midday crowds at Sōunzan and Tōgendai.
- Hike the old Tōkaidō road for a quiet half-day on foot.
- Carry cash, as some small shops and restaurants do not take cards.
Where to stay
$$ · Best for first-timers, budget and food lovers
Hakone-Yumoto
Hakone-Yumoto, where the Romancecar from Shinjuku terminates, is the largest and most accessible hot-spring town in the area. A main street of shops sells onsen manju, fish cakes and Yosegi woodwork, and ryokan line the Hayakawa and Sukumo rivers. It is the easiest base for travellers with luggage and those who want restaurants within walking distance.
- Good
- Direct trains from Tokyo; Many restaurants and shops; Wide range of ryokan prices
- Watch out
- Lower and less scenic than the upper areas; Day-tripper crowds on the main street
- Nearby
- Hakone-Yumoto Station, Tenzan onsen, Hakone Tozan Railway, Old Tōkaidō road
Great on your own
Museum · Gōra
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
Nature · Ōwakudani
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
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Experience · Ōwakudani
Hakone Ropeway
Ride in the morning, when visibility is usually better and queues at Sōunzan are shorter; the ropeway can suspend service in strong winds.
- Time needed
- 30–40 minutes
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- Kids
- Iconic
- Photo spot
Experience · Moto-Hakone and Hakone-machi
Lake Ashi sightseeing cruise
Sit on the left side heading south from Tōgendai for the best view of Mount Fuji, and on the open upper deck for photographs of the shrine's torii.
- Time needed
- 40 minutes
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Views
- Iconic
- Couples
Religious site · Moto-Hakone and Hakone-machi
Hakone Shrine
Arrive early in the morning, before the boats bring day trippers, to photograph the lakeside torii without a long queue.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Photo spot
- History
Experience · Hakone-Yumoto
Hakone Tozan Railway
Stand at the front or back window to watch the driver and conductor swap ends at each switchback.
- Time needed
- 40 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Views
- Iconic
- Photo spot
Meeting people
- Ryokan kaiseki and breakfast — A night in a ryokan usually includes a kaiseki dinner and a Japanese breakfast of grilled fish, rice, miso soup and pickles, often served in your room in a yukata after a bath.
- Black eggs at Ōwakudani — Buy a bag of sulphur-blackened eggs at the volcanic valley and eat one at the viewpoint with Mount Fuji beyond the steam on a clear day.
Sensible precautions
Hakone is an active volcanic area: volcanic gas at Ōwakudani can affect people with asthma or heart conditions, and access can be restricted when the alert level rises, so check official updates. Paths are slippery after rain, and typhoons can disrupt transport in late summer.
- Emergency number
- 110 (police), 119 (fire and ambulance)
- Staying connected
- Mobile coverage is good across the main areas, and most ryokan and hotels have Wi-Fi.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Hakone good for solo travellers?
Hakone is easy alone: the transport loop is simple, signs are in English and many guesthouses in Yumoto and Gōra welcome solo travellers, though some ryokan charge more for single occupancy.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Hakone?
Hakone-Yumoto: The gateway onsen town by the station, with souvenir streets and riverside ryokan.