Travel tips · Hakone · Japan
Hakone travel tips: what to know before you go
The etiquette, money and practical details that make the first day easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Quercus acuta, CC0
Quick answer
Hakone is a domestic holiday area as much as an international one, and ryokan follow traditional Japanese manners: slippers indoors, futon on tatami floors, yukata robes and communal baths with strict etiquette. Staying in a ryokan is as much a part of the trip as the sights.
Key facts
- Language
- Japanese
- Currency
- JPY
- Plugs
- Type A and B sockets, 100 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe to drink.
- Emergency
- 110 (police), 119 (fire and ambulance)
Things to know
- Wash and rinse thoroughly at the seated showers before entering an onsen, and keep your small towel out of the water.
- Bathe without swimwear in gender-separated baths; private baths (kashikiri) are available for couples and families at many ryokan.
- Some onsen do not admit people with visible tattoos; check the policy or book a private bath.
- Remove shoes at the ryokan entrance and never walk on tatami in slippers.
- Wearing the ryokan's yukata to dinner and around the inn is normal and expected.
- The Hakone Freepass usually pays for itself if you ride the full loop of train, cable car, ropeway and boat.
Tipping
Tipping is not customary in Japan. Some guests leave a small gratuity in an envelope for ryokan staff, but it is never expected.
Language
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Konnichiwa | Hello |
| Arigatō gozaimasu | Thank you very much |
| Sumimasen | Excuse me |
| Onsen wa doko desu ka? | Where is the hot-spring bath? |
| Gochisōsama deshita | Thank you for the meal |
What to wear
Bring layers: Hakone is several degrees cooler than Tokyo and evenings are chilly. Shoes with grip help on the old Tōkaidō stones and steep station paths.
Practical details
- Plugs and voltage
- Type A and B sockets, 100 V, 50 Hz
- Drinking water
- Tap water is safe to drink.
- Emergency number
- 110 (police), 119 (fire and ambulance)
- Phone and internet
- Mobile coverage is good across the main areas, and most ryokan and hotels have Wi-Fi.
- Time zone
- Asia/Tokyo
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.
Entry requirements
Visa and passport rules depend on your nationality and change often. Check Japan's official government guidance and your own government's travel advice before booking.
Plan the trip
Questions travellers ask
+Do you tip in Hakone?
Tipping is not customary in Japan. Some guests leave a small gratuity in an envelope for ryokan staff, but it is never expected.
+Can you drink the tap water in Hakone?
Tap water is safe to drink.
+What plugs are used in Hakone?
Type A and B sockets, 100 V, 50 Hz
+What language is spoken in Hakone?
Japanese.