Tokyo to Hakone in 24 Hours: Japan’s Most Iconic Day Trip

Tokyo to Hakone in 24 Hours: Japan’s Most Iconic Day Trip

Just 90 minutes from Tokyo, there’s a place where 
pirate ship sail, volcano steam, waterfalls flow, and Mount Fuji views that will leave you 
breathless. This is Hakone, the ultimate nature escape from the city. And today, I’m 
showing you how to experience the best of it in one super convenient day trip with tips and 
tricks to get the most out of your adventure here, Ohio. And good morning, my friends. I hope you 
are as excited as me because today we are doing one of Tokyo’s most iconic day trips. Right now 
we’re just around the corner from the Hakonei Yamoto station where you’ll be arriving from the 
city. And check this out. The nature has already begun. I’m talking about terrace waterfalls, green 
mountains, and that beautiful blue sky. What a day we got. I really am very excited. And the nature 
here never stops. It is literally around every corner. So today we’re going to be experiencing 
it in a bunch of different ways on buses, trains, a cable car, two different ropeways, and even a 
pirate ship. Yes, you heard that right. We are going to be taking a pirate ship today. Each one 
of these offers a unique way of experiencing this pristine nature here, which is amazing, but the 
prices can add up pretty quick. So, my first tip is to use the Cluke app to buy your Hakone free 
pass, which gives you unlimited access to all of the options I just said, as well as your roundtrip 
ticket from Shinjuku in Tokyo. It is a gamecher, timesaver, and will just upgrade your trip. So, 
I highly recommend it. I will put a link in the description down below. And right now we are going 
to go and use the digital pass that they issue you on the spot to hop on our first train of the day. 
And it is a special one. It goes on switchback tracks up the mountain through the nature to take 
us about halfway up. We’re going to be going to our first stop. So I will see you there. Welcome 
to our first stop of the day. We are at the Hakone Open Air Museum. On the way up the mountain 
to where we’re going, you can hop off at O56 and take a 2-minute walk over to this beautiful 
sculpture park. It is the first open air museum in Japan and is over 70,000 square meters. There 
are 120 sculptures that are scattered throughout the beautiful lawns and grounds. And the best 
part is there are no ceilings or walls to contain the beauty of the art, just the mountains and 
clouds all around us. There’s a Picasso museum that has over 300 works that rotate throughout 
the year. So, you can come here anytime and it will always be a new experience. They also have 
some great places where you can sit down in the shade and just take in the art. And there’s some 
excellent places where you can lay down and just relax in nature. But the highlight is where we 
are right now at the Symphonic Tower. When you walk inside and look up, it’s like being inside of 
a kaleidoscope. It’s 18 meters tall and you walk up this spiraling staircase to the top and come 
out to get this view we have right now, which is a pretty great way to start the day. They even 
say that on a clear day you can see Mount Fuji, but unfortunately the clouds are blocking that 
view today, but that’s okay. And the best part of the park is that right next to that tower, 
they actually have a free hotring foot bath where you can come down, soak your feet, and just 
take in the beautiful nature all around you. It’s pretty amazing. And I don’t know if I mentioned 
it yet, but Hakone is actually a famous hotring town here in Japan. So, they never miss a chance 
to squeeze one in when they can. And this one is pretty special. Another cool thing is that if you 
didn’t bring your own towel, they actually sell some souvenir ones for 100 yen, so you can dry off 
before you continue with your day. I really like it here. Right now, we are going to head back over 
to the train, ride for one stop to Gora Station, where we are going to hop on the cable car that’s 
going to take us halfway up the mountain and then transfer over to the ropeway that’s going 
to take us to the top. Along the way, you can expect to see some beautiful views of nature 
and the valley down below the calara that we’re going to be exploring in a minute. And if we’re 
lucky, some breathtaking views of Mount Fuji. Welcome to Ono Wakuani. This is one of the 
top places to visit while you’re here. But before we talk about it, can you believe that 
Fuji view? I am literally shaking right now. I’m out of breath from it. I’ve been here 
three times and I have not seen it. It’s been nothing but clouds. I didn’t even know 
how far away it was. But on the way up here, it was so clear. I mean, wow. I I have goosebumps. 
I’m so excited. And that’s one of the things that this town is famous for. It’s the Fuji views 
and the hot springs. But that Fuji view just blew me away. And if you walk out of the station, 
just around the right there’s a parking lot. You can actually see the cars coming up and down 
with the clouds down below it. Wow. Anyway, we are here at the volcanic valley, also known 
as the Great Boiling Valley. And as you can see down below me, there are sulfur vents that are 
bubbling up. This was formed over 3,000 years ago. And it is like the mountain is breathing. So, 
like I said, I’ve been here three times and each time has been completely different with different 
views. Yesterday, it was a little bit cloudy and the smoke from the sulfur cuz there was no wind 
was actually coming up right into us and it was really impressive. They have a little glass 
walkway over here on my left that you can go out on and take some photos. And right upstairs 
above the station is a viewpoint restaurant where you can sit down and enjoy some black curry 
that is unique to here and a nice local brew which I absolutely loved. There’s also a little 
geology museum just next to it where you can learn a little bit more about the history. And 
trust me, you want to visit because it rocks. It is so windy up here right now. The weather 
changes in an instant. But something else you have to try when you’re up here are the 
black eggs. You can purchase them right above the geology museum. They actually 
boil them right in the hot springs until the shells turn black. And they say that if you 
eat one, it gives you an additional 7 years on your life. So I got four 28 more years. But 
let’s try one out and see what it’s like. I got a little shelling station right here. Oh 
yeah. So we’re going to peel this bad boy. All right. Peels pretty easy. Looks 
like a regular egg underneath. [Music] Tastes like a regular egg to me. But I think 
I’m feeling revitalized, which is excellent. Wow. I I don’t want to leave. This is like one 
of the best views I think that you can get of the mountain unless you’re actually at it. And 
it is so impressive. What a day we got today. This blue sky, those white clouds over the forest 
running down below it. And it’s so close to Tokyo, which I absolutely love. Right now, as much as 
I don’t want to leave, we are going to go and hop on another ropeway from the same station 
and we are going to ride down to Lake Ashi to board a pirate ship and hopefully get some 
more views of this amazing mountain. I know it’s probably the only reason that I would leave 
because a pirate ship just sounds amazing. So, I’m going to go and hop on it right 
now and I will see you on the boat. Oh, ahoy there mies. This is such a beautiful day 
and what a great way to cross this amazing lake. The views are stunning. The forest is all around. 
And the ship that we’re on is like a legit pirate ship. When you’re up on the top deck, the wind 
is blowing in your face. The flags are flapping. They have actual cannons up there. And like I 
said, the weather here can change so quick. It just went from being so sunny to cloudy. If the 
clouds hadn’t come, you can actually get another Fuji view from here. But you know what? I am not 
greedy. And I am so happy about that one we had up at the top. And right now, we are heading 
to the Hakone Shrine, which is one of the most iconic things here. So, I will see you when we 
get there. All right, we have arrived. And wow, the weather changed so much from the top with that 
Fuji view and the ride across the lake to complete clouds. It’s still magical. You can see them kind 
of going up the mountain and you know that I love that. Right now we have about a 15-minute walk. 
That’s 1 km over to the shrine. But you might be hungry right now. So I suggest going into the 
town where they have lots of restaurants and bars. But there is a special one right here called 
the bakery and table hakone that you can go up to the second level and get a view or sit down on the 
water with your feet in a foot bath and enjoy some of their delicious baked goods. It is so nice. And 
I even grabbed one for us to try right here. They are famous here for not only their baked goods, 
but one very specifically, and that is their curry bread. And when you look at it, it’s kind of like 
a donut on the outside. It’s really soft, really, you know, like tender to the touch. Let’s try it 
out. I have no idea what’s inside of it. I haven’t tried it yet, so we’ll do it together. Oh my. 
That is curry ripfic. I can’t even tell you. It’s like biting into a donut. Look in there. There’s 
actually a whole egg right there. And the curry is actually sweet. Tastes kind of like a pork 
curry. Let me take one more bite just to be sure. M. Wow. And it’s crunchy on the outside and 
so soft. And look at that egg in there. Wow. This might be my favorite thing that I’ve had. 
You have to stop by this place and grab one of these. And before we head over to the shrine, I 
thought I would give you a few tips here. Now, as I mentioned, the weather has changed pretty 
significantly in just a very short period of time. So, you’re going to want to make sure that you use 
a weather app to kind of check what the weather’s going to be like for the day. And depending on 
what’s important to you, you can do this whole thing in reverse. So, if it’s going to be nicer 
in the morning and less so in the afternoon, you can actually take a bus down here around 
6:30 and experience the shrine we’re going to before there are crowds there, as well as hop on 
the boat and head across the lake and up to the crater from that way. So, you’ll be there much 
quicker. And then you can go to that open air museum on your way down where maybe the weather 
isn’t quite so important to you. Either way, it’s absolutely beautiful. I didn’t mention it before, 
but the first train that leaves the station in the main town of Hakone leaves at like 8:03 to 8:05. 
So, you can start heading up the mountain then, but that open air museum doesn’t open until 9:00. 
So, you’ll get there around 8:40 and have to wait a little bit. So, it’s okay if you want to leave a 
a little bit later. Now that our bellies are full, let’s head over to the shrine and check it 
out together. Welcome to the Hakone Shrine, one of the most iconic places here in the city. 
And it’s like something out of a story book. As you enter through the Tory gate, you’re surrounded 
by towering cedars and this lantern line path that takes you right into the heart of the forest. But 
the real star is the giant tory of peace, which is right on the shore of the lake. When you go by 
it on the boat, it looks like a gateway into a different world. It’s one of the most photographed 
places here in Hakone. And depending on the time of the day that you come, you could wait 1 to two 
hours to get that photo. Pretty good stuff, right? Please leave me a comment down below and let me 
know what was your favorite thing so far. And speaking about things, there is so much more to do 
here. You can climb mountains, take nature hikes, there’s museums, and lots of delicious food, 
which I’ll tell you about a few options in just a minute. But I think that if you’re only here for 
one day, that right now around 2 or 3:00 is the best time to head to an onen or hotring because 
that’s really what this place is known for. And that volcano that we were at just now, the 
erupting crater, most of that water is actually, or not most of it, but a lot of that water is 
actually pumped down right into the hotels. And many of them will offer day passes starting 
around 1,500 yen, which will include things like your towels and robes while you’re there. And 
just a heads up, when you do go to these places, they are completely naked. They’re separated men’s 
and women’s, but you are naked and there’s not an option to not be naked. Just suck it up and do it. 
It’s very liberating. Trust me. It took me a while to get used to, but now that I’ve done it, it’s 
amazing. And I haven’t been to any of those onens here in this part of the town, but back where the 
train station is, I’ve been to two that I highly recommend. And those are the Tenzen onen for 1,450 
yen for a day pass and the Hakone Yoryu for 1,700 to 2,000 depending on the day of the week. And 
unfortunately, I can’t show you footage because they’re naked inside and they don’t allow phones, 
but trust me, they are good. And there’s also a third one called the Tensen Ansen Hotel, but I 
haven’t actually been there. What I have been to are the two beautiful waterfalls behind them that 
actually have koiish in them and are so beautiful. It’s like a little nature escape in nature. I know 
that sounds weird, but you’ll understand if you go and visit. And I definitely recommend that. And 
while we’ve been talking about this as a day trip, I think that if you have one or two days that you 
can spend here, it is definitely worth it so you can take your time and really experience all of it 
and relax because that’s one of the best things to do here. If you’re going to go to an onen, you 
don’t want to be rushed. You want to be able to stay for as long as you want. There goes the boat. 
Bye-bye boat. And I did actually stay here for the last two nights. And I’m at the K’s house, which 
actually is pretty affordable. I’m staying in the dormatory capsule part, but they also have an onen 
there and a great little viewing area and kitchen for you to use. And then because I have that 
Hakone free pass tomorrow, which is my third day, I can actually hop back on the train and use 
it to get back included in the pass, which I love. So definitely pick one of those up while 
you’re here because it’s going to make a huge difference and everyone I’ve met is using them. 
So again, I’ll put that link in the pin comment or in the description down below. And speaking 
of town, there’s actually some really cool little restaurants and stuff kind of all packed into 
a very small space. This morning when we left, nothing was open, but after the onsen, you can 
actually go over there and do some shopping and grab some delicious snacks. And the first one I 
highly recommend are the black sesame dangos. They are these rice dumplings that are kind of like 
soft and gooey and they cook them on a little wood fire. And then the ones that I got were 
actually dipped in a walnut soy sauce that was like mindblowing. Right next to that place, 
you can pick up some Wagyu curry and it was delicious. Especially when you wash it down with 
a local beer. And on the other side of that, this is like a food corner. They have some delicious 
gelato with some crazy flavors. I went with the caramel fresh fig one that blew my mind and I was 
totally happy until I saw that there was a quattro frogio one and it actually had blue cheese and 
bree all stuck in the gelato and I was like why didn’t I get that? I want that. So after I’m done 
with the video I’m actually going to go back and do that. And to get back to town right now, you 
can either do it the way we came here, hop back on the boat and do the ropeway, cable car back down, 
or the quickest way is to hop on the bus, which the bus station is directly in front of the boat 
port that we just came into. So, when you’re done at the Tory gates, just walk down here, hop on the 
bus, head back to town, and pick one of the onens. It doesn’t have to be the one that I suggested, 
but just do one people. It is so good, and you are going to thank me later. If you enjoyed this 
video, please give me a big thumbs up, comment, subscribe, and don’t forget to blinging ling the 
hakone. I will see you next time go and sayanara. [Music]

Get Your Hakone Free Pass Here 👉 https://tinyurl.com/Hakone-Free-Pass-1 👈

Hakone is easily Tokyo’s most iconic day trip — pirate ships, volcanic craters, Mount Fuji views, and some of Japan’s best hot springs all packed into one unbelievable loop. If you want the ultimate Hakone itinerary, this video shows you exactly how to do everything in one smooth, affordable, and breathtaking day.

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From switchback trains to ropeways floating over a live volcanic valley, this is the Japan adventure everyone should experience at least once and this Japan Travel Guide is the perfect way to to do it.

Today I’m taking you through Hakone’s full sightseeing route — the Hakone Tozan Train, the cable car, the ropeways, the famous Owakudani volcanic valley, Lake Ashi’s pirate ship cruise, and the legendary Hakone Shrine. I’ll show you how to do it stress-free, how to save money with the Hakone Free Pass, and all the insider tips to make your day perfect.

Along the way in my travel vlog, we hit unforgettable stops like the Hakone Open-Air Museum, the Symphonic Sculpture Tower, black eggs boiled in volcanic hot springs (7 extra years of life, baby), and some delicious local food you can’t skip — including the bakery-famous curry bread with a whole egg inside.

Whether you’re here for Mount Fuji views, hot springs, sculpture gardens, nature trails, or that iconic tori gate by the water, this Japan Travel guide gives you everything you need to plan the perfect trip.

✅ What You’ll See in This Video
* Hakone Tozan “switchback” mountain train
* Hakone Cable Car + Ropeway
* Owakudani Volcanic Valley (Great Boiling Valley)
* Black eggs boiled in sulfur springs
* Mount Fuji viewpoints
* Lake Ashi pirate ship cruise
* Hakone Shrine + Peace Torii Gate
* Hakone Open-Air Museum (Symphonic Tower)
* Onsen recommendations & day-pass options
* Best food spots in town (curry bread, sesame dango, wagyu curry, gelato)
* Weather and timing tips to avoid crowds and maximize views
* Full one-day loop + how to reverse it depending on weather

✅ Why Hakone Is the Best Day Trip from Tokyo
Hakone gives you everything at once:mountains, hot springs, volcanic landscapes, lakes, art museums, Fuji views, historic shrines, and incredible food — all connected by one easy route on the Hakone Free Pass. It simply delivers more variety in a single day than anywhere else near Tokyo.

✅ Travel Tips & Money Savers
✔️ Buy the Hakone Free Pass (cheapest + easiest way to do the full loop)
✔️ Reverse the route depending on weather for better Fuji views
✔️ Start early (but museums open at 9:00 AM)
✔️ Use buses for the fastest return to Hakone-Yumoto
✔️ Always bring a weather app — Hakone changes fast
✔️ You can do this as a day trip OR stay overnight to relax more

📌 I’ll put the Hakone Free Pass link in the description and pinned comment so you can grab it instantly.

✅ My Onsen Recommendations
* Tenzan Onsen — rustic, peaceful, amazing outdoor baths
* Hakone Yuryo — modern, beautiful, easy access from Hakone-Yumoto
* Tensen Onsen Hotel (haven’t been, but popular with visitors)

✅ If You’re Planning a Japan Trip
This video is perfect for anyone visiting Tokyo, especially first-timers who want nature, Fuji views, iconic sights, and easy transportation all in one place.

#Hakone #JapanTravel #japanvlog #MountFuji #TokyoDayTrip #LakeAshi #Owakudani #HakoneShrine #VisitJapan #Japan#TheCountryCollectors #4k #travelguide #japanesefood

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