In this video I’m going to share with you our Hakone Day Trip itinerary. I divided this vlog into 2 parts. This is the 1st part and here I will bring you to Hakone Checkpoint, Hakone Ancient Cedar Avenue, Hakone-Jinja Shrine, Lake Ashi, and our Hakone Sightseeing Cruise Pirate Ship experience.
Hakone lies in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is located about 78 km southwest of central Tokyo.
Limited Express Romancecar
Express train from Shinjuku to Hakone Yumoto station is included in the Hakone Freepass, but it would take about 115 mins and there is a transfer at odawara station. To save time and energy, we booked the romancecar ticket. The romancecar is a limited express train connecting Shinjuku and Hakone with an all-reserved-seat comfort and would only take about 80 minutes. The normal fare is 1220 yen but with Hakone freepass we only paid 1110 yen for one way.
Hakone Freepas
I booked our Hakone 2-day freepass ticket via the Klook app days before our trip, and picked-up the ticket at Shinjuku station at 8am on the day of our trip.
The Hakone Freepass is valid for unlimited rides throughout the Hakone area, including the Pirate Ship and the Hakone Ropeway, allowing you the freedom to thoroughly explore Hakone. I really recommend getting the Hakone freepass if you plan to tour around Hakone, it will definitely save you a lot of money. Unfortunaltely, not everyone can avail the freepass. Japanese passport holders aren’t eligible to use it. My husband and my son are Japanese citizens, so they couldn’t avail it, but foreign passport holders, including those with resident or permanent visas are eligible.
Hakone is a mountainous town known for its hot spring resorts or onsen and view of the iconic Mt. Fuji.
From Shinjuku Station we went to Hakone-Yumoto Station via Romancecar, then we took the Hakone Tozan Bus R Route going to Hakonemachi-ko Station.
We decided to walk from Hakonemachi-ko Station to Hakone Checkpoint, Ancient Cedar Avenue, Hakone-Jinja Shrine, Lake Ashi and Moto-Hakone Port.
1. Hakone Checkpoint or Hakone Sekisho Exhibition Hall
It is the reproduction of the Hakone Checkpoint, the first major checkpoint on the old Tokaido highway, connecting Edo (now Tokyo) with Kyoto, with figures used to reenact travellers searches. It takes visitors back to the edo period.
There is a discounted admission to the exhibition hall with the hakone freepass. We didn’t have much time to explore the area so we decided to only pass the part of the checkpoint that has free access.
2. Ancient Cedar Avenue
Cedars were planted over 400 years ago to give travellers protection from the weather along the old Tokaido road. A 2km stretch of trees remains today.
3. Hakone-Jinja Shrine
Hakone-jinja shrine is where the Tokugawa and other samurai families worshipped. Its red tori gate is visible on the shore of Lake Ashi. It was reputedly founded in 757.
There is a discounted admission to the shrine’s Treasure Museum with the Hakone Freepass
4. Lake Ashi
Lake Ashi is the symbol of Hakone. On clear days, the World Heritage Site My. Fuji is visible from Hakonemachi-ko and Motohakone-ko ports.
You can take the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise for free as many times as you like with the Hakone Freepass. There is a discount ticket available one-way for special class cabin.
We still have an hour left before our sightseeing cruise, so we decided to have lunch at Motohakone Port.
5. Hakone Pirate Ship Sightseeing Cruise
This is one of my favorite experience during our trip. It is the best spot for viewing Lake Ashi, Red Torii and Mt. Fuji all together.
Stay tuned for Part 2.
Thank you for watching!
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