Hakone with kids
Hakone is a mountainous hot-spring resort area within Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, known for onsen, volcanic scenery around Owakudani, and views of Mount Fuji across Lake Ashi.
Why families come here
The region is a self-contained loop of fun transport for kids - a switchback mountain train, a cable car, an aerial ropeway, and a pirate-ship lake cruise - stitched together with open-air art, hot-spring play, and easy nature.
Where to base yourself
Central Hakone
Hakone is toured as a loop using the Hakone Tozan Railway (Hakone-Yumoto to Gora), the Hakone Tozan Cable Car (Gora to Sounzan), the Hakone Ropeway (Sounzan over Owakudani to Togendai), the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise pirate ships across Lake Ashi, and Hakone Tozan buses; the Hakone Free Pass covers most of these.
Things to do with kids
Hakone Open-Air Museum
2.5h · 5/5Ninotaira / Gora area · near Chokoku-no-Mori Station (Hakone Tozan Railway)
An outdoor sculpture museum set across landscaped grounds with large-scale artworks, a Picasso pavilion, and dedicated hands-on play sculptures for children.
Hakone Ropeway
1h · 5/5Sounzan to Togendai (over Owakudani) · near Sounzan Station
An aerial ropeway that glides over the volcanic Owakudani valley between Sounzan and Togendai on Lake Ashi, with sweeping mountain and Mount Fuji views on clear days.
Owakudani
1h · 4/5Owakudani volcanic valley · near Owakudani Station (Hakone Ropeway)
A volcanic valley of steaming vents and sulphur springs created by past eruptions of Mount Hakone, famous for kuro-tamago black eggs cooked in the hot springs.
Hakone Sightseeing Cruise (Pirate Ship)
1h · 5/5Lake Ashi (Ashinoko) · near Togendai Port / Moto-Hakone Port / Hakone-machi Port
Ornately decorated replica sailing-ship cruises operated by the Odakyu Group across Lake Ashi, connecting Togendai, Moto-Hakone, and Hakone-machi with views of the lakeside torii and, on clear days, Mount Fuji.
Hakone Kowakien Yunessun
3h · 4/5Ninotaira · near Kowakidani Station (Hakone Tozan Railway)
A hot-spring theme park with a swimsuit-friendly outdoor and indoor bath zone (including novelty baths) and a separate traditional nude onsen area, making onsen culture accessible to families.
Hakone Venetian Glass Museum (Garasu no Mori)
2h · 4/5Sengokuhara · near Togendai / Sengokuhara (via Hakone Tozan bus)
A museum of Venetian glass art set in a landscaped garden, featuring historic Murano glass, a glittering outdoor glass installation, and glass-craft workshops.
Hakone Shrine
1h · 4/5Moto-Hakone, Lake Ashi shore · near Moto-Hakone Port
A historic Shinto shrine on the wooded shore of Lake Ashi, best known for its red Peace Torii (Heiwa no Torii) standing in the water, a landmark viewpoint toward Mount Fuji.
Hakone Gora Park
1.5h · 4/5Gora · near Koen-shimo / Koen-kami (Hakone Tozan Cable Car)
A French-style hillside garden opened in 1914 with a central fountain, greenhouses of tropical plants, and a Crafthouse offering glass-blowing, pottery, and other hands-on activities.
Odawara Castle
1.5h · 4/5Odawara (gateway to Hakone) · near Odawara Station
A reconstructed feudal castle and park near Hakone's gateway, with a museum-filled keep, an adjoining samurai exhibit, and grounds popular for cherry blossoms.
Know before you go
- Getting there
- From Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, the Odakyu Line reaches Odawara in about 85 minutes; the Odakyu Romancecar runs direct to Hakone-Yumoto in roughly 85-90 minutes. The JR Tokaido Shinkansen reaches Odawara from Tokyo Station in about 35 minutes, where you transfer to the Hakone Tozan Railway.
- Getting around
- Hakone is toured as a loop using the Hakone Tozan Railway (Hakone-Yumoto to Gora), the Hakone Tozan Cable Car (Gora to Sounzan), the Hakone Ropeway (Sounzan over Owakudani to Togendai), the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise pirate ships across Lake Ashi, and Hakone Tozan buses; the Hakone Free Pass covers most of these.
- Best time to visit
- Spring brings cherry and azalea blossoms, June-July is hydrangea season along the Tozan Railway, and autumn foliage peaks in November; winter offers the clearest Mount Fuji views but colder ropeway rides.
- With babies & toddlers
- Build the day around the transport loop itself, keep a flexible pace because ropeway and cruise schedules and weather (and occasional Owakudani volcanic closures) can shift plans, and bring layers as mountain stations are cooler than Tokyo.
- Eating with kids
- Owakudani is famous for kuro-tamago (black eggs boiled in the volcanic hot springs), and lakeside and station areas around Gora and Hakone-Yumoto offer casual noodle and cafe options friendly to families.
- The mistake to avoid
- Trying to cram the entire Hakone loop plus multiple museums into a single day - the transfers and queues eat time, so an overnight stay makes it far calmer with children.
Practical family notes
- Build the day around the transport loop itself, keep a flexible pace because ropeway and cruise schedules and weather (and occasional Owakudani volcanic closures) can shift plans, and bring layers as mountain stations are cooler than Tokyo.
- Owakudani is famous for kuro-tamago (black eggs boiled in the volcanic hot springs), and lakeside and station areas around Gora and Hakone-Yumoto offer casual noodle and cafe options friendly to families.
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