Many travelers visit the national park on a day trip from Tokyo, although coach tours and overnight options are also available. A typical day tour itinerary includes highlights such as Lake Ashi, the Hakone Shinto shrine, the Komagatake Ropeway, and Mount Fuji’s 5th Station.
Those with more time can explore Mount Kintoki’s hiking trails, visit Hakone Open-Air Museum, and explore the volcanic landscape of Owakudani, famous for its black boiled eggs, a local delicacy. Alternatively, head out to the Izu Peninsula and Izu Islands, which are dotted with geysers and traditional onsen baths and offer activities, such as scuba diving, fishing, and boating.
If you’re planning on using public transport, purchase the Hakone Free Pass, which includes access to many of the park’s buses, lakes, funiculars, and boats.
It can get cold in the mountains even in summer, so bring warm clothing. Comfortable walking shoes are also a must.
Many of the park’s attractions are wheelchair accessible.
The park is about 60 miles (97 kilometers) from Tokyo. The easiest public transport route is the Odakyu Electric Railway from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo to Hakone-Yumoto Station. Alternatively, bullet trains from Tokyo take around 30 minutes to reach the Mishima, Atami, and Odawara stations—all within a short drive of the park. In summer, the Shinjuku Expressway Bus runs directly from Shinjuku station in Tokyo to Mount Fuji’s 5th Station.
You can visit the park year-round, but it can get busy on weekends and holidays. Views of Mount Fuji are often most impressive in winter (December–February) when the cloud cover is minimal, but hiking is best in summer, and mid- to late April is cherry blossom season around the lakes.
Mount Fuji's 5th Station offers spectacular views of Fuji Five Lakes, Fujiyoshida City, and Lake Yamanaka, but not Mount Fuji itself. Spot the so-called “diamond Fuji” (when the sun appears to shine like a diamond right behind the cone) at Lake Yamanaka, capture mirror-image photos of the mountain reflected in Lake Shoji or Lake Motosu, get a firsthand look from Mount Fuji Ochudo Hiking Trail, or scale Mount Kintoki for a view of the entire region.
