If you’re visiting Japan, chances are that you’re staying in Tokyo for a couple of days at least. Then why not visit Hakone for a day or two? Traveling with kids ? Great ! Visiting Hakone with kids is a great experience for the whole family. It offers outdoor adventures, cultural immersion, and family-friendly educational experience. Here are 6 awesome things to do in Hakone with kids & Where to stay in Hakone with kids:
1. Hakone Open-Air Museum:
👩🎨: Visiting this indoor / outdoor art museum is easily the best thing to do in Hakone with kids. This huge green space hosts Outdoor Sculpture Park, Indoor Galleries, Children’s Sculpture Garden. You can wander through beautifully landscaped gardens, lawns, and wooded areas, interacting with art installations. There are over 120 sculptures by renowned artists from around the world including Henry Moore, Pablo Picasso, and Joan Miró. There are regular events for kids. Even if you don’t speak Japanese, join anyway. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful.
The entire place is very very kids-friendly and strollers are available free of charge if you have younger children. A nursing room is also available. There are a few cafes and restaurants in the museum, as well as a cute souvenir shop. You can easily spend a whole day.
| 🚌: From the Hakone Yumoto Station take the Hakone Tozan Railway to Chokoku-no-Mori Station (Hakone Open-Air Museum). Enjoy the 35 minutes scenic ride. Two minutes from from there to the museum. ℹ️: Open year round. 09:00 – 17:00; Adults ￥1600, University and high school students ￥1200, Middle and elementary school students ￥800; (discount for advance purchase online) 🛜: Hakone Open-Air Museum |
2. Hakone Ropeway:
🚠: Connecting the town of Gora to Lake Ashi (Ashinoko), this tramway is not only fun experience but also a very useful way to get to Lake Ashi and back. First, the ride start at Sounzan station in Gora and takes you to the Owakudani valley where you can see and smell sulphur gas emitting. On a clear day, you can see Mt Fuji. The second part of your journey takes you to Togendai station at Lake Ashi. The entire journey takes about 25 minutes. If you have a Hakone Free Pass, the ride is included. It’s a discounted travel ticket with unlimited travel within the Hakone region for either 2 or 3 consecutive days. It covers trains, buses, cable cars, ropeways, and sightseeing boats, offering a great discount. The entire journey is stroller and wheelchair friendly and there are plenty of cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops and even foot spa (little hot springs for your feet !)
| 🚌: To get to Sounzan station from the central Gora, take a Hakone Tozan Cable Car (included in Hakone Free Pass) Another scenic ride which takes about 10 minutes. 🛜: Hakone Ropeway |
3. Lake Ashi (Ashinoko)
💦 One of the best things to do in Hakone with kids is to visit Lake Ashi. The lake is renowned for its stunning natural beauty, surrounded by lush green forests and framed by the iconic silhouette of Mt Fuji in the distance. It’s a must thing to do while in Hakone. Mt Fuji is a very special place for people in Japan and they appreciate the beauty from different angles, seasons, and times. Lake Ashi is one of the best viewing spots. This caldera lake was created over 3000 years ago by a volcanic eruption. The deep water reflects the surrounding trees, and it’s absolutely beautiful at sunset. But if you’re lucky enough to visit during the fall foliage, it’s mesmerizing. Absolutely the awesome thing to do, not just for the kids but for the whole family.
🏴☠️ The best way to enjoy the scenery is to take a Pirate Cruise Ship. It’s kind of odd. But you’ll see many odd things in Japan, right? Surprisingly it’s not tacky at all. The ships are well made and actually beautiful. If you do the loop, it takes over one hour. But you will want to get off at the other side at Hakonemachi-ko or Motohakone-ko to explore the area. It departs from Togendai port every 30-40 minutes. Of course you’ll find drinks and snacks on board. Stroller and wheelchair friendly. Kids will love it.
4. Hakone Shrine (Hakone Jinja)
⛩️ Located on the shores of Lake Ashi, Hakone Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine known for its beautiful torii gate standing in the lake waters. (You can see the torii gate in the above photo). Dating back over 1,200 years, The shrine is surrounded by lush forested hills and offers a serene atmosphere for visitors to explore and admire. There are many restaurants and cafes along the way, including Italian, French, Burger, Japanese cuisines. Many have English menus. We had very nice Karaage chicken (deep fried) at Hakone Karaage Karatto. It’s a casual but very cute lunch place. Kids and pets 🐶 friendly.
| 🚌: It’s a nice 20 minutes walk from the Motohakone-ko, but you can take a bus too right from the port. |
5. Hakone Checkpoint (Sekisho)
🏯 During Edo period (1603-1868), a travel inspection point was set up to monitor the movement of people and goods. Hakone checkpoint was strategically an important point as the road connected to Kyoto. Today, the Checkpoint has been preserved as a historical site and open-air museum. You can visit the restored buildings and learn about the checkpoint’s history and significance. The museum features exhibits on the Edo period’s travel and communication systems, as well as artifacts and displays related to checkpoint operations and security measures. It serves as a reminder of Japan’s rich cultural heritage and the enduring legacy of the Tokugawa shogunate. A must visit place in Hakone with kids.
| 📍: The checkpoint is located near the Motohakone-ko (5 minutes walk). Or 15 minutes walk from Hakonemachi-ko. ℹ️: Open 9:00-17:00 (16:30 in winter); Adults ￥500, Elementary School Students ￥250. (￥100 discount with Hakone Free Pass. 🛜: Hakone Checkpoint |
6. Hot Springs (Onsen)
Hot springs (Onsen in Japanese) are an integral part of the Hakone experience. If you have not experienced it yet, Hakone is a great place to try. The area is blessed with many natural hot springs thanks to volcanic activities. The best way to experience it is to stay at one of the traditional Japanese inn, called Ryokan. This is where you can expect tatami-matted rooms with sliding doors and futon bedding as well as traditional Japanese multi-course meals. Kids are also welcomed.
I will list a few Ryokan inns in Hakone below. (Many rooms come with a private indoor and/or outdoor bath) But if you’re just visiting for a day or feel uncomfortable getting naked in a communal bath, you can try Yunessun. It’s a huge spa facility where you are allowed in with swimsuit in many areas. They have outdoor hot spring, Kids area with slides, cave bath, etc. It’s not a traditional onsen, but if you have children, they will love it.
* Where to stay in Hakone with Kids
Gora Hanaougi: This ryokan is conveniently located near the Sounzan ropeway station. It’s a 3 minutes walk. There are various types of rooms including Japanese style tatami floor and western style beds. All rooms come with private outdoor onsen. (note, kids are not allowed in certain rooms) The entire property is beautiful and relaxing. There are also two public baths (gender segregated). Their onsite restaurant offers breakfast (included) and dinner. The gourmet Japanese style. Kids menu is also available.
Gora Hanaougi Madoka No Mori: A sister ryokan to the above. This is slightly bigger property although there are only 20 rooms. Again, each room is individually decorated and they offer private outdoor / semi outdoor private onsen. Some rooms offer a great view of Hakone mountains. There are a few outdoor public baths (gender segregated). And of course kids are welcomed. (of course they need to follow the etiquette of Japanese bath ritual, no towels in the water, be quiet, no running, etc). A really nice bar and small spa are also available. Gourmet breakfast (included) and dinner available, including kids meal.
Hakone Kowakien TEN-YU: This is a much bigger property but still offers ryokan style hospitality. It’s close to Yunessun spa. All rooms come with a private onsen bath on the terrace. Amenities include two big public baths (gender segregated), three restaurants (Japanese, Soba noodle, Teppanyaki), spa, foot spa, bar, and garden. They are able to organise activities such biking and guided hike.
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