First, let’s take a look at the Hakone map and see where each area is located.

Here we have the 4 major spots in Hakone - Hakone Yumoto, Lake Ashi, Gora, and Yugawara - and their unique features. Hakone, which has great access from Tokyo by train, has different attractions depending on the area you visit.

With a plethora of various activities, Hakone attracts man repeating visitors from Japan and overseas and claims its position as one of Japan’s major sightseeing destinations. Let’s dive in and take a look at each area.

■Hakone Enmusubi Fukuya Kuzuryu Mochi
Hakone Enmusubi Fukuya Kuzuryu Mochi is a gift shop where you can see how the sweets are made at their workshop.

Their main item Kuzuryu Mochi is an amazing gem that only uses domestic ingredients. The “Roasted Mont Blanc” with a large bittersweet chestnut and almond paste is very popular with foreign visitors.

Another reason behind Fukuya’s popularity is the foot bath with hot spring water flowing directly from the source (adults 200 yen, elementary school students, and below 150 yen, tax included, towel provided). The simple alkaline hot spring helps ease sore muscles, arthralgia, sensitivity to cold, and relieving fatigue. After looking around for souvenirs, this is the perfect place to relax and rejuvenate.

■Amidaji Temple
Amidaji Temple, also known as the Hydrangea Temple, was established in the Edo period. During the rainy season, the temple is surrounded by colorful hydrangeas. The temple was founded by Tansei Shonin, who practiced mokujiki. Mokujiki is a practice where the monk only eats nuts and fruits from trees. About 350 meters behind the main hall, there is a cave where Tansei Shonin would meditate.

Another famous feature of the temple is the biwa instrument performance by the 38th head priest. The performance starts from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. every day, and it costs 1,000 yen per person (includes tea and souvenirs); it is a great opportunity to feel Japanese culture first hand.

Also for foreign travelers who don’t understand Japanese, they offer tablets for translation so you can enjoy the performance.

■Hakone Yuryo
Hakone Yuryo is a popular hot spring facility that offers large communal open-air baths and private open-air baths, which is perfect for groups and families on day trips.

We highly recommend experiencing the Finnish loyly sauna. Aromatic water is poured over hot stones, and you enjoy the steam. However, at Hakone Yuryo, a fan is used to blow the hot steam on you to promote more sweating. It is popular as it leads to the promotion of metabolism.

Also at Irorisaryo Hachiri, you can experience authentic irori (hearth-cooked) cuisine, by the head chef who formerly worked at an Odakyu Group hotel.

■Hakone Open-Air Museum
Hakone Open-Air Museum was ranked in the top 10 for the “Popular Sightseeing Spots in Japan by Foreign Visitors.” It is the first open-air museum in Japan and has about 120 sculptures on its large premises.

There are many art collections, such as works from the world-famous sculptor Henry Moore, and there are also art pieces where you can play on, which is great for families with children.

The most popular spot at Hakone Open-Air Museum is the Symphonic Sculpture. It’s a large tower covered in stained glass, and entering the tower feels like going inside a kaleidoscope.

■Hakone Museum of Art
Unlike the Hakone Open-Air Museum, at Hakone Museum of Art, you can experience “Japanese” culture and traditions. Here you can enjoy beautiful gardens throughout the four seasons, such as the moss garden and Ishirakuen (stone paradise), a traditional garden made with large stones.

In autumn when the leave colors change, the garden is filled in bright colors with over 200 maple trees. The breathtaking view mesmerizes many visitors.

They also have important cultural property on display, such as haniwa (clay figure) and Jomon doki (straw-roped pattern pottery) from ancient Japan, and pottery from the Kamakura and Muromachi periods. If you would like to start looking around from the garden, we recommend taking the route from the left going along the moss garden, team room, ishirakuen then to the museum.

■Hakone CRAFTHOUSE
If you are interested in tradition Japanese culture, we recommend Hakone CRAFTHOUSE where you can experience 8 traditional craft making.

Popular activities among foreign visitors are the “Lampwork Bead” and “Pottery.” The “Lampwork Bead” session is extremely popular as it is easy to try out. There are over 100 beads you can combine to make an original item. Also, with the “Lampwork Bead,” you can take home what you make on the same day, which is always nice.

Also, at Komamonoya Hakone, which opened in July 2019, you can acquire crafts from artists in the Hakone and Odawara area and cute handmade accessories, which are only available here. Stop by, and you might find a special item.

■Hakone Shrine
There are many different types of spots you can enjoy the magnificent view of Lake Ashi. Hakone Shrine, located near Lake Ashi, has prospered as a great spiritual place for mountain worshiping in the Kanto region. Many warlords such as Tokugawa Ieyasu cherished this shrine.

Recently the Heiwa-no-Torii (Heiwa = Peace; a torii is a traditional Japanese gate found at shrines) is gaining popularity. It is a photogenic spot where many people take pictures of the torii standing on Lake Ashi's surface.

Another place to visit with Hakone Shrine is Kuzuryu Shrine. The shrine enshrines a god that brings good fortune to matchmaking, and on the 13th of every month, many ladies attend the monthly festival.

■Premium Shop & Salon de thé Rosage
Next up is the Premium Shop & Salon de thé Rosage right by the lakeside.

Their popular dish is the “Traditional Rosage Hot Apple Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream” (1,604 yen for one, 2,317 yen with the tea set, includes pot service). The combination of the textures of the apple and the pie crust, the hot pie and cold vanilla ice cream, and the harmony of the sweetness and sourness, the total experience is incredible.

Also Rosage has been designated as a “delicious tea store” by the Japan Tea Association, and at the select shop there are many people who purchase the “Original Domestic Tea” (1,620 yen - 1,728 yen) and the Tea Strainer (1,944 yen).

■Hakone-en
Located by the lakeside of Lake Ashi, Hakone-en is a consolidated amusement facility that offers activities such as Hakone Komagatake Ropeway, an aquarium, a zoo, a golf course and panoramic parks.

The aquarium is located in the highest elevation in Japan and has three areas of Seawater Hall, Freshwater Hall and Baikal Seal Square. They also have scheduled shows such as the “Bika Seal Show,” “Underwater Sow in the Large Tank,” and the “Shake Hands with the Asian Small-Clawed Otter.”

Many people fall in love with the baby otter that was born in late 2018. Getting a glimpse of the adorable otter will be a great addition to your trip.

■Manyo Park
Finally let’s head out to Yugawara and take a look. The first place to stop by is Manyo Park, which was selected in the top 100 historical parks in Japan. Yugawara Onsen was sited in Japan’s oldest poem Manyoshu, with that the park has planted many plants from the poem and became a place of relaxation for people.

Manyotei near the park entrance is a tea room that imitated the ancient architecture of the Manyo period. For 500 yen you can have a cup of matcha green tea and sweets, it is a great place to relax.

Further in the park there is the Doppo no Yu, a place where you can enjoy 9 foot baths. It uses hot spring water and said to help ease 9 different troubles.

■Fudo-Taki
Fudo-taki waterfall is located upstream of Fujiki River, a tributary of Chitose River. It is a small 15 m water fall located in the bamboo forest, however the volume of water flowing is quite extraordinary, and surprises many visitors.

Fudo-taki is also famous for the discovery of the Yugawaralite, a new stone discovered in 1931 at the waterfall basin. Since the minerals of the stone is almost identical to Yugawara onsen’s hot spring source, they believe that Yugawaralite is connected to the hot spring.

After absorbing the negative ion from the waterfall, head to the Migawari-Fudoson on the left and Shusse Daikokuson to the right and make a prayer. There is also a tea shop where you can take a break on your way back.

■Tivoli Yugawara Sweets Factory
After enjoying the scenery of Yugawara, how about spicing your trip up by visiting a sweets factory? Tivoli Yugawara Sweets Factory is a consolidated facility that has a shop, cafe, factory and a cookie buffet, which is run by the famous baked confectioneries company.

The “Mini Factory Visitor's Course” is popular with all visitors. You don’t need to make a reservation so you can stop by anytime and see how cookies and other baked confectioneries are made.

Another course we recommend is the “Tivoli Cookie Drawing Course,” available for children above 3 years old. Children below 5 years must join with a guardian. Here you can draw on a cookie with a sugar pen and make an original cookie! However this course requires a reservation.

We covered 3 popular spots in the 4 major areas of Hakone Yumoto, Gora, Lake Ashi and Yugawara. These popular destination can be congested at time, but please follow the rules and be mindful of others while you enjoy your visit.