Going to Hakone to see Mount Fuji from afar is one of our agenda during our Japan trip. This is our first trip to Japan. Japan is one of Michelle's papa favorite country to visit. In addition, we would also like to go back to see the snow.
We were staying around Shinjuku area so actually, it is not too far to go to Hakone via Odakyu. Using the Air Bnb accommodation that has already legalized in Japan. Our apartment is about 2 stops from Shinjuku by train.
Hakone is one of popular area for tourists, many visitors come to enjoy the history, culture and natural beauty.
Early in the morning, we came to the Odakyu Sightseeing Service Center counter in Odakyu to exchange our tickets to Hakone.
We bought the online ticket/reservations via Klook site, click here.
You can redeem the tickets anytime before your trip to Hakone, but since we did not have the chance to exchange the tickets beforehand, we went for exchange on the same day. We left to Hakone on Sunday, there are also many local people went to Hakone.
Remember the operational hours of this service center are:
08.00 AM -18.00 PM
This service place is located below the Odakyu Department Store next to the Romance Car counter not far from Odakyu station.
We bought Hakone Free Pass which includes transportation costs for:
1. Hakone Tozan Line
2. Hakone Tozan Bus
3. KANKO SHISETSU-MEGURI Bus (buses that take tourists around)
4. Hakone Tozan Cable Car
5. Hakone Ropeaway
6. Hakone Sightseeing Cruise
7. Odakyu Hakone Highway Bus
8. Tokai Bus Orange Shuttle
Hakone Free Pass can be bought 1 month before.
They sell this pass for 2 days and 3 days:
2 days Pass :
From Shinjuku:
Adult: 5140 Yen
Kids (6-11): 1500 Yen
From Odawara ( 1 stop before Hakone Yumoto ):
Adult: 4000 Yen
Kids (6-11): 1000 Yen
3 days Pass
From Shinjuku:
Adult: 5640 Yen
Kids (6-11): 1750 Yen
From Odawara ( 1 stop before Hakone Yumoto ):
Adult: 4500 Yen
Kids (6-11): 1250 Yen
Hakone Free Pass includes our travel expenses from Shinjuku using Express train continues with Hakone Tozan Line Train.
The time journey taken for this trip is about 115 minutes. This train does not have a reserved seat. So you should be quick and find your own seat. Also, you have to stop at Odawara Station to change trains.
Since we only had a day at Hakone, we decided to book a seat at Romance Car. The Romance Car counter is just located at the right of this Service Centre.
Surcharges: 890 Yen per person if we already have Hakone Free Pass.
Romance car is the express train that connects Shinjuku and Hakone Yumoto. Without having to change trains and without having to look for a seat because the seat is already booked and reserved. The required journey is also relatively faster about 85 minutes.
The journey map that we take from Odakyu Shinjuku heading to Hakone Yumoto below.
Hakone Free Pass as shown below. You just need to show this pass for any of all the above-mentioned transportation.
Comes with Hakone Free Pass, there is also a voucher with amount 500 Yen for each person. This voucher can be used to eat at Bakery & Delicatessen at Hakone Cafe or to buy souvenir/snacks/rice box at Hakone no-ichi Souvenir Shops. The place is just across each other outside the train stations.
Only Hakone Cafe that did not open until late. The souvenir shop would be still open until evening.
Only Hakone Cafe that did not open until late. The souvenir shop would be still open until evening.
To find out which line your romance car stops, you can see it at the TV screen.
We noticed that there is a machine to order the limited express tickets below, but not yet to try it.
Ticket romance car as you can see below. Only valid for a one-way trip. Tickets can be booked at Hakone Yumoto station before you go home or at the same counter but you must be ensured that you have to be at the train station before the departure time.
Our tickets as seen above are reserved at Train 15, Car 6, Seat at 12C, 12D, 11D.
In the Train Car, there is also a screen that displays the information seen on the tickets. Take a look at the red color number 15, Car 6.
There is also a sign posted below at the station floor near the train rail.
For our tickets actually, we're just wondering if the sign is pointing to Car 6 (EXE6/MSE6). Just to ensure if you will be departing using the correct train, you can actually ask the officers who are standing around by showing your ticket.
The train who brought the passengers back to this station will be cleaned first and the seat will also be automatically rotated in the direction of the train journey before we can come on the train.
For our tickets actually, we're just wondering if the sign is pointing to Car 6 (EXE6/MSE6). Just to ensure if you will be departing using the correct train, you can actually ask the officers who are standing around by showing your ticket.
The train who brought the passengers back to this station will be cleaned first and the seat will also be automatically rotated in the direction of the train journey before we can come on the train.
Inside the romance car, you can reverse the seating position. If you go in 1 group of 4 people, you can face each other. By simply stepping on the handle under the chair with your feet and spin the chair. You can then sit face to face each other.
The express train will stop in Odawara. For romance car, you do not need to change trains. The train will continue the journey to final destination.
Inside the train, you can also eat and drink. You can bring your own food or order food from the food cart. They will pass by your train car once the train has started the journey. Supposedly if you want to save time, you can eat at the train.
Inside the train, you can also eat and drink. You can bring your own food or order food from the food cart. They will pass by your train car once the train has started the journey. Supposedly if you want to save time, you can eat at the train.
So because we are rushing to go to ride Hakone Ropeaway which will be closed at 16:15 PM. So we skipped our lunch and just buy back our food. We arrived at Hakone Yumoto station at around 11:50 pm and transferred using Hakone Tozan Train to Gora Station.
The train to Gora station is just across from the romance car train rail.
The train to Gora station is just across from the romance car train rail.
There is one shop which they sell few of food souvenirs in the center of the station. We bought the rice box in this shop also boxes of chocolate mochi (located on the right). The chocolate mochi is a must buy.
One of the rice ball that we bought. The packaging is very neat and impressive for rice ball box. And It tastes very good too.
Michelle ate the rice ball on the Hakone Tozan train. The journey to Gora takes about 40 minutes. This train rail track is actually on the edge of the hill You can see the view down the hill. When the train arrives at one of the stations, the train will actually return to the same direction with a different rail track.
We have to pass through 6 stations to get to Gora Station. See the train station map below from left to right in the white shadow sign.
As we arrived at Gora station. We can take a walk here, or continue our journey using Hakone Tozan Cable Car. Unlike other cable cars that we have seen before, the cable car here is actually a train with a cable on top. You have to exit the Hakone Tozan train area and enter the Hakone Tozan Cable Car area by showing the free pass ticket. The train will come about 10 minutes interval.
We'll be heading to Sounzan station to ride Hakone Ropeaway.
Arriving at Sounzan, there was an announcement that in Sounzan there was an temporary maintenance of the Hakone Ropeaway from Sounzan station to Owakudani. There is a shuttle bus that replaces our trip. But there are so many people queuing up here. The service will be suspended until February 7th.
Hakone Ropeaway is a cable car connecting several stations. From this cable car, you can see the views of Mount Fuji from afar.
This shuttle bus drove us to Owakudani station. This is the place where they sell the black eggs. The smell of volcanic sulfur gas is also very strong here.
Why is it called a black egg?
This part of the egg still looks the same as the usual hard-boiled eggs, but the cooking method makes them a little bit special (80 degrees Celsius for 60 minutes in natural springs, then steamed at 100 degrees for 15 minutes in a steel basket.) Boiled water contains sulfur and iron. Black eggs, or commonly called "Kuro-Tamago" by local residents are very safe, although it can smell of sulfur. Actually, they are believed to add several years to your lifespan - five to seven years.
From Owakudani we continue our journey using Hakone Ropeaway to Togendai station. One cable car can accommodate a few of people around 15-25 people. We will pass through Ubako station before reaching our destination.
Next, we continue the journey by using the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise departing from Togendai. This cruise ship will cross the Lake Ashi. This ship will stop operations on the afternoon around 16:00 PM.
Click here for the operation hours.
We can see the shadow of Mount Fuji from Hakonemachi-ko port.
The cruise ship is very unique because it is like a pirate ship. It takes 25-35 minutes to cross the Lake Ashi.
In Hakonemachi-ko, there are also many areas that can be visited. We did not have time to explore here.
You can use the bus on Line R or Line H. Please note that the last bus at line R will stop operations earlier around 17:45 PM. The bus stop is at the bus stop no. 2.
Bus on Line H will takes passengers at the bus stop no 1. The last bus from line H is at 20:20 PM.
You can use the link, click here to find Hakone Tozan bus schedule.
Bus on Line H will takes passengers at the bus stop no 1. The last bus from line H is at 20:20 PM.
You can use the link, click here to find Hakone Tozan bus schedule.
So at the end of our journey, we went back to using romance car. We got the car no. 6 again. This time we got an orange train. The train stops at the same line but located at the back of the station at Hakone Yumoto.
The sign shown below is showing a different color than before. Same color as the train color.
Our whole trip was actually so rush for only 1 day to explored Hakone. For those of you who have tight schedule like me, it was actually fine.
You just need to leave early as possible and you will have some free time to explore Hakone and the nearby areas. If possible don't go on the weekend as many locals were also going there,
You just need to leave early as possible and you will have some free time to explore Hakone and the nearby areas. If possible don't go on the weekend as many locals were also going there,
Thank you for reading ♡
For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
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