Travel using the Hakone Freepass!　- Hakone Round-Trip Course -

Hakone Freepass

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Take the Limited Express Romancecar from Shinjuku Station to Hakone-Yumoto.
Although the limited express incurs a surcharge, it enables you to arrive at Hakone in only about 80 minutes as you sit in comfort.
Each seat is equipped with a table, so you can bring lunch and eat it on board.
When the weather is nice, you can see Mt. Fuji from the windows of Seats C and D along the route between Shin-Matsuda Station and Kayama Station.

After arriving at Hakone-Yumoto Station, transfer to the Hakone Tozan Railway by boarding the train at the platform across from you.
This historic line, which opened in 1919, is a mountain railway in the truest sense of the word. The sight of the train climbing up the steep 80‰ (per mille) gradient slope is a sight to behold.
The line is also designed with switchbacks, which are an exciting feature for railroad enthusiasts.

Travel Tip

If you are staying in Hakone, before boarding the Hakone Tozan Railway, be sure to use the Hakone Baggage Delivery Service to have your luggage carried for you from the station all the way to your accommodations.
If used with the Hakone Freepass, each person gets a 100-yen discount on one piece of luggage.

Hakone Baggage Delivery Service

Ride the Hakone Tozan Railway for about 35 minutes and get off at Chokoku-no-Mori Station. The museum is a 2-minute walk away.
Hakone Open-Air Museum exhibits leading sculptures in the modern and contemporary art styles, including works by sculptors such as Auguste Rodin, in an open-air setting, allowing you to enjoy art surrounded by nature. There are also extensive indoor exhibits, including the Main Gallery and the Picasso Pavilion. You could easily spend an entire day leisurely touring this museum.
Be sure to show your Hakone Freepass to receive a 200-yen discount on the price of entry for adults and a 100-yen discount for students in elementary school all the way through to university.

Take the Hakone Tozan Train from Chokoku-no-Mori Station to the very next stop, Gora Station. From there, Hakone Gora Park is just a 5-minute walk away.
Hakone Gora Park is Japan’s first French-style landscaped garden. It is built on a natural slope with the Hakone Mountains in the background. The spacious park is surrounded by the sky and the mountains, and it has become one of Hakone’s most popular flower viewing spots. It features a variety of flowers, such as cherry blossoms, azaleas, rhododendrons, and hydrangeas, as well as other seasonal plants to enjoy.
Park facilities also include the Crafthouse, where you can experience making ceramics and blowing glass, the Hyakuun-do Tea Garden, where you can enjoy traditionally prepared green tea, and the restaurant Isshikido, where you have an elegant tea time.
Be sure to show your Hakone Freepass for free admission as well as a 5% discount on the various workshops at the Crafthouse.

Take it easy on the first day. Soak in the hot spring where you are staying to relieve the day’s fatigue.
Many accommodations in Hakone have rooms with open-air baths, so you can relax in your own room.

On the second day, start touring the sightseeing spots in the morning.
A 10-minute ride from Gora Station on the Hakone Tozan Cable Car will take you to Sounzan Station.
cu―mo Hakone is a relaxing spot where you can soak in a footbath while gazing at the outer rim of the Hakone Mountains. The shop in the building offers a range of original products, from sweets to miscellaneous goods.
The popular smoothie Nuvel is a cute item that looks like it has been topped with a cloud right out of the sky above Mt. Soun. It makes a great photo when held up against the backdrop of the clear blue sky.

After a break, take the Hakone Ropeway from Sounzan Station to Owakudani Station.
The Hakone Ropeway rises to an elevation of 1,044 meters as it travels from Sounzan Station to Owakudani Station, making it an ideal way to enjoy the scenery.

The crater of Owakudani, from which gas fumes can been seen rising, is an impressive sight.

According to legend, “black eggs,” a local specialty, are said to prolong your life by seven years if you eat one. The shells of these eggs are turned black by the heat of the hot springs in which they are boiled. You can eat them, and they also look great on social media.
For lunch, we recommend the Special Owakudani Curry, inspired by the volcanic fumes of Owakudani, at the Owakudani-eki Shokudo (a restaurant location in the station). Enjoy a meal or tea time while overlooking the impressive Owakudani scenery.
Be sure to show your Hakone Freepass to receive a 20% discount on soft drinks.

Take the Hakone Ropeway from Owakudani to Togendai Station, and transfer onto a Hakone Sightseeing Cruise.
Enjoy the rich natural scenery of the Hakone Mountains and the sight of the Gate of Peace at Hakone Shrine as seen from the ship, while basking in the pleasant breeze on Lake Ashi. On a clear day, you can see Mt. Fuji.
The Hakone Freepass provides a 20% discount on one-way special cabin fares.
You can also make use of the special cabin deck to enjoy a comfortable space away from the crowd.

Get off the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise at Motohakone-ko. Hakone Shrine is only a 10-minute walk away.

As the constant stream of visitors attests, Hakone Shrine is cited as one of the top must-see spots in Hakone.
The shrine’s history goes back to Nara period（A.D.757）, and it enshrines three kami collectively known as the Hakone Okami, or “Great Gods of Hakone.”
Rising out of Lake Ashi and seeming to float on the water, the Gate of Peace leaves viewers in awe with its mysterious presence. After climbing a long flight of stone steps and passing through fourth and fifth shrine gates, you will arrive at the main shrine building.

Be sure to show your Hakone Freepass to receive a 100-yen discount on admission into the Hakone Shrine Sanctuary.

Leave Hakone Shrine, and ride the Hakone Tozan Bus from the Motohakone-ko Bus Stop for about 35 minutes to Hakone-Yumoto Station.
Hakone-Yumoto Ekimae Shopping Street, where you can find many Hakone specialties and other delicious food, is located just outside of Hakone-Yumoto Station.
There are long-standing shops that have been loved for a long time, fashionable stores, and numerous other attractions.

There are a variety of stores, some old and some new, including Kikugawa Shoten, which is famous for its Castella-yaki Hakone Manju branded with a cute hot spring logo and the word “Hakone,” and Hakone Teramisu with its stylish teramisu in jars, so it is fun even just looking around.

Take your time and enjoy yourself until it is time to board the Romancecar for the return trip.