Why Stay in Hakone?
Hakone is Japan's premier hot spring resort town, nestled in the mountains just 80 minutes from Tokyo. For centuries, visitors have come to soak in the area's naturally heated volcanic mineral waters while gazing at Mount Fuji — and today's ryokans (traditional Japanese inns) continue this tradition with extraordinary grace and attention to detail.
Traditional ryokans offer an immersive Japanese cultural experience: sleeping on futons laid on tatami mats, bathing in rotenburo (outdoor hot spring baths) surrounded by bamboo and maple trees, and enjoying multi-course kaiseki dinners served in your room by kimono-clad attendants. Properties like Gora Kadan and Hakone Ginyu represent the pinnacle of Japanese hospitality.
The Hakone region offers more than just onsen bathing. The Open Air Museum displays large-scale sculptures against mountain backdrops, the Hakone Shrine's vermillion torii gate stands dramatically at the edge of Lake Ashi, and the cable car ride over the volcanic Owakudani valley (bubbling sulphur vents and black eggs boiled in volcanic springs) provides spectacular mountain scenery.
Autumn (November) transforms Hakone into a tapestry of red and gold maples reflected in Lake Ashi. On clear days, Mount Fuji provides an iconic backdrop to the autumn colours. The combination of onsen soaking, autumn foliage, kaiseki cuisine, and cultural depth makes a Hakone autumn trip one of Japan's most rewarding experiences.