If you would like to use your limited time to visit Hakone, here is suggested itinerary for your reference. Otherwise, I highly recommend to stay at least 3Days/2nights to enjoy fantastic natural scenic and experenice Japan culture by visiting museums and shrines and bathing in Japanese-style hot springs (onsens).
Day One in Hakone National Park
Gentle reminder : Make sure to purchase Hakone Freepass before start your journey to Hakone. All transportation I mentioned below are included in this valuable pass.
Shinjuku 新宿 -->(by Odakyu railway) --> Hakone-Yumoto station 湯本 -->(by Hakone Tozan bus) --> Motohakone 元箱根
Check in guesthouse and walk along lakeside to Moto Hakone-Ko 元箱根港.
Take a pirate boat ride(approx. 30mins) on Lake Ashi to Kojiri-Togendai 桃源台, where is the Hakone ropeway terminal. Then take ropeway to Owakudani 大涌谷(approx. 18mins) - the place offers magnificent views of Mount Fuji and hot springs (onsen) in what is still an active volcanic region.
Black eggs are the famous souvenir in Owakudani. These eggs are boiled in the sulfuric springs all around the mountain side. Due to chemical reaction between the egg shell and the sulfur in the water, it causes the shell to turn into black. The funny fact is "Each egg eaten is supposed to give you an additional 7 years of life".
,Take Hakone ropeway to Sounzan 早雲山 and change cable car to Gora 強羅, where Hakone Tozan way terminates at. You can enjoy beautiful seasonal flowers in Gora-Koen Park. If you like to visit museum, you should go to Hakone Museum of Art, which specializes in Japanese ceramics. Here is a craft house where you can try blowing glasses, making pottery, etc.
Take Hakone Tozan bus to direction of Sengokuhara 仙石原
The Museum of Saint-Expupery and Little Prince in Hakone
Admission ticket: 1500yen (1200yen for advance ticket purchased in Lawson Ticket) Please refer to its official website for the updated prices.
Besides museum, there are a largest shop for mechandise in Japan. A French cooking restaurant and a cafe both opens daily.
After met Petit Prince, take Hakone Tozan bus down to Kojiri-Togendai.
Had a tea at terminal before taking boat back to Motohakone-Ko.
Motohakone is a small town. It is recommended to have traditional Japanese-style dinner at your guesthouses. Most of guesthouses serve dinner daily, but advance reservation is required.
Day Two in Hakone National Park
Had a nice breakfast in guesthouse and checked-out.
Had a morning walk along lakeside to Motohakone. Take Hakone Tozan Bus to Kowakidani 小涌谷,
Had a nice breakfast in guesthouse and checked-out.
Had a morning walk along lakeside to Motohakone. Take Hakone Tozan Bus to Kowakidani 小涌谷,
where the Hakone Kowakien Yunessun is located at.
It consist of two zones - Yunessun Spa zone and Miro No Yu Spa zone, shopping mall and restaurant. Please refer to the below web site for details of the admission fee.
Yunessun Spa zone: Wearing swimsuit is required. This zone is more family-oriented. There are
25different kinds of spa and water activities, like japanese Sake Sap, Rodeo mountain (water slides), ...
Miro No Yu Spa zone: No swimsuit is allowed. This zone sections into private areas for female and for male and is based on traditional Japanese style including indoor and outdoor bathing facilities. Like Roten Burooutdoor bathing - you can experience an open-air bathing in Japanese garden. You can also enjoy bathing in a unique Taro (a huge wooden bath cask).
Useful link:
Hakone Travel guide - http://www.hakonenavi.jp/english/index.html
Yunessun Spa zone: Wearing swimsuit is required. This zone is more family-oriented. There are
25different kinds of spa and water activities, like japanese Sake Sap, Rodeo mountain (water slides), ...
Miro No Yu Spa zone: No swimsuit is allowed. This zone sections into private areas for female and for male and is based on traditional Japanese style including indoor and outdoor bathing facilities. Like Roten Burooutdoor bathing - you can experience an open-air bathing in Japanese garden. You can also enjoy bathing in a unique Taro (a huge wooden bath cask).
Useful link:
Hakone Travel guide - http://www.hakonenavi.jp/english/index.html
The Museum of Saint-Expupery and Little Prince in Hakone http://www.tbs.co.jp/l-prince/en/
Hakone Kowakien Yunessun - http://www.yunessun.com/english/index.html
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