Hakone has been one of Japan's most popular hot spring resorts for centuries. Nowadays, more than a dozen springs provide hot spring water to the many bath houses and ryokan in the Hakone region.
Yumoto, at the entrance to the Hakone area near Odawara, is Hakone's most famous hot spring with a particularly long history, high quality water and numerous baths and inns. Many more hot spring facilities are found across the hills and valleys of Hakone and along the shores of Lake Ashi.
Visitors can enjoy a hot spring bath in public bath houses or ryokan. Many ryokan open their baths not only to staying guests but also to daytime visitors. While staying guests can use the baths for free, daytime visitors pay an admission fee of typically between 500 and 2000 yen.
Below is a list of some of Hakone's better baths open to the general public (shown in blue on the map):
Yumoto
Tenzan•
Hours: 9:00 to 23:00 (entry until 22:00) Admission: 1300 yen
Collection of nicely done hot spring pools, most of which are outdoors at the foot of a wooded slope. The bath house is a beautiful traditional Japanese style building. A short walk from Oku-Yumoto Iriguchi bus stop (bus line K).
Hakone Kamon•
Daytime Hours: 10:30 to 17:00 (entry until 16:00) Daytime Admission: 1980 yen Overnight Stay: From 22,000 yen per person with two meals
Multiple outdoor baths made of stone and wood including sauna and baths made of large ceramic pots. A cup of tea is served after the bath. Short shuttle bus ride from Yumoto Station (100 yen).
Hakone Yuryo•
Hours: 10:00 to 20:00 (weekends until 21:00), entry ends one hour earlier Admission: 1500 yen
Hakone Yuryo is a tasteful public bath opened in spring 2013 on the former site of the Hakone Begonia Garden. The facility features gender segregated indoor and outdoor baths with nice views into the forest. There is also a large selection of private baths (additional fees apply) for families and couples that wish to bath together. A free shuttle bus operates every 10-15 minutes to/from Hakone Yumoto Station.
Yunosato Okada
Hours: 11:00 to 23:00 (entry until 22:00) Admission: 1450 yen
Various pools, most of which are outdoors. Nice views of the valley can be enjoyed from the bath house, but unfortunately not from the pools. 10 minute shuttle bus ride from Yumoto Station (100 yen).
Kappa Tengoku
Daytime Hours: 10:00 to 22:00 Daytime Admission: 800 yen Overnight Stay: From 5,650 yen per person without meals
Outdoor baths in the wooded slope just above Yumoto Station. The wooden bath house is slightly run-down but remains atmospheric. A five minute walk from the station.
Yumoto Fujiya Hotel
Daytime Hours: 12:00 to 20:00 Daytime Admission: 1800 yen Overnight Stay: From 28,000 yen per person including 2 meals
Not to be confused with the historic Fujiya Hotel further up the valley, this hotel opens its baths to non-staying guests. The admission fee seems steep considering the hotel's rather average indoor and outdoor baths without views. Across the river from Yumoto Station.
Kowakudani
Hotel Kowakien Yunessun•
Yunessun Hours: 10:00 to 18:00 (9:00 to 19:00 on weekends and holidays) Mori no Yu Hours: 11:00 to 19:00 (until 20:00 on weekends and holidays) Admission ends one hour before closing Admission: 2500 yen (Yunessun), 1500 yen (Mori no Yu), 3500 yen (both)
More water park than hot spring, this resort is split into two areas: "Yunessun" with themed pools and water attractions (bathing suits required), and "Mori No Yu" with traditional hot spring baths (no bathing suits). Located across the street from Hotel Kowakien.
Sengoku
Hakone Green Plaza Hotel
Daytime Hours: 13:00 to 18:00 (from 15:00 on Wednesdays and Thursdays) Daytime Admission: 1600 yen Overnight Stay: From 13,000 yen per person including 2 meals
This hotel's large rotemburo (outdoor baths) are some of the surprisingly few baths in Hakone that have views of Mount Fuji on clear days. A short walk from Ubako Station along the Hakone Ropeway.
Ratings: best of the best
best of Japan
outstanding
Featuring a restaurant, bar, shared lounge and free WiFi, Hakone Villa Bizan is located in Hakone, 600 metres from Hakone Shrine and 1.7 km from Hakone Checkpoint. Boasting family rooms, this property also provides guests with a terrace. Each room comes with a balcony. At the hotel, each room is equipped with a wardrobe, a flat-screen TV, a private bathroom, bed linen and towels. The rooms come with a kettle, while some rooms are equipped with a kitchenette with a microwave and a stovetop. Guest rooms at Hakone Villa Bizan are equipped with a seating area. An American breakfast is available daily at the accommodation. Lake Ashi is 2.7 km from Hakone Villa Bizan, while Hakone Open-Air Museum is 9 km away. The nearest airport is Tokyo Haneda International Airport, 110 km from the hotel.
Opened in 1878, Fujiya Hotel features Meiji Era architecture set in Hakonefs natural beauty. Just 500 metres from Miyanoshita Station, it offers indoor and outdoor pools, a spa and a restaurant in a converted Imperial Villa called Kikka-so Inn. Rooms feature bathtubs with natural hot-spring water. Rooms are divided between 5 different buildings constructed between 1891 and 1960, providing a variety of styles and decors. All rooms are non-smoking, and come with air conditioning and a private bathroom. The Gora area and Hakone-Yumoto Train Station are a 15-minute drive. Hakone-Jinja Shrine and Owakudani Valley are about 10 km away. The hotel offers a free shuttle from nearby Miyanoshita Train Station (call upon arrival at station to use). Private and public hot-spring baths are on site, and guests can enjoy the hotelfs garden and greenhouse. The hotel has its own shops and museum. Massage services are also offered. The hotel's indoor pool uses natural hot-spring water. Main Dining Room "The Fujiya" serves French cuisine in an elegant space. Restaurant Cascade offers Western dishes, while Kikka-so serves traditional Japanese kaiseki dinners. A bar, lounge and bakery are available.
Featuring 2-star accommodation, Onsen Guest House Tsutaya is situated in Hakone, 7 km from Hakone Lalique Museum and 7 km from Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands. Among the facilities at this property are a 24-hour front desk and a shared kitchen, along with free WiFi throughout the property. Private parking can be arranged at an extra charge. The ryokan offers a hot spring bath. Owakudani Valley is 9 km from Onsen Guest House Tsutaya, while Pola Museum is 25 km from the property. The nearest airport is Tokyo Haneda International Airport, 99 km from the accommodation.
Set in Hakone, 400 metres from Venetian Glass Museum, okcs Retreat Hakone villa offers accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking, a shared lounge and a garden. Among the facilities at this property are a 24-hour front desk and room service, along with free WiFi throughout the property. The property is allergy-free and is located 1.7 km from Pola Museum. All guest rooms come with air conditioning, a fridge, a minibar, a kettle, a bidet, slippers and a desk. The rooms are equipped with a coffee machine and a private bathroom with a shower and a hairdryer, while certain rooms also offer a kitchen. At the ryokan every room is fitted with bed linen and towels. Guests at okcs Retreat Hakone villa can enjoy a buffet breakfast. The accommodation offers 4-star accommodation with a hot spring bath and terrace. The area is popular for hiking and cycling, and bike hire is available at okcs Retreat Hakone villa. Hakone Lalique Museum is 1.8 km from the ryokan, while Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands is 2.3 km from the property.
Situated in Hakone, a 29-minute walk from Hakone Open-Air Museum, HakoneHOSTEL1914 has a shared lounge. The property is around a 36-minute walk from Hakone Gora Park, 7.9 km from Owakudani Valley and 6.1 km from Pola Museum. Venetian Glass Museum is 5.4 km from the property. With a shared bathroom, rooms at the hostel also offer free WiFi. Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands is 7.1 km from HakoneHOSTEL1914, while Hakone Lalique Museum is 6.6 km away. Tokyo Haneda International Airport is 73 km from the property.
MEIBI Hakone Yumoto has river views, free WiFi and free private parking, situated in Hakone, 10 km from Hakone Open-Air Museum. All units here are air-conditioned and feature a flat-screen TV, a living room, a well-equipped kitchen with a dining area, and a private bathroom with bidet, slippers and a hairdryer. A microwave, a fridge and stovetop are also available, as well as a kettle. Hiking can be enjoyed nearby. Hakone Gora Park is 10 km from the holiday home, while Hakone Shrine is 12 km from the property. The nearest airport is Tokyo Haneda International Airport, 93 km from MEIBI Hakone Yumoto.
Hakone Mori No Yado features a restaurant, bar, a shared lounge and garden in Hakone. Featuring family rooms, this property also provides guests with a terrace. Free WiFi is available and private parking can be arranged at an extra charge. Complete with a shared bathroom, the units at the guest house come with air conditioning, and some rooms come with a seating area. Guest rooms feature bed linen. Guests at Hakone Mori No Yado can enjoy an American breakfast. You can play table tennis at the accommodation, and the area is popular for hiking. Hakone Open-Air Museum is 2.1 km from Hakone Mori No Yado, while Hakone Gora Park is 2.4 km away. The nearest airport is Tokyo Haneda International Airport, 101 km from the guest house.
Fukuzumiro features an authentic Japanese atmosphere, natural hot spring baths and traditional Japanese-style rooms with garden or river views. It's a 15-minute walk from Hakone Yumoto Station. Rooms at Fukuzumiro feature tatami (woven-straw) flooring and traditional futon bedding. Each guest room is equipped with a Handy Phone so guests can stay connected to WiFi during their entire stay and make international calls to select countries for free. A TV and a refrigerator are also included in rooms. Bathrooms and toilets are shared. Guests can relax in public hot spring baths, or enjoy one for private use (subject to availability). Spa hotel Fukuzumiro provides luggage storage, and it offers drink vending machines. Fukuzumiro offers traditional Japanese multi-course dinners with seasonal local dishes. Beverages can be enjoyed at Bar Kikyo. Japanese inn Fukuzumiro is a 30-minute walk from Amida-ji Temple.
Located in Hakone, 1.7 km from Hakone Gora Park, gran terrace Le Lien Hakone provides accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking, a garden and a spa and wellness centre. Each accommodation at the hotel has mountain views, and guests can enjoy access to a terrace and to a hot spring bath. The air-conditioned rooms provide a sea view and come with a desk and free WiFi. At the hotel, each room includes a wardrobe, a flat-screen TV and a shared bathroom. All units will provide guests with a fridge. Continental breakfast options are available daily at gran terrace Le Lien Hakone. Pola Museum is 1.9 km from the accommodation, while Owakudani Valley is 3.3 km away. The nearest airport is Oshima Airport, 83 km from gran terrace Le Lien Hakone.
Just a 5-minute walk from Hakone Yumoto Train Station, Masutomi Ryokan features open-air hot spring baths, spacious guest rooms and free Wi-Fi. Guests can reserve the rooftop bath at an additional fee. On-site parking is available for free. The ryokan provides Japanese-style rooms with traditional futon bedding and rooms with Western beds and a tatami (woven-straw) seating area. A TV and a telephone are equipped in all rooms, and bathroom is shared with other guests. Ryokan Masutomifs front desk is open 24 hours, and gift items can be purchased at the on-site souvenir shop. Drink vending machines can be used. The property is a 20-minute drive from O-wakudani and Lake Ashifs Sightseeing Cruise Pier. Traditional Japanese meals are prepared with organic vegetables and fresh seafood, and served in the on-site Fukuryu-an restaurant.
best of the best
best of Japan
outstanding
