Sengokuhara Pampas Grass Field

Covering a portion of the west slope of Mount Hakone in the Sengokuhara area of Hakone is a large, rolling field of pampas grass (susuki). Referred to as the Sengokuhara Pampas Grass Field (仙石原すすき草原, Sengokuhara Susuki Kusahara), the tall grasses here cover the hillside for hundreds of meters, changing color with the seasons and offering stunning views, especially during the autumn when the grasses turn a shimmering, silvery gold color.

A single, wide walking path extends into the field from the west base of the hillside, offering expansive views along the way to a dead end at a higher vantage point further up the slope. The path accommodates both ascending and descending traffic, and it is generally discouraged to walk off the trail through the grasses.

While the field is most visited in autumn, the grasses go through a series of seasonal changes throughout the year that are also attractive, changing from bright green in the summer, to a mix of green and light yellow around September, to a brilliant whitish gold by early November. In winter, the grasses turn brown and die. In spring, the field is cleared through a controlled burning in order to prevent other plant life from growing amongst the pampas.