Cobalt-blue crater-lake Ashi-no-ko was created by an eruption of Hakone-yama nearly 3000 years ago. It's famous for the view of Mt Fuji, reflected on the still waters, visible on clear days (winter mornings are your best bet, but Fuji is ever-fickle). Sightseeing boats, departing from the pier at Moto-Hakone, travel to the best viewing points.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
19.91 MILES
Fuji-san is among Japan's most revered and timeless attractions, the inspiration for generations of poets and the focus of countless artworks. Hundreds of…
3.52 MILES
Occupying a verdant swath of Hakone hillside is this unmissable art safari, leading visitors past a rich array of 19th- and 20th-century sculptures and…
22.72 MILES
A necessary preliminary to the Mt Fuji ascent is a visit to this atmospheric shrine (8th century, rebuilt 1800s) dedicated to Sakuya-hime, the goddess of…
22.23 MILES
A cliffside hiking trail winds over volcanic rock and through pine forest along the gorgeous Jōgasaki coast south of Itō. Most visitors head to Kadowaki…
2.98 MILES
This mammoth museum showcases the dazzling Japanese, Chinese and Korean art treasures of industrialist Okada Kazuo. You could easily spend hours…
Togawa-ke Oshi-no-ie Restored Pilgrim's Inn
23.14 MILES
Fuji-Yoshida's oshi-no-ie (pilgrims' inns) have served visitors to the mountain since the days when climbing Mt Fuji was a pilgrimage rather than a…
3.91 MILES
Showcasing the private collection of the late Suzuki Tsuneshi, son of the founder of the Pola Group (a cosmetics company), this impressive building…
6.52 MILES
Book well in advance to be sure of securing a ticket to view this extraordinary art, architecture and performing arts complex overlooking scenic Sagami…
Nearby Hakone attractions
0.36 MILES
Occupying a peninsula on Ashino-ko, this scenic park was formerly the grounds of an imperial summer retreat. The 'Lakeside Panorama Pavilion', said to…
0.39 MILES
Hakone-jinja, established in the 8th century, is set in the woods above Ashi-no-ko, but its red torii (shrine gate) is right on the water – and very…
0.55 MILES
You're free to walk through this 2007 reconstruction of the feudal-era checkpoint on the Old Tōkaidō Highway, but if you want to enter any of the…
0.55 MILES
Art comes in two forms here – in the exquisite Japanese-style paintings, nihonga, on display, and in the stunning Mt Fuji views from the panorama lounge…
2.98 MILES
This mammoth museum showcases the dazzling Japanese, Chinese and Korean art treasures of industrialist Okada Kazuo. You could easily spend hours…
3.01 MILES
In the complex opposite the Ōwakudani ropeway station, this interactive natural history exhibit is a fun way to learn about the volcanic forces that…
3.03 MILES
The 'Great Boiling Valley' was created 3000 years ago when Kami-yama erupted and collapsed, also forming Ashino-ko. Hydrogen sulphide steams from the…
3.15 MILES
The Hakone Ropeway is a 30-minute, 4km gondola ride, taking travellers to Tōgendai from Sōun-zan. It glides over the steaming crater of Ōwakudani, one of…