Travel for Life: Japan Travel―Visiting Hakone for Onsen Experience

Sunday, July 15, 2018

Japan Travel―Visiting Hakone for Onsen Experience

10 Best Onsen Ryokan Hotels in Hakone, Japan (YouTube link)

Hakone, part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, is a very popular destination among Tokyoites, as well as tourists, for its gorgeous scenery around the Mount Fuji (for instance, the Ashi lakes and Owakudani), its many onsens and vacation resorts.

Hakone Onsen

Hakone (箱根) is one of the most popular onsen ⭐⭐(hot spring) towns and has a history of 1200 years. 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.

Onsen for Daytime Visitors

Below is a list of some of Hakone's better baths open to the general public:

Tenzan (天山湯治郷)

天山

Hours: 9:00 to 23:00 (entry until 22:00)
Admission: 1450 yen (cash only)

Other Options

Hakone Yuryo (箱根湯寮)

Large Communal Bath

Hours: 10:00 to 21:00 (weekends until 22:00), entry ends one hour before closing
Admission: 1400 yen

Other options

Hakone Kamon (花紋)

Private Outdoor Bath (貸切露天風呂)

Hours: 45 mins
Admission: 2500 yen per 45 mins (tax not included)

Private options

Yunosato Okada ()

Day Plan

Hours: 6:00 to 9:00 and 11:00 to 23:00 (entry until 22:00)

Admission: 1450 yen (1000 yen from 6:00 to 9:00)

Other options

Kappa Tengoku (かっぱ天国)

Outdoor Hot Spring

Hours: 10:00 to 22:00
Admission: 800 yen

Other Options

Yumoto Fujiya Hotel (湯本富士屋ホテル)

Day Plan (Main communal bath and outdoor bath)

Hours: 12:00 to 20:00
Admission: 1800 yen

Hotel Kowakien Yunessun (箱根小涌園ユネッサン)

Yunessun (Swimsuit Area)

Hours: 9:00 to 19:00 (until 21:00 in August)
Admission: 2900 yen

Mori no Yu (Onsen Area; 森の湯)

Hours: 11:00 to 20:00 (until 21:00 in August)
Admission: 1900 yen

Hakone Green Plaza Hotel (ホテルグリーンプラザ箱根)

Day-Use

Hours:

13:00 ～18:00 / on Monday & Tuesday & Friday
15:00 ～18:00 / on Wednesday & Thursday
13:00 ～15:00 / on Saturday & Sunday & Holiday & top season (2017/05/03～2017/05/05, 2017/07/15～2017/08/25, 2017/12/28～2018/01/03)

Admission: 1,600 yen

Hakone Green Plaza Hotel (ホテルグリーンプラザ箱根)

Both the men’s and women’s open-air baths offer a spectacular view of Mt. Fuji. The view from the women’s open-air bath is especially stunning. To access the hotel, you can take either Hakone Ropeway or Bus.

Hakone Green Plaza Hotel (ホテルグリーンプラザ箱根)

Best ONSEN with FUJI view in Japan (YouTube link)

Hakone Yuryo (箱根湯寮)

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.

Hakone-One Day Trip to Private Onsen (YouTube link)

Tenzan (天山湯治郷)

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).