Hakone Transport

A day on Hakone's unusual transport network

Hannah Warren Sep 13, 2013 - 1 min read

The transfer station, where you can eat the famous black eggs.

The eggs are black because they are cooked in the sulphurous waters of the hot springs.

In true Japanese style, Kitty gets involved in the black egg action.

Watching the boat come in at the port at Togendai.

I was so excited to be going on a pirate ship.

Another transport option: Swan pedal boat.

View from the harbour across Lake Ashimoto.

The red torii stands out among the tree as you cruise across the lake.

In Hakone-Machi there are plenty of lush places to eat.

Lake Ashinoko is beautiful and peaceful.

Hakone-machi is also home to the old Hakone Checkpoint, and the Narukawa Art Museum.

Hakone was an important part of the Tokaido Highway, and a section of it is now a cedar-lined path you can walk between Moto-Hakone and Hakone-Machi.

This captain was hanging out on the boat and didn't mind posing for a photo. There was a pirate too, but he was moving too fast for me to snap a shot.

Hakone is famous for its onsen, mountains and luxury ryokan. Less well known is its wonderful network of buses, trains, switchback trains, ropeways, cable cars and even, to my great delight, a pirate ship.

A day ticket (¥2850) allows you to take the ropeway through the mountains from Sounzan Station to Togendai via Owakudani and the pirate ship across Lake Ashinoko to Moto-Hakone and Hakonemachi, then all the way back.

From Sounzan, you can then take the cable car to Gora (¥410) and the switchback train to Hakone-Yumoto (¥650).

It's a lovely way to see the best of Hakone.

More info

Find out more about Owakudani.

Hannah Warren @hannah.warren

Hannah lives in Sydney and spends most of her time dreaming of being somewhere else. She loves karaoke, hates making plans in advance, and will probably never be able to read a map.