Where to Stay in Hakone

The valley town where the direct train from Shinjuku terminates and the mountain railway begins. A single busy street of hot-spring shops, sweet stalls and soba restaurants follows the river, with hotels and ryokan on the slopes above at every price from simple to serious.

Good to know: The most convenient base by a distance, and the only one where you can arrive late and leave early without planning. The trade-off is that it is the lowest, busiest and least scenic part of Hakone, and the main street is crowded with day trippers until the last train out.

A small cluster of old ryokan a single stop up the mountain railway from Yumoto, tucked into the gorge with the river running below. Several of the inns here have baths built out over the water, and the whole place is a few minutes and a world away from the Yumoto crowds.

Good to know: Almost nothing here but the ryokan themselves, so plan on eating where you sleep. That is normal in Hakone and usually a good thing. The station is tiny and the walk from it can be steep, so ask about a pickup if you have luggage.

Where the switchback mountain railway ends and the funicular up to the ropeway begins, which makes Gora the hinge of the whole Hakone loop. It is also where the finest ryokan and the private-onsen hotels cluster, on wooded slopes with views back down the valley.

Good to know: The most expensive part of Hakone and the best place to spend money if you are here for one great onsen night. Streets are steep and spread out, so it is less walkable than it looks on a map. The Open-Air Museum is one stop back down the line.

A small station between Yumoto and Gora that has been receiving visitors since Japan first opened to foreign travellers, and still has the slightly formal, wood-panelled feel of that era. Quiet, leafy, with antique shops and a handful of cafes along the road.

Good to know: More atmosphere than activity. There is very little to do in the immediate area beyond walk and bathe, which suits some trips exactly. Well placed on the railway for reaching both ends of the loop.

The two lakeside settlements at the southern end of Lake Ashi, where the sightseeing boats dock and the red torii of Hakone Shrine stands in the shallows. The old cedar avenue of the Tokaido highway starts here, and on a clear morning Fuji sits directly across the water.

Good to know: The reason to stay is the early morning, before the coaches arrive and while the light is on the lake. It is the far end of the loop from Yumoto, roughly forty minutes by bus, so it is the least convenient base for arriving and leaving. Buses back run less often than you expect after dark.

A broad highland plateau in the north of the caldera, known for a hillside of pampas grass that turns silver in autumn and for a cluster of good art museums. It is more spread out and much quieter than the railway villages, with guesthouses and design-led small hotels rather than grand ryokan.

Good to know: You need the buses here, and they are the part of the Hakone transport network that people find fiddly. Cooler than the valley, which is welcome in August. The best choice if what you want from Hakone is quiet and cold air rather than the full loop.

The high volcanic shoulder of the caldera, where the ropeway crosses a valley of sulphur vents and steaming ground and a few hotels sit near the top station. The views over the crater and down to the lake are the best in Hakone.

Good to know: Thin on options and dependent on the ropeway, which closes in high wind and occasionally for volcanic activity, in which case buses replace it. Worth it for the setting, but check the ropeway status before committing, and do not base a family here.