Hakone Onsen is the collective name for the hot spring areas spread across Hakone Town in Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture. Rather than a single onsen town, it is a cluster of multiple hot spring resorts with very different characters, and that is its greatest appeal. Starting with the Hakone Seven Baths, known since the Edo period, new resorts were added through development after the Meiji era, and today the area is often called the Hakone 17 Baths, or even the Hakone 20 Baths when Owakudani Onsen and others are included. The surrounding area is part of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, and its volcanic landscape, varied baths, lake cruises, ropeway rides, and museum-rich sightseeing make it one of the Kanto region's leading all-in-one hot spring destinations.

For travelers, the key point is that there is no single bath called Hakone Onsen. Instead, the water quality and atmosphere differ by area. Hakone-Yumoto, the gateway area; Gora, on the hillside; Sengokuhara, the plateau area; and the quiet Ashinoyu all offer very different bathing experiences and places to stay. For first-time visitors, it is easier to plan if you decide first which area to stay in. This article organizes the origins of Hakone Onsen, area-by-area character, spring types, sightseeing, and access based on official information from the Hakone Town Tourism Association and others.

From the Hakone Seven Baths to 17 and 20 Baths: How the Hot Spring Group Formed

The clue to understanding Hakone Onsen is that it is not a single hot spring resort, but a collection of bath areas that grew over time. In the Edo period, Yumoto, Tounosawa, Dogashima, Miyanoshita, Sokokura, Kiga, and Ashinoyu were known as the Hakone Seven Baths and were loved by travelers on the Tokaido road and by people seeking therapeutic bathing. Hakone-Yumoto, the oldest of them, is said to have opened in 738, the 10th year of the Tenpyo era, and it remains the center of Hakone Onsen today.

From the Meiji period through the Showa period, new bath areas such as Ohiradai, Kowakudani, Ninotaira, Gora, Miyagino, Sengokuhara, Yunohanazawa, Lake Ashi, and Takogawa were developed or incorporated, bringing the total to the Hakone 17 Baths. Gora, in particular, took shape as a hot spring area with the opening of the Hakone Tozan Railway in 1919, making it one of the newer parts of the 17 baths. In addition, when Owakudani Onsen, Kojiri Onsen, and Sounzan Onsen are included, the area is sometimes referred to as the Hakone 20 Baths. Knowing this background helps explain why Hakone contains so many distinctive baths in one region.

Character by Area

The heart of Hakone is that each area has its own role and atmosphere. The table below gives a rough guide to the main areas, but even within the same area, the experience can differ depending on the inn or source.

Hakone-Yumoto is also the starting point of the Hakone Tozan Railway, and the area around the station has day-use baths and souvenir shops. It is convenient as a base for a first trip or a day trip when you want to keep movement simple. Gora is a hillside area connected by the mountain railway and cable car, well suited to museum visits and ryokan stays, with a more relaxed atmosphere. Sengokuhara is a hot spring resort spread across a plateau at about 700 m above sea level, known for its autumn pampas grass fields and ideal for those who prioritize scenery and quiet. Ashinoyu is a tranquil hot spring area once favored by writers and artists, suited to stays that value calm over bustle.

Spring Types: A Wide Range of Waters by Area

Hakone's baths are notable because they cannot be grouped under one spring type. Hakone-Yumoto mainly offers simple springs and alkaline simple springs, which are gentle and mild on the skin. Meanwhile, areas such as Miyanoshita have sodium chloride springs, and Gora is known for varied spring types depending on the source. In Sengokuhara, acidic springs and milky white water can be found, while Ashinoyu offers sulfur-containing baths and bicarbonate springs. Cross from one area to another, and the character of the water changes dramatically. If you want a beginner-friendly overview of spring types, see Onsen Spring Types for Beginners.

This diversity comes from Hakone's location in an active volcanic region with multiple independent spring systems. Even within what is called Hakone Onsen, the clear simple spring in Yumoto and the cloudy sulfur-rich water from Owakudani offer completely different bathing experiences. If you want to know the exact character of a bath, check the onsen analysis sheet posted by the inn or day-use facility. Even in gentle simple springs, staying in too long can lead to dizziness or fatigue, so in Hakone, where bathing is often combined with sightseeing, it is wiser to limit bath time and hydrate between activities.

Owakudani's Geothermal Activity and Sulfur Springs

The place where Hakone's volcanic nature is felt most strongly is Owakudani. This landscape was formed by a steam explosion of Hakone volcano about 3,000 years ago. Even today, plumes of smoke rise from the slopes, and the air is filled with the smell of sulfur. The steam-heated hot water drawn from here supports some of the baths in nearby areas such as Gora and Sengokuhara. Among the transferred waters are cloudy acidic calcium sulfate-chloride springs, offering a bathing experience in sharp contrast to the clear simple spring of Hakone-Yumoto.

Owakudani is famous for its black eggs. Eggs boiled in the hot spring waters have their shells coated with iron sulfide, formed by a reaction between sulfur and iron in the water, turning the shells jet black. If you are sensitive to sulfur smells or curious about cloudy water, learning why some hot springs smell of sulfur in The Source of the Sulfur Spring Smell will help you enjoy Owakudani more calmly. Please note that access and walking paths in Owakudani may be restricted depending on volcanic gas conditions, so be sure to check the latest information before visiting.

Sightseeing: Mountain Railway, Ropeway, and Museums

Hakone's strength lies less in the hot springs themselves and more in how easily you can build a full trip around them. Transportation itself is part of the sightseeing here: the Hakone Tozan Railway climbs steep slopes with switchbacks, and you can combine it with the cable car, ropeway, and Lake Ashi pirate ship to tour the area. A classic route is to take the mountain railway and ropeway from Hakone-Yumoto toward Owakudani and Togendai on Lake Ashi. However, because there are many transfers and it takes time, it is best to think of the travel itself as part of the itinerary.

The core sightseeing spots are Lake Ashi and Owakudani. On Lake Ashi, you can enjoy views of the lake and, on clear days, Mt. Fuji from a sightseeing cruise. At Owakudani, you can see the volcanic smoke vents up close. Hakone is also rich in museums, including the Hakone Open-Air Museum, the Hakone Glass Forest Museum, and the Pola Museum of Art. If you want to appreciate the architecture of exhibition spaces set in nature, the perspective in Hot Spring Architecture and Design is also helpful. Still, packing in too much can fill an entire day with movement and viewing, so if your priority is the hot springs, it is more relaxing to limit sightseeing to one or two places.

How to Combine Day Trips and Overnight Stays

Hakone is close to the Tokyo metropolitan area, so it works well both as a day trip and an overnight stay. For a day trip, it is best to focus on a day-use bath around Hakone-Yumoto and perhaps extend the trip a little by mountain railway. If you try to do too much sightseeing, travel time can easily dominate the schedule, so keeping the destination list short is the key.

On the other hand, if you want to enjoy Gora and Sengokuhara at a relaxed pace or sample different waters by area, staying overnight is the better choice. Your experience changes depending on whether you stay at a ryokan or use day-use facilities, and the differences between facility types are organized in Types of Japanese Bath Facilities. If you are looking for Hakone inns or day-use hot spring facilities, we also provide a facility list and a search page so you can narrow results by area and budget. Because inns differ in atmosphere and spring quality by area, it is easier to choose once you have decided where you want to stay.

Access

The main gateway to Hakone Onsen is Hakone-Yumoto Station on the JR and Hakone Tozan Railway lines. From Tokyo, the easiest route is to take the Odakyu Romancecar limited express from Shinjuku directly to Hakone-Yumoto, with a travel time of about 85 minutes as a general guide, though faster services may be shorter. From Hakone-Yumoto, transfer to the Hakone Tozan Railway and continue toward Gora, Sengokuhara, and Lake Ashi, combining the cable car, ropeway, and pirate ship.

You can also go by car, but roads and parking lots tend to get crowded on weekends, long holidays, and during the autumn foliage season. Because Hakone has steep slopes and elevation changes, a railway- and ropeway-centered plan is easier to manage on busy days. There are also free-pass style tickets that bundle multiple transport systems, which are worth considering if you plan to tour several areas. If you are combining sightseeing and hot springs, deciding in advance which area will be the main focus makes it easier to manage your time.

FAQ

Is "Hakone Onsen" one single hot spring?

No. Hakone Onsen is the collective name for the hot spring areas spread across Hakone Town in Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture. Starting with the Hakone Seven Baths in the Edo period, new bath areas were added through development after the Meiji era, and today the area is often called the Hakone 17 Baths, or the Hakone 20 Baths when Owakudani Onsen and others are included. Each area has different spring types and atmosphere.

Do the spring types differ by area?

Yes. Hakone-Yumoto mainly has simple springs and alkaline simple springs that feel gentle. Gora has varied source water, Sengokuhara has acidic springs and cloudy water, and Ashinoyu features sulfur springs and bicarbonate springs. The character changes as you move from one area to another because Hakone sits in a volcanic region with multiple spring systems.

What are Owakudani's black eggs?

They are eggs boiled in the hot spring waters of Owakudani. Iron sulfide formed by a reaction between sulfur and iron in the water adheres to the shells, turning them black. Owakudani is a geothermal area formed by volcanic activity of Hakone volcano about 3,000 years ago, and smoke still rises there today.

How do I get to Hakone from Shinjuku?

The easiest route is to take the Odakyu Romancecar limited express from Shinjuku directly to Hakone-Yumoto Station, with a travel time of about 85 minutes as a general guide. From Hakone-Yumoto, transfer to the Hakone Tozan Railway and combine the cable car, ropeway, and pirate ship to tour the different areas.

Can I enjoy Hakone as a day trip?

Yes. If you focus on a day-use bath around Hakone-Yumoto and perhaps extend the trip a little by mountain railway, Hakone works well as a day trip. However, once sightseeing is included, travel time increases, so if you want to sample the waters of Gora and Sengokuhara as well, staying overnight is the better option.

Summary

Hakone Onsen is the collective name for the hot spring areas spread across Hakone Town in Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture. Originating with the Hakone Seven Baths and expanding into the 17 Baths and 20 Baths, it is an all-in-one hot spring destination within Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Hakone-Yumoto at the gateway, hillside Gora, plateau Sengokuhara, and quiet Ashinoyu each have different spring types and atmospheres, while Owakudani's geothermal landscape and sulfur springs, a tour built from the mountain railway, ropeway, and pirate ship, and the area's many museums can all be combined into one trip.

If it is your first visit, you will be happier if you first decide which area to stay in and narrow sightseeing down to one or two main spots rather than trying to see everything. For travelers who want a balanced mix of hot springs, sightseeing, and scenery, Hakone is one of the easiest destinations to plan from the greater Tokyo area.

Sources

• Hakone Town Tourism Association, "Hakone 17 Baths" https://www.hakone.or.jp/6882
• Hakone Town Tourism Association, "Owakudani Fumarolic Area" https://www.hakone.or.jp/533
• Hakone Town, "Onsen" https://www.town.hakone.kanagawa.jp/www/contents/1100000001018/index.html
• Wikipedia, "Hakone Onsen" https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%AE%B1%E6%A0%B9%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89