Hakone - Lake Ashi & Shrine Day

This is a slower-paced Hub Day spent almost entirely around the shore of Lake Ashi: the vermillion torii of Hakone Shrine, a walk through Onshi-Hakone Park's old imperial villa grounds, and a ropeway ride up to the mountain shrine on Mt. Komagatake. It's a good match for travelers who want scenery and a slower rhythm after the busier transfer day before it.

Morning: Moto-Hakone & Hakone Shrine

Start with the walk from the hotel around to Moto-Hakone, arriving in time to see the lake at its calmest. Hakone Shrine's lakeside torii — the "Peace Torii" rising out of the water — is one of the most photographed spots in the whole Hakone area, and worth visiting early before the crowds build up. The shrine grounds and Treasure Hall are both part of the same visit.

Midday: Onshi-Hakone Park

A short walk on from the shrine, Kanagawa Prefectural Onshi-Hakone Park occupies the former site of an imperial detached palace, with the Benten-no-hana observation deck offering an open view back across the lake. It's a quieter, more contemplative stop than the shrine — a good place to slow down before continuing on toward lunch in Moto-Hakone.

Depending on how the morning has gone, the Hakone Checkpoint Museum and the Hakone Ashinoko Narukawa Art Museum are both nearby and worth considering as optional add-ons if there's time and energy left before lunch.

Afternoon: Komagatake Ropeway

After lunch and a walk back to the hotel, the Hakone Komagatake Ropeway climbs from the lakeshore up to Hakone Motomiya (the mountain's Okumiya shrine) in about 10 minutes. Guests staying at The Prince Hakone Lake Ashinoko or the Ryuguden get a discounted round-trip rate (around ¥1,800, adult). At the top, Kuzuryu Shrine's mountain shrine sits alongside sweeping views over the lake and, on clear days, toward Mount Fuji.

• Seasonal notes: especially scenic in autumn, when the hillsides around the lake turn color; the ropeway can be closed in high wind or fog, so it's worth having a backup plan for that leg
• Backup rainy-day options: if the Komagatake Ropeway isn't running, the shrine and park walks can absorb more of the day instead; on a fully rainy day, consider swapping this stop for one of the indoor art museums in the area (Pola Museum of Art, Hakone Lalique Museum) as a substitute

Before you go: Several stops in this plan — the Hakone Checkpoint Museum, the Narukawa Art Museum, and Kuzuryu Shrine's exact access — were still tentative in the original planning notes. Treat the midday and late-afternoon stops as flexible, and confirm current hours before counting on any single one of them.

Time-Block Itinerary

Start: The Prince Hakone Lake Ashinoko
End: The Prince Hakone Lake Ashinoko (same hotel — this is a Hub Day)

Transport Notes

• Most of this day is on foot around the lake, with the Komagatake Ropeway as the one mechanized leg — no train transfers are needed.
• If the Hakone Free Pass from the transfer day before is still within its 2-day validity window, it may cover some of this day's local transport; check the exact validity dates against when it was first used.
• The walk between the hotel and Moto-Hakone is flat and lakeside, but allow extra time if the weather is hot or wet.

Cost and Ticket Notes

• Hakone Shrine and Onshi-Hakone Park: free to enter.
• Hakone Komagatake Ropeway: around ¥1,800, adult, round trip (discounted rate for guests of The Prince Hakone Lake Ashinoko / Ryuguden).
• Budget for: lunch in Moto-Hakone, the ropeway ticket, and optional entrance fees if adding the Checkpoint Museum or an art museum.

This day pairs well with:

• Tokyo to Hakone Transfer Day — the day before, arriving at the same lakeside hotel
• Hakone to Yokohama Transfer Day — the day after, leaving Hakone for Yokohama via Odawara