[Odawara/Hakone] Take a trip with the Hakone Free Pass! Experience tradition and art
The Odawara/Hakone area is easily accessible from Tokyo and has a wide range of tourist facilities, including art museums. It is also popular with foreign tourists, as it has many quintessentially Japanese spots, such as famous castles, Mt. Fuji, and shrines. This time, we will introduce a magculo weekend parent-child trip using the Odakyu Electric Railway's great value transportation ticket, the Hakone Free Pass.
Riding the Vermeer Blue Train
On Sunday morning, I headed from Tokyo to Odawara and Hakone.
The Romancecar Metro Hakone is a special train with a beautiful, glossy Vermeer blue body, a favorite color of the Dutch painter Vermeer. The Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line, Odakyu Line, and Hakone Tozan Line run directly to the train, and you can board the train from Kita-Senju, Otemachi, Kasumigaseki, and Omotesando. All seats are reserved, so I purchased my express ticket in advance on a ticket website called EMot before setting off.
Since this is a train trip, the Hakone Freepass is a must-have item. With this one pass, you can travel around Hakone, Odawara, Gotemba, and Mishima. You can ride eight types of transportation, including the Hakone Tozan Railway, Hakone Tozan Cable Car, Hakone Ropeway, and the Hakone Pirate Ship that travels on Lake Ashi, as much as you like. In addition, by simply presenting the pass, you can receive special offers and discounts at about 70 facilities, including museums.
▶Hakone Free Pass
Official website: here
EMot: Purchase digital tickets here
[Odawara] Parents and children make Odawara lanterns
After about two hours on the train, we arrived at Odawara Station.
When you exit the ticket gate, you will see Odawara Castle, which has been selected as one of the 100 most famous castles in Japan. It is said to be a 10-minute walk from the station, but this time I will pretend to see it by taking these stairs (lol). I will head to the traditional craft experience of Odawara, which I have wanted to try ever since I covered it before.
I was looking forward to the Odawara Lantern Making Experience, which is popular among tourists. It is held by the Odawara Lantern Making Volunteer Association on the second and fourth Sunday of every month. I heard that parents and children could participate, so my son and I decided to make one too. We chose a design, made a frame, pasted it down, and finished in about 90 minutes. It was nice that we could participate empty-handed without making a reservation and take home a handmade folk craft as a souvenir. It was a valuable experience.
▶Odawara Lantern Making Experience
Event information: here
[Motohakone] Experience spectacular views and art at a lakeside art museum
From Odawara Station, take the Hakone Tozan Railway and then the Hakone Tozan Bus to arrive at Motohakone in about 50 minutes.
The Narukawa Art Museum is located on a hill just a minute's walk from the bus stop, surrounded by forests and lakes. It houses 4,000 masterpieces of modern Japanese painting, and changes its exhibits four times a year to match the seasons. From the observation lounge, you can see Lake Ashi, the "Torii of Peace" at Hakone Shrine, and even Mount Fuji.
After viewing the exhibits, enjoy desserts in glassware made by glass artists at the tea lounge "Kisetsufu." Ishii Koji's work is a perfect match for "Yuzu Ice Cream," while Kurihara Rurika's work is a perfect match for "Shiratama Cream Anmitsu."
▶Hakone Lake Ashi Narukawa Art Museum
Official website: here
*Present your Hakone Free Pass to receive a 200 yen discount on admission for adults, 200 yen discount for high school and university students, and 100 yen discount for elementary and junior high school students.
[Motohakone] Visit shrines that have been worshipped since ancient times
A 30-minute walk along the shore of Lake Ashi leads to the shrine, known as a power spot.
Hakone Shrine is a famous shrine revered as Hakone Daigongen, the guardian deity of the Kanto region, and was founded in 757 during the Nara period by the monk Mangan, who underwent rigorous training, following a divine revelation from the Great God of Hakone. It is worshipped as a god of good fortune, with divine virtues for bringing good luck and warding off evil, fulfilling wishes, traffic safety, and finding a partner, and is visited by many worshippers from both within Japan and overseas.
"Kuzuryu Shrine" is a shrine that enshrines Kuzuryu Okami, the guardian deity of Lake Ashi. He has long been revered as "Kuzuryu-sama" by people as the deity who governs water and the dragon god with a high spiritual rank. We visited "Kuzuryu Shrine (Shingu)", which was built in 2000 within the grounds of Hakone Shrine. In front of the main shrine, a sacred spring of water called "Ryujin-sui" springs up, and people come to collect the water.
▶Hakone Shrine, Kuzuryu Shrine
Official website: here
[From Motohakone to Togendai] Cruise Lake Ashi on an artistic passenger ship
After finishing our worship, we finally cross Lake Ashi.
The Hakone Pirate Ship is a sightseeing boat that connects Motohakone Port, Togendai Port, and Hakone-machi Port. Of the three ships in operation, we rode on the gold-hulled Queen Ashinoko this time. The journey from Motohakone Port to Togendai Port takes about 25 minutes, and the interior of the ship has a classic design with wood from floor to ceiling, creating a luxurious voyage. There is also 3D art and pirate objects, making it a space that can be enjoyed by both adults and children.
▶Hakone Pirate Ship
Official website: here
Odawara and Hakone are packed with attractions
The Hakone Free Pass was a great help on this trip.
The Hakone Golden Course, a classic route packed with popular tourist spots that runs from Hakone Yumoto to Lake Ashi via Gora and Owakudani, will celebrate its 65th anniversary this fall.
This time we chose a course called the "reverse route" that goes from Odawara and Hakone Yumoto to Lake Ashi, Owakudani, and Gora. It was great for those who want to enjoy themselves at a leisurely pace, as we were able to avoid crowds even during this busy tourist season. The Hakone Free Pass is valid for 2 or 3 days, so next time we'd like to stay overnight and "visit museums in the morning." Stay tuned for the next Magcal travel report!
Text by Mai Shimura (editor/writer)
