[Odawara/Hakone] Take a trip with the Hakone Free Pass! Experience tradition and art
The Odawara and Hakone area is easily accessible from Tokyo and has a wide range of tourist facilities, including art museums. With a famous castle, Mount Fuji, shrines, and many other quintessentially Japanese spots, it's also popular with foreign tourists. This time, we'll be introducing a magculo-themed weekend trip for parents and children, touring the area using the Odakyu Electric Railway's discounted 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, lustrous Vermeer blue body, a favorite color of the Dutch painter Vermeer. It runs directly to the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line, Odakyu Line, and Hakone Tozan Line, and can be boarded from Kita-Senju, Otemachi, Kasumigaseki, and Omotesando. Since all seats are reserved, I purchased my express ticket in advance on a ticketing website called EMot.
Since we're traveling by train, the Hakone Free Pass is a must-have. This single pass will take you around Hakone, including Odawara, Gotemba, and Mishima. It gives you unlimited rides on eight types of transportation, including the Hakone Tozan Railway, Hakone Tozan Cable Car, Hakone Ropeway, and the Hakone Pirate Ship that sails around Lake Ashi. What's more, by simply presenting the pass, you can receive preferential treatment and discounts at approximately 70 facilities, including art museums.
▶Hakone Free Pass
Official website: here
EMot: Purchase digital tickets here
[Odawara] Parent and child make Odawara lanterns
After about two hours on the train, we arrived at Odawara Station.
Once you exit the ticket gate, you'll see Odawara Castle, which has been selected as one of Japan's 100 most famous castles. It's a 10-minute walk from the station, but this time I'll pretend I'm taking a tour of it using these stairs (lol). I'm heading to experience Odawara's traditional crafts, something I've always wanted to try since I covered it there before.
I was looking forward to the Odawara Lantern Making Experience, which is popular among tourists. The Odawara Lantern Making Volunteer Association holds the experience 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 the frame, and attached it, and it was finished in about 90 minutes. We didn't need to make a reservation, so we just showed up empty-handed and were able to take homemade folk crafts as souvenirs. It was a valuable experience.
▶Odawara Lantern Making Experience
Event information: here
[Motohakone] Experience the breathtaking scenery and art at the lakeside art museum
From Odawara Station, take the Hakone Tozan Railway and 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 forest and lakes. It houses 4,000 masterpieces of contemporary Japanese painting, and changes its exhibits four times a year to reflect the changing seasons. From the observation lounge, you can see Lake Ashi, the "Peace Torii" of Hakone Shrine, and even Mount Fuji.
After viewing the exhibits, head to the tea lounge "Kisetsufu" to enjoy sweets made with glass works by glass artists. Ishii Koji's work is the perfect match for "Ice Cream Yuzu" and Kurihara Rurika's work is the 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, a 200 yen discount for high school and university students, and a 100 yen discount for elementary and junior high school students.
[Motohakone] Tour 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 that has been 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 had undergone rigorous training, following a divine revelation from the Great God of Hakone. Worshipped as a god of good fortune who brings good luck and wards off evil, fulfills wishes, provides safety on the roads, and brings people together in love, many visitors come from both within Japan and abroad.
Kuzuryu Shrine is a shrine dedicated to Kuzuryu Okami, the guardian deity of Lake Ashi. He has long been worshipped as "Kuzuryu-sama" by people as the god of water and a highly sacred dragon god. 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 known as "Ryujin-sui" springs up, and people come to collect the water.
▶Hakone Shrine, Kuzuryu Shrine
Official website: here
[Moto-Hakone 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 boarded 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 features a classic design with wood clad from floor to ceiling, creating a luxurious feel to the voyage. There is also 3D art and pirate-themed objects, making it a space that can be enjoyed by both adults and children.
▶Hakone Pirate Ship
Official website: here
Odawara and Hakone are full of 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 known as the "reverse route," going from Odawara and Hakone Yumoto to Lake Ashi, Owakudani, and Gora. It was great for avoiding the crowds even during this busy tourist season, so it's recommended for those who want to enjoy themselves at a leisurely pace. The Hakone Free Pass is valid for two or three days, so next time we'd like to stay overnight and "visit museums from the morning." Stay tuned for our next Magcul travel report!
Text by Mai Shimura (editor/writer)
