Budget Friendly Hakone 2 Days Itinerary + Map
TL;DR
Our relaxing and budget-friendly Hakone two day itinerary.
I am a Geology nerd so of course, I loved Hakone. Even if crossing an active volcano on a ropeway doesn’t get you excited, Hakone still treats you with perfect Mount Fuji views and relaxing Onsens.
Our budget-friendly 2 day Hakone itinerary gives you affordable options for:
- Accommodation
- Food
- Transport
Hakone 2 Day Itinerary
Is Hakone Worth Visiting
Yes! Hakone is great if you love nature, volcanoes, and spas.
How Much Time Do You Need in Hakone?
Real talk: You only really need one day to do the Hakone round course which is the undisputed highlight of the area. There are some other activities like visiting the Hakone Open Air Museum or Amasake Tea House but if you ask us, they are nice-to-haves and not must-haves.
Why do we still advise you to spend two days in Hakone? Because of the amazing accommodations with Onsens! We absolutely loved our stay at Emblem Flow Hakone!
Getting Around Hakone on a Budget
Your best bet to get around Hakone on a budget is the Hakone 2 Day Free Pass. It includes public transport from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo as well as all tourist transport in Hakone – including the ropeways and the pirate ship.
Using our itinerary, we saved money with the Hakone Free Pass!
Hakone Free Pass 2 Day Itinerary Map
Our map including the best things you can do with your Hakone 2 day pass:
Hakone Loop Itinerary
To save money, our itinerary only includes transport options for the Hakone Loop which are included in the Hakone Free Pass (you can find a map with all the stops here).
Day 1
You can complete the whole Hakone Loop in one day. Our Hakone Pass Itinerary starts at Gora Station:
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Take the Hakone Tozan Cable Car to Sounzan Station. At Sounzan Station there’s not much to do but you can take a nice hot foot bath for free.
Foot bath at Sounzan Station -
Take the Hakone Ropeway up to Owakudani. Look out for Mount Fuji on the way. Have a rest at the top, enjoy the vies of Fuji and the sulphur vents and hot springs of Owakudani volcanic valley. Maybe have a cheeky little black egg (an egg boiled in the volcano!) or visit the Hakone Geo Museum.
💡Bucketlist2life tip: The Hakone Geo Museum is not included in the Hakone Free Pass . We paid 100 Yen and think they were well spent.
Hakone Geo Museum -
Take the Hakone Ropeway down to Togendai Station where you board a pirate ship for a sightseeing cruise. The ship itself might be a bit cheesy but the views of Lake Ashi and Mount Fuji in the distance are lovely.
Pirate Ship on Lake Ashi -
Get off the ship at Moto Hakone and explore the area. Don’t miss out on Hakone Shrine with the Instagram-famous Torii Gate. Other nice spots here are the Old Tokaido Highway, Hakone Checkpoint, and Amasake Tea House.
Mount Fuji peaking out behind Lake Ashi -
From Moto Hakone, buses run to Odawara, Hakone Yumoto, or Gora Station.
💡Bucketlist2life tip: To get to Gora Station, you have to change to the Hakone Tozan Train at Kowaki-en Station.
Moto Hakone bus stop -
Personally, we went back to our hostel Emblem Flow Hakone where we had a lovely dinner. It was not really budget-friendly but it was delicious and we got to wear our robes for the meal so we cannot complain.
💡Bucketlist2life tip: Keep in mind that public transport and restaurants shut down early in Hakone!
Dinner at Emblem Flow Hakone
Day 2
Of course, you can go out and explore places like the Hakone Open Air Museum or go on a hike. We just relaxed the morning away in our hostel’s Onsen and have zero regrets.
Where to Stay in Hakone on a Budget
We stayed at Emblem Flow Hakone. This was probably the best hostel of the whole trip. First and foremost, the hostel comes with an Onsen! Secondly, the location right next to Gora Station is outstanding. It’s also great because you can store your luggage here. Thirdly, we loved the super comfy beds and all the amenities – they even gave us the most amazing robes! Last but not least, the staff was great!
Where to Eat in Hakone on a Budget
Like always, your cheapest food option is Japan is the trusted convini. We have marked a 7-Eleven on our map. It is right next to Lake Ashi with the most amazing views for a pick nick.
How to Get to and from Hakone on a Budget
Hakone is a perfect stop to break up your Japan itinerary in between Tokyo and Kyoto!
Tokyo Hakone Train
Your public transport from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo to Hakone is included in your Hakone Free Pass. Take the regular Odakyu Line Train to Odawara. For us, changing trains to Hakone Yumoto Station was super smooth.
At Hakone Yumoto Station, you can catch the Hakone Tozan Train to Gora where the best part of the Hakone Loop starts.
Hakone Kyoto Train
To get from Hakone to Kyoto, you have to retrace your steps to Odawara. Here, you can catch a direct Shinkansen to Kyoto. The train ride from Odawara to Kyoto takes around 2 hours! They run until late.
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