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Just an hour outside of Tokyo by train, Hakone is an idyllic town dotted with hot spring resorts, forests, mountains, and quaint storefronts. Hakone was a highlight of our trip, and L and I hope to return soon!

Where We Stayed

Gora Hanaougi Madoka No Mori—

If you are looking for a tranquil and pampered stay in Hakone, I highly recommend our onsen ryokan Gora Hanaougi Madoka No Mori. The hotel had communal hot springs in-house, and our room also came with a private hot spring and a balcony overlooking mountains. Needless to say, I was a happy prune by the end of our stay.

Views from our balcony

Our Kyoto-style kaiseki experience was divine, and we had the choice to have dinner served in our hotel room or eat in a private dining room. Every course was lovingly, meticulously prepared, and the presentation was exquisite.

We also had breakfast at the ryokan, which was itself a gustatory (and visual) experience.

Views from our private dining room

Things to Do in Hakone

Hakone Open Air Museum—

A stunning art safari in the mountains of Hakone, a magical combination of human curation and natural scenery.

Dressed in anticipation of a full day’s worth of exploration outdoors. I wore a bucket hat I got in Korea (similar here, here, and here). I love that it has a loose knit, allowing ample ventilation because it gets hot in July. My silk tank and linen pants (similar here) kept me dry and cool in the humidity. Before the honeymoon, I spent hours on the Internet searching for the perfect fanny pack before landing on this one, It was surprisingly difficult to find a fanny pack that would go with most outfits, was big enough to carry all my essentials (including a bottle of water since we were traveling in the summer) while not looking too bulky, and had an easily adjustable strap so I could quickly get it on and off and wear it on both my hip and across my shoulders. My OV sneakers saved my feet as we logged over 18,000 steps in just one day.

Wearing OV sneakers

Lake Ashi Pier—

Instead of taking the pirate ship cruise (seemed a little gimmicky to us), we took a peaceful stroll along Lake Ashi Pier.

Hakone-jinja Shrine—

Shinto shrine on the shores of Lake Ashi

Hakone Karaage Karatto—

We had most of our meals at our ryokan, so we didn’t eat out much, but this place is worth mentioning. Egggcellent karaage. The best L and I have ever had. So juicy and flavorful.

All opinions are my own, and this post is not sponsored by any brands. It does contain affiliate links, which may give me a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support as it helps me keep this blog going! I fully support each of the brands mentioned.

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