For more than 400 years, mountainous Hakone was the most difficult part of the Tokaido Highway, a land transportation route that connected Edo (modern-day Tokyo) with Kyoto. Today, however, Hakone is only 90 minutes away from the capital and is easily accessible by bullet train, private express train, and highway bus.

Hakone Sekisho was an important government checkpoint during Japan’s Edo Period (1603-1868). As travel was strictly controlled at that time, the passage of travelers to and from Edo (present-day Tokyo) was monitored here. At the Hakone Sekisho Site Museum, visitors can see learn all about the activity of the highway during the time through models of the time period.

Despite its proximity to one of the biggest cities in the world, Hakone is also a global geopark with a rich natural environment, and its unique volcanic terrain and verdant mountains mean it is home to a number of endemic plants and animals.

Although not far from Tokyo, as a designated geopark, Hakone has a rich natural environment. Due to recurrent volcanic activity in its ancient past, it has a unique rocky terrain, as well as numerous hot springs, and it is a rich natural habitat that is home to many endemic animals and plants.

In addition to this lush atmosphere, there are also many sightseeing attractions in Hakone. Visitors can take sightseeing boats across Lake Ashi or board the ropeway at Owakudani Valley, as well as explore the many museums, cultural facilities and golf courses built in the area.

As a result, throughout the 20th century, Hakone was considered one of the best honeymoon destinations in Japan, and the private limited express train that serves the area was named the Romancecar.

The tour routes are as follows.
Odakyu Line Shinjuku Station →（Train） Hakone-Yumoto Station →（Bus） Narukawa Art Museum →（Bus） Hakone Park・The Hakone Barrier →（Pirate Ship・Ropeway） Owakudani Valley → （Ropeway・Train） Odakyu Line Shinjuku Station