What other travelers are saying about Owakudani Valley
Went on late March on a cloudy day but we managed to get good view from the observatory deck and the ropeway. It was quite fascinating from the ropeway, although Mount Fuji was covered. Sulphur smell was rather strong but expected. On top of a mountain, there’s a museum with 100JPY admission which gave a good information about Owakudani’s history, how hot springs work, etc. worth a visit for that price! There’s also a cafe (great black curry bread!!) and souvenir shop. Of course we had to get the black eggs, personally it doesn’t taste that different but good to try.
Its a 3,000-year-old active volcanic valley in Hakone. Don't miss trying Kuro-Tamago (Black Eggs), which turn black due to a chemical reaction while being boiled in the sulfur-rich hot springs. Be sure to carry a mask to avoid the strong sulfur odor in the area. The valley can be quite dusty and windy, so if you have respiratory issues, it's best to avoid.
100% worth the time to get up here.
It may take some time to get up the rope way, but it's most definitely worth it. The views at the very top are spectacular. Many opportunities to see Fuji-san, the twilight made it even better.
The volcanic smell isn't that bad, but you can definitely smell the sulfur in the air.
Black egg was pretty dang good too. A nice warm snack. The winds were pretty wild during our visit and it did get pretty cold. So bring something warm to wear if you're going up in autumn.
It will take you a bit of time to get back down so be prepared for a long journey.
I loved Owakudani.
It is difficult to get to though! There are a few options being a rope way, bus, taxi or private car.
I was there in spring and it was really cold and really windy. When you look across to the great view of Mt Fuji and then to the steaming sulphur stained hot vents it makes it worth it!
It is a good place, but it has a quite strong sulfur smell. If you drive, there is plenty of parking space, but the queue to access it is very long; we waited for more than an hour.
