Hakone
Hakone is a mountain resort area southwest of Tokyo, a collection of onsen villages scattered through the forested caldera of an old volcano near Mount Fuji. For over a century it has been the capital's classic hot spring escape, close enough for a day trip but built for a ryokan night.
The sightseeing loop links a switchback mountain railway, a cable car, a ropeway over the sulfur vents of Owakudani, and a cruise across Lake Ashi beneath a red torii gate. The Hakone Open-Air Museum sets sculpture against the mountains, and Hakone Shrine hides cedar-lined steps beside the lake.
On clear days Mount Fuji rises behind the water, though clouds hide it often, so treat a sighting as a bonus. The Hakone Free Pass covers the loop from Shinjuku, and staying a night means the baths come after the day-trippers leave. Autumn color and winter's clear air are the favorite seasons.
