Plan your journey
Getting to Hakone from Tokyo is straightforward: compare three rail routes and find the correct meeting point for your walk.
Pick the route that matches your starting point. If your hotel is on the Shinjuku side of Tokyo, Odakyu's Romancecar reaches Hakone-Yumoto directly, with reserved seats and no transfer:
| Route | From | Time | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odakyu Romancecar Most popular |
Shinjuku Station → Hakone-Yumoto, direct | ~85–90 min | All seats reserved — book ahead for the 9:00 am walks. Comfortable, scenic, no transfers. |
| Odakyu express + Hakone-Tozan line Budget |
Shinjuku → Odawara, change to the Hakone-Tozan line → Hakone-Yumoto | ~1 hr 50 min | The cheapest way. Covered end-to-end by the Hakone Freepass. |
| Shinkansen JR Pass holders |
Tokyo or Shinagawa → Odawara, then Hakone-Tozan line | ~35 min to Odawara | The fastest rail leg. Ideal if you hold a JR Pass or are coming from the Tokyo Station side of the city. |
The Hakone Freepass can be useful when you combine your walk with wider sightseeing. See our full guide: Should you buy the Hakone Freepass?
Each walk has its own confirmed meeting point. Your booking confirmation states which one — here is how to reach each of them:
Introductory Shinrin-yoku
From Hakone-Yumoto Station, take the Hakone Tozan Bus bound for Moto-Hakone / Hakone-machi (about 35–40 minutes). Buses leave frequently from directly outside the station and are covered by the Freepass.
Compare the Introductory and Lakeshore meeting points before choosing your bus.
Immersive Shinrin-yoku at the Lakeshore
From Hakone-Yumoto Station, the direct Izu-Hakone Bus to Hakone-en takes about 65 minutes. This bus is not covered by the Hakone Freepass. Services are less frequent than buses to Moto-Hakone, so check the current timetable and follow the exact arrival instructions in your booking confirmation.
Temple Forest Walk and Onsen
The simplest meeting point of all — every route above passes through it. We meet at Beck's Coffee inside the station.
Hakone Valley Walk & Forest Bathing
The end of the line for the Romancecar and the Tozan railway from Odawara. We meet outside the ticket gates.
Introductory Shinrin-yoku: the walk finishes at Moto-Hakone Port. Return by bus to Hakone-Yumoto or Odawara, then continue to Tokyo.
Immersive Shinrin-yoku at the Lakeshore: the walk finishes at Hakone-en. Follow the current Izu-Hakone Bus timetable back towards Odawara or Hakone-Yumoto.
Temple Forest Walk and Onsen: the walk finishes at Daiyuzan Station. The Daiyuzan Line takes about 20 minutes to Odawara; from there, the Tokaido Shinkansen takes about 35 minutes to Tokyo, or the Romancecar takes about 75 minutes to Shinjuku.
Hakone Valley Walk & Forest Bathing: the walk finishes at a local wagashi shop in Hakone-Yumoto, a few minutes from the station. From Hakone-Yumoto, take the Romancecar to Shinjuku or the local train to Odawara for onward connections.
Travelling with luggage? Our parent company’s Hakone luggage forwarding and lockers guide explains station and hotel options, hours and fees.
Travel time varies significantly by meeting point. Hakone-en takes longer to reach than Moto-Hakone, Hakone-Yumoto or Odawara, so do not use one departure time for every walk.
For morning sessions, follow the train and bus suggested in your booking confirmation and check the current timetable before travelling. Staying in Hakone the night before is the most relaxed option.
Unsure which route suits your day? Ask Aki directly — he has been meeting guests off these trains for years and usually replies the same day; replies may take longer while he’s guiding.
Still choosing a destination? Compare six places for forest bathing near Tokyo, then read our Japan forest bathing guide.