Hakone, Japan

Nestled inside the Hakone Open-Air Museum, this elegant buffet restaurant frames every meal with views of rolling sculpture gardens and distant peaks. Local Kanagawa vegetables and Sagami Bay seafood anchor a menu that changes confidently with each season. Eating here feels less like a restaurant visit and more like a long, lucky afternoon in a dream.

Dining at this historic inn's restaurant means surrendering fully to a kaiseki course that reads like a poem about the surrounding mountains. Each lacquered dish arrives with an explanation of where its ingredients were foraged or caught that same morning. The warm sake poured between courses adds a gentle glow that lingers long after dinner ends.

Operating for over 350 years on the old Tokaido highway, this thatched-roof teahouse is one of Hakone's most charming and historic stops. Travelers warm their hands on cups of sweet, creamy amazake — a lightly fermented rice drink with no alcohol and deep comfort. The wooden benches and open hearth make you feel as though feudal Japan simply never left.

A surprising and beloved Neapolitan pizzeria in Gora that has cultivated a fiercely loyal local following for its wood-fired thin-crust pies. The imported Italian flour and San Marzano tomatoes taste even better after a long day of hiking mountain trails. Its cheerful, candlelit interior offers a delightful contrast to the traditional Japanese surroundings outside.

This 200-year-old ryokan sits beside the Hayakawa River, offering rooms dressed in dark timber and washi paper screens. Guests soak in private open-air baths fed by natural hot springs while listening to the river below. The kaiseki dinner served by kimono-clad staff is an unforgettable ritual of seasonal flavors.

Once an imperial family retreat, Gora Kadan blends regal heritage with deeply personal hospitality tucked into forested hills. Each suite opens onto its own terrace where Mount Fuji occasionally peers through morning mist. The outdoor rotenburo baths are surrounded by maples that blaze brilliant red every autumn.

Perched in the quiet Gora district, this refined resort blends contemporary design with sweeping mountain panoramas from every room. The infinity pool overlooking the valley is particularly magical at dusk when the ridgelines turn indigo. Its onsen facilities and spa treatments make it a restorative base for exploring the wider Hakone area.

This intimate guesthouse near Hakone-Yumoto station wraps guests in a cozy, eclectic atmosphere with handpicked vintage furniture and thoughtful local art. The communal lounge encourages genuine conversation over craft beer and local sake. It offers excellent value for solo travelers and couples who want warmth without the formality of a grand ryokan.

Sprawling across a hillside, this remarkable outdoor gallery showcases over 120 sculptures by Rodin, Picasso, and Henry Moore displayed against a backdrop of forest and sky. A Picasso pavilion houses an intimate collection of his ceramics and paintings, which feels wonderfully out of place in the mountains. Children and adults alike find magic in walking among giant abstract forms wrapped in real weather.

Boarding a pirate-ship ferry on the glassy waters of Lake Ashi delivers one of Japan's most iconic views: Mount Fuji rising perfectly above the caldera rim on a clear morning. The 30-minute crossing between Hakone-machi and Togendai drifts past ancient cedar forests and the torii gate of Hakone Shrine standing in the shallows. Even on overcast days, the mist rolling off the lake creates an otherworldly sense of quiet wonder.

Reached by ropeway gondola, this active volcanic zone hisses with sulphur vents and steaming craters that remind you Hakone sits atop a restless caldera. The famous black eggs — boiled in the volcanic springs and said to add seven years to your life — are an essential and delicious souvenir of the visit. On clear days the gondola ride itself offers a jaw-dropping diagonal view straight toward the summit of Mount Fuji.

Approached through a towering corridor of ancient cedar trees, this 1,200-year-old Shinto shrine sits at the edge of Lake Ashi in an atmosphere of profound, forested stillness. The iconic red torii gate standing in the water is most beautiful at sunrise when mist wraps around its legs and the lake reflects a pale gold sky. Visiting on a quiet weekday morning feels like receiving a private blessing from the mountains themselves.