Take the Hakone Ropeway to enjoy stunning views of Mt. Fuji and the volcanic landscape of Owakudani

On the second morning of our 12-day self-driving trip through Hakone, Kawaguchiko, and Hokkaido, we started the day by visiting the Heiwa no Torii (Peace Torii) by Lake Ashi.

Then came the main highlight—taking the Hakone Ropeway and Hakone Tozan Cable Car to enjoy the beautiful scenery here.

From Hakone Shrine, we drove to the free parking lot next to Togendai Station. Fortunately, we arrived early—out of about a dozen parking spaces, only two were left. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have known where to park. After parking, we walked to Togendai Station to board the Hakone Ropeway.

Inside Togendai Station, there was a ropeway model display where visitors could take photos, so we spent quite a while there. When we were ready to board the 18-passenger gondola toward Owakudani, there was practically no line—just the three of us in our own gondola. As we slowly ascended, we could see Lake Ashi, and as we crossed over the mountain ridges, summer’s Mt. Fuji came into view. It was stunning.

We got off at Owakudani Station, the most crowded spot on the route. Here, we enjoyed the volcanic landscape, sulfur vents, and rising steam—very much like the volcanic terrain in Taipei’s Yangmingshan.

Owakudani also features the Wind Wheel Open-Air Deck and the Steam Observation Deck, both excellent spots to take in the scenery and feel refreshed.

Aside from admiring the steam vents and smelling the sulfur, we walked toward the direction of Mt. Fuji to take photos. On the ropeway, we had taken pictures through the glass, but this time we shot from the parking lot in front of Owakudani, and the view of Mt. Fuji was spectacular.

↑ Summer’s Mt. Fuji is often hidden by clouds, so we felt blessed to see it clearly here in Owakudani👍

After spending some time in Owakudani, we continued on the ropeway toward Sounzan. At Sounzan Station, there’s a large curved counter and an unmissable observation deck with a free footbath. Since the weather was hot, we skipped soaking our feet and instead prepared to ride another type of transport—the Hakone Tozan Cable Car—down toward Gora Station.

Unexpectedly, the Hakone Tozan Cable Car was packed with passengers. Thankfully, we found seats and could relax, enjoying the scenery while dozing off (we had gotten up very early). At Gora Station, we originally planned to visit the Hakone Museum of Art, but changed our minds, opting instead for matcha donuts before returning on the Hakone Tozan Cable Car.

On the way back, the crowds were heavy. Not only did we have to queue for the cable car at Gora Station, but also at Sounzan Station for the ropeway back to Togendai. From the windows at Togendai Station, we could see the pirate sightseeing ships.

By lunchtime, we were at the restaurant inside the Togendai View Complex, where we enjoyed wide views of Lake Ashi and the pirate ship docked on the lake. Over a relaxing meal of special hamburger steak and fluffy omelet rice, we took a break before continuing our journey.