Take the Hakone Tozan Railway to Ohiradai Station to see the hydrangeas

Our original plan for the two-day self-drive trip to Hakone, Kawaguchiko, and Hokkaido was delayed due to heavy traffic in Tokyo. We had planned to visit the shopping street next to Hakone-Yumoto Station, but because we arrived late, most of the shops were already closed. So we decided to ride the Hakone Tozan Railway to see the hydrangeas that bloom beautifully in June.

When we arrived near Hakone-Yumoto Station, we tried to park nearby, but there were too many cars coming from the opposite direction. So we drove further into the mountains and found a parking lot near Hakone-Yumoto Izumi. Even though we weren’t planning to use the hot spring, we were allowed to park there for a fee. After parking, we walked back toward Hakone-Yumoto Station.

Most of the stores near the station were closed. We climbed the pedestrian overpass and headed toward the station entrance. After buying our tickets, we entered the station. The red Hakone Tozan train was waiting — that was our ride. Coincidentally, many passengers were getting off, and on the other side, there was a beautiful blue train (Odakyu 60000 series, 60255F).

We sat at the front of the train and watched the driver operate the train as it slowly climbed uphill. It wasn’t fast, but we passed through several tunnels and zigzagged up the mountain. At one point, the train made a short stop, and we saw the driver walk from the front carriage to the rear to continue the journey — switching to a different line to continue uphill from the opposite end.

Along the way, we could see hydrangeas everywhere. We decided to get off at Ohiradai Station to explore a hidden spot located between two rail tracks, where you can photograph the hydrangeas and mountain trains together. After exiting the station, there was a small, almost unnoticeable path. A short 50-meter walk took us to the hidden gem.

There, we found different varieties of Yydrangeas (Ajisai). Between the two train tracks, we could capture stunning shots of both the flowers and the trains. When we heard the sound of an approaching train, we quickly got ready to take photos.

↑ At one point, two Hakone Tozan trains passed each other — one heading to Hakone-Yumoto Station, the other to Gōra Station — both very close to us, surrounded by hydrangeas.

After we had taken enough photos, we decided to head back down. Checking the time, we noticed there was a bus stop right across from Ōhiradai Station. We checked the schedule for the Hakone Tozan Bus and realized that taking the bus would be a quicker option for the return trip. Sure enough, a bus arrived within five minutes. It was packed with passengers, and the road was narrow and winding, but the driver handled it expertly. Within about 10 minutes, we were back at our parking spot.

There were many foreign tourists on the bus — now we understood why so many people come to Hakone to visit.😄😄😄。