Things to do with a toddler, and things to avoid…

We’ve been to Hakone once so far, with intentions of going back soon now that our son is a bit older. Hakone was the first “long weekend away” trip we took when we moved here and our son was about 18 months old and just entering the “toddler” phase of his life. We had to tailor our trip around naps, meals, and an early bedtime and also navigate our first “vacation” in Japan. We went in mid-April when temperatures were a bit cooler still, maybe a little too cool for how we packed, but we will know better next time. Overall, I really enjoyed Hakone. It was laid back, and it felt like a nice break from the city.

Hakone is only about a 2 hour drive from where we live, so it was easy for us to drive, and honestly a very beautiful drive along the ocean and then through the mountains, so it was enjoyable. We chose to drive because there were some things we wanted to do in the area that were easier to get to via car with a toddler in tow. I’m going to list out where we went, but travel to these places may look a little different if you are taking the train/bus, so keep that in mind.

What we did:

Lake Ashi and the Hakone Shrine

We left Yokosuka after lunch because we knew we couldn’t check into our Air B&B until around 3pm. Our rental was a house overlooking Lake Ashi and the Heiwa no Tori. The Tori Gate is very popular and draws a lot of tourists looking for that famous photo under the gate, overlooking the lake. We got there a bit early for check in so we ended up parking in town and walking around a bit. We followed the path along the lake, up to the shrine and took our obligatory family photo. There was a small line, but everyone was really friendly and we all took turns taking one another’s photos. From the gate, we continued down the path until it crossed the road, and led up to the Hakone Shrine. I will note, shrines are not typically known for being stroller friendly, so we did have to fold and carry our stroller. If you have a kiddo that would need carried or to ride in a stroller, I would recommend using a carrier at this point. There is a parking lot associated with the shrine if driving to it is easier. The shrine is very pretty and worth checking out. Back from the shrine, and along Lake Ashi you will find a good assortment of restaurants and shopping. We didn’t end up doing much shopping, (a lot of shops were still closed because of Covid) but we ate dinner and breakfast at a place called Bakery & Table Hakone. Another night we ate at La Terrazza, which had great pizza and pastas. Both were right on the lake and had great views. It’s worth noting, there is a Sightseeing Cruise on the Lake that looks fun, and also peddle boats you can rent and go out on the lake with. We might try these next time we go, so if we do, I will add it to the list.

Hakone Ropeway Owakudani

This is essentially a few fun experiences all wrapped into a good half day trip. We drove to Gora Station, approximately 20 minutes NE from where we were staying, and parked in a paid parking lot. From Gora Station, you can take a cable car up the mountain to the Souzan Station, which our toddler enjoyed. From there, you ride take the Ropeway to the top of Owakudani, which my husband did not enjoy because he does not like heights. Because I’m no scientist, I turned to Wikipedia for a better explaination of Owakudani. “Ōwakudani is a volcanic valley with active sulphur vents and hot springs in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It was created around 3,000 years ago, as a result of the explosion of the Hakone volcano.” Once you get to the top of this steamy crater thing, you can get out and walk around, eat the famous “Black Eggs” which are eggs boiled in the hot springs of Owakudani. The sulfur in the water turns the shells black and according to local lore, eating one will add 7 years to your life. Not to be outdone by an egg, you can also get “black ice cream” which probably adds zero years to your life, but a little something to your waistline. Our toddler really enjoyed the ice cream, and ate the egg out of peer pressure to do so. This was an overall fun time for him because he was able to ride in the cable car and on the ropeway, run around at the top, eat ice cream, and buy some souvenirs. After we came back down, we grabbed a burger at Box Burger. Not far from this area are several hikes with waterfalls, some gardens, and indoor museums. This stuff was struck from the list because of our son’s age, but now that he is older, we hope to be able to try some additional things when we go back.

Hakone Open Air Museum

The Hakone Open Air Museum is a great compromise for parents that want to visit a museum but have a very active toddler in tow. Because this museum is 99% outdoors, our son was able to be let “off leash” somewhat and toddle around while we got to enjoy the beautiful sculptures, art, and scenery. The museum even has some great “interactive” exhibits for kids, like a huge labyrinth and a building of climbing nets and ropes. He was a little young to get to enjoy either fully, so when we go back, this will definitely be a place for all of us to enjoy. It was stroller friendly as well, so that’s a plus. There are no shortage of cool art museums in this same area, so if your kid/s are a bit older.

Mishima Sky Walk

This was about a 20 minute drive SW from where we were staying, but I think it was a nice activity for our son who loves being outside and loves being active. Mishima is Japan’s longest suspension bridge and it is solely for pedestrians. It does cost money to go across, 1100 yen for adults (>$11), 500 yen for secondary students (>$5), 200 yen for primary students (>$2) and preschoolers are free. You can download this pamphlet to see everything they have to offer, but you could easily spend a full day here depending on how old your kids are and how ambitious you are. Because we had our toddler with us, we were limited on what we could do, but they have an amazing zipline, a ropes course, Segway tours, trails, 4 wheelers, and more. We did get to experience the “petting zoo” which included owls, so that was a first and last for me. Owls are pretty creepy up close and very these were very particular on how they wanted to be “pet” if you wanted to retain your fingers. There are a couple places to grab food and snacks, a coffee shop, and some cute little shopping spots as well. Also, great views of Fuji if the weather is clear.

Children’s Forest Wanpaku

This was 100% for our son. It was a chance for him to just let loose in a safe space and wear himself out before our drive home. Japan does a few things very well, and I have to say, the parks and playgrounds are one of them. I would have killed for a park like this when I was a kid. I mean, please click on this link and just check out the google pics. It has a train, it has roller slides, it has huge jungle gyms, it has ice cream vending machines, bridges, creeks, sliding hills, coin rides, a petting zoo, a bike race track, a kids rope course, and more! He had a blast and I know if we go back soon, it will be even better for him because he will be able to do so much more.

Odawara Castle

This was our last stop on the way home, and after the Children’s Forest, so our son was passed out. This worked to our favor and we were able to explore the Castle a bit before he woke up. Luckily, there is also a children’s park on the castle grounds. This was only about 7 minutes away from the Children’s Forest, so we felt it was worth stopping to see. The Odawara Castle isn’t the biggest in Japan, but still cool to see, and as I mentioned, they have a kid’s area, so it gave our son something to do. The kid’s area really seems more for toddlers and younger kids. There is a train and some coin rides, and a little go-kart track, but we probably wouldn’t go back a second time. Now that we’ve seen the castle, I’m sure our son would rather spend that extra time at the Children’s Forest instead.

Hakone has a lot to offer, and a simple google search of the area would probably give you even more ideas. We have some things bookmarked for the next time we go, which I will then add to this page. We spent a long weekend there, and had our son been a bit older and the weather a bit warmer (or the clothes we packed a bit warmer) we probably would have done more hiking and checked out some of the museums. Hakone also has a lot of Onsen (hot spring baths heated by the presence of all that volcanic activity in the area). We did not seek out an Onsen on this last trip because my husband has several very large tattoos, and most onsen do not allow tattoos, even covered ones. If you have tattoos and want to try an Onsen, it’s best to check with the establishment before going. As an alternative, some of the hotels in the area have rooms with private onsen, so you can avoid the tattoo issue. Also, a heads up, some onsen do not permit swimwear and the baths are usually divided male/female. Some more modern onsen have mixed baths and require swimwear. Just be sure you know the rules before going to avoid any awkwardness.