Did you know that while there are many spots in Hakone where you can admire beautiful autumn leaves, the best viewing time differs slightly by area?
Because Hakone has significant differences in elevation depending on the location, the peak season for autumn leaves varies for each area. It is said that for every 100m increase in elevation, the temperature drops by 0.6°C. Therefore, if you want to see the most beautiful autumn leaves in Hakone, the key points are when and which area of Hakone you visit.
In Hakone as a whole, the leaves gradually begin to change color around October each year, and the foliage progresses from mid to late November, marking the full-fledged autumn leaf season. In areas at the foot of the mountains like Hakone-Yumoto, you can often enjoy the autumn leaves well into December. By checking the peak season for each area, you can enjoy the autumn leaves at their most beautiful!

Hakone-Yumoto Area

Hakone-Yumoto is known as the gateway to Hakone. It is a bustling area with many onsen inns, hotels, and souvenir shops, and it is the largest onsen town in Hakone. The Hayakawa and Sukumo rivers flow through the area, allowing you to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the valleys colored by autumn leaves. Another major charm is that you can walk to various autumn foliage spots from Hakone-Yumoto Station.
The best time to see autumn leaves in the Hakone-Yumoto area is typically from late November to early December. Hakone-Yumoto is on the border with Odawara City and is the lowest elevation area in Hakone. Therefore, the peak season for autumn leaves is later compared to other areas in Hakone.

Gora & Kowakudani Area

Gora, with its many luxury hotels, and Kowakudani, home to the popular onsen facility "Hakone Kowakien Yunessun," are popular tourist spots in Hakone. There are plenty of spots where the trees in museums and parks turn red and yellow, allowing you to enjoy the beautiful autumn scenery.
The autumn leaves in the Gora and Kowakudani area gradually begin to change color around late October, and the best viewing time is typically from early to mid-November. This area has many steep slopes and a relatively high elevation, so the temperature is lower compared to Hakone-Yumoto at the foot of the mountain. Therefore, you can see the autumn leaves relatively early.

Owakudani, Togendai & Sengokuhara Area

Owakudani is a popular tourist spot where you can fully enjoy the great nature of Hakone, including the sight of rising volcanic plumes. Around Owakudani, you can enjoy the beautiful autumn leaves of the mountains by riding the "Hakone Ropeway." Also, if you board the "Hakone Pirate Ship" from Togendai Port, you can enjoy the autumn foliage around Lake Ashi from the boat.
And it is Sengokuhara where you can enjoy the "pampas grass fields," a representative autumn landscape of Hakone. The pampas grass spreading over a wide area is a magnificent sight that makes you feel the autumn season.
When you come to the Owakudani, Togendai, and Sengokuhara area, the elevation rises further, and the temperature drops significantly. The best time to see the autumn leaves is often from early to mid-November.

Lake Ashi Area

Lake Ashi is a representative tourist spot of Hakone. The scenery of the lake is very beautiful, and its charm lies in its location where you can fully enjoy the great nature surrounded by mountains. During the autumn foliage season, the trees around Lake Ashi turn red, yellow, and orange, offering beautiful autumn views. Also, if the weather is good, you can see Mt. Fuji, and you can enjoy the spectacular view of Mt. Fuji and the autumn leaves around Lake Ashi!
The Lake Ashi area is where the trees start to change color earliest in Hakone. The best viewing time is typically from late October to mid-November. The area around Lake Ashi is one of the coldest among Hakone's tourist spots, so its characteristic is that the peak season for autumn leaves is earlier than in other areas. You'll want to enjoy the autumn leaves in warm clothing.

There are many beautiful places for autumn leaves in Hakone, but here we will introduce some of the best spots where you can enjoy particularly beautiful autumn foliage.

Soun-ji Temple, an old temple associated with a Sengoku warrior

"Soun-ji Temple" is located a 15-minute walk from Hakone-Yumoto Station. It is an old temple of the Rinzai sect's Daitoku-ji school, founded in 1521 by Ujitsuna Hojo. It was burned down during Toyotomi Hideyoshi's siege of Odawara in 1590, so what you can see today was rebuilt during the Edo period.
Nevertheless, it is a place where you can feel the culture of the Sengoku and Edo periods, and it is recommended to enjoy the autumn leaves while thinking about the people of the past. Let's enjoy the gorgeous scenery along with the trees of Soun Park behind Soun-ji Temple.

Hakone Museum of Art, to enjoy a garden designated as a national Place of Scenic Beauty

"Hakone Museum of Art" is one of the popular spots for autumn leaves in the Gora area. It is an art museum that exhibits valuable ceramics from ancient times such as Jomon earthenware, Haniwa (clay figures), and colored porcelain, and is known for its beautiful garden.
"Shinsenkyo," located on the premises, was designated a national Place of Scenic Beauty in 2021. "Shinsenkyo" is composed of several gardens, and in autumn, you can enjoy strolling while looking at the colored trees. It is a garden with many highlights, such as the "Sekiraku-en" with its giant rocks and mountain streams, the "Moss Garden" where you can enjoy the beauty of moss and autumn leaves, and the beautiful bamboo grove that leads to the museum building.
Autumn is a season when "Shinsenkyo" shines very beautifully, and it is crowded with many tourists every year during the autumn leaf season. In the "Moss Garden," where a green carpet of about 130 types of moss spreads, the numerous red and yellow "fallen maple leaves" stand out vividly, and you can enjoy the contrast between the moss and the maple leaves.
It is also recommended to enjoy seasonal sweets and matcha green tea at the "Shinwa-tei Tea House" while looking at the "Moss Garden." You can fully enjoy the autumn of Japan!

Hakone Gora Park, a French-style formal garden

"Hakone Gora Park" is a popular tourist spot in Gora, the terminal station of the Hakone Tozan Railway. Many seasonal flowers are planted in the spacious park, and you can enjoy the nature of the four seasons. In autumn, it becomes a recommended spot for beautiful autumn leaves.
It is a park centered on Japan's first French-style formal garden, which opened in 1914, and the fountain plaza is an impressive spot. There are experience workshops, a tea house, and cafes in the park, where you can spend your free time in the calm air of Hakone.
In early November, the maple trees turn bright red, so you can enjoy the beautiful contrast of autumn flowers and maple leaves while taking a walk.
Also, the autumn leaves that can be seen from the historic tea house "Haku-un-do Tea Garden" are magnificent. In a calm atmosphere, you can quietly admire the colored trees of the garden while enjoying matcha and sweets.

Since you're going all the way to Hakone, you'll want to enjoy the autumn foliage spots efficiently! If you're staying overnight, you can tour the famous autumn leaf spots in each area of Hakone, and even on a day trip, if you narrow down the places, you can fully enjoy Hakone's autumn foliage!
Next, we will introduce a recommended model course for Hakone's autumn foliage.

Enjoying Hakone's Autumn to the Fullest on a 1-Night, 2-Day Trip!

If you plan to stay overnight and enjoy the onsen after sightseeing in Hakone, you can tour the famous autumn leaf spots with plenty of time. By using transportation unique to Hakone, such as the "Hakone Pirate Ship" and "Hakone Ropeway," you can not only move efficiently but also enjoy the autumn leaves while on the move!
If you are traveling by train, we recommend using the "Hakone Freepass," a round-trip ticket that allows unlimited rides on transportation in the Hakone area, as you can travel reasonably!

Departing from Hakone-Yumoto Station

Hakone-Yumoto Station is the gateway to your Hakone journey. You can transfer to buses or the Hakone Tozan Railway to travel to various places. It's fine to depart for various places right from Hakone-Yumoto Station, but since Hakone-Yumoto also has autumn foliage spots like "Soun-ji Temple," why not visit them?

Enjoying foliage at Hakone Gora Park

From "Gora Station," the terminal of the Hakone Tozan Railway, you'll want to take the Hakone Tozan Cable Car to "Hakone Gora Park." You can enjoy beautiful autumn leaves at this popular Hakone spot, which has a fountain and offers the enjoyment of nature in all four seasons.
There are also restaurants and cafes where you can taste delicious gourmet food and sweets, so it's a good idea to take a break!

Quietly admiring leaves at Hakone Museum of Art

"Hakone Museum of Art" in Gora is where you can enjoy the autumn leaves quietly in a calm garden. The fallen maple leaves on the mossy ground are also beautiful, making it a foliage spot where you can fully enjoy the autumn of Japan.

Day 2: Traveling by Hakone Ropeway!

The "Hakone Ropeway" is what allows you to travel efficiently from Sounzan Station to Togendai on the shores of Lake Ashi while enjoying spectacular views. From inside the ropeway, you can also enjoy the beautiful autumn leaves of the Hakone mountains.

Enjoying smoke and foliage at Owakudani

"Owakudani" is a popular tourist spot where you can feel the power of volcanic activity. Looking down from the ropeway, you can enjoy the scenery of the mountains dyed red and yellow. On a clear day, you can also enjoy a spectacular view of Mt. Fuji.

Enjoying foliage from the lake on the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise

Once you reach Togendai on the Hakone Ropeway, let's enjoy the autumn leaves of Lake Ashi by boarding the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise!
The Hakone Sightseeing Cruise is a popular sightseeing boat that connects Togendai Port with Hakone-machi Port and Moto-Hakone Port. The autumn leaves of Hakone that can be enjoyed from the surface of Lake Ashi are truly a spectacular sight. From the deck of the pirate ship, you can overlook the torii gate of "Hakone Shrine" standing on the lake and the colored mountains of Hakone.
The area around Lake Ashi is where the autumn leaves start earliest in Hakone. There are many hotels and restaurants on the shores of the lake, so it's also recommended to enjoy a meal or have teatime while looking at the beautiful autumn scenery.

This time, we have introduced the best time to see autumn leaves in Hakone and recommended foliage spots.
Autumn is a season when you can enjoy particularly beautiful scenery in Hakone. You'll definitely want to check the popular foliage spots and visit when the autumn leaves are at their peak.
It is recommended to make good use of the transportation unique to Hakone to efficiently tour the popular autumn leaf spots.
Be sure to visit Hakone when the autumn leaves are at their best and fully enjoy the beautiful foliage!