Hakone Shrine
箱根神社
A 1,200-year-old mountain shrine on Lake Ashi, best known for a red torii gate that rises directly from the water
About Hakone Shrine
Hakone Shrine sits at the edge of Lake Ashi, backed by dense cedar forest and the Hakone mountain range. The shrine was established in 757 AD and is dedicated to three mountain deities associated with Mt. Hakone. Most visitors come for the lake torii: a red gate standing in the water at the shoreline, framed by the lake surface and, on clear days, Mt. Fuji to the northwest. The gate marks the approach from the water; the main shrine complex sits a short walk inland through a cedar forest corridor. The main hall dates to the Edo period and the inner compound houses an Edo-period treasure hall. The shrine is also the endpoint of the famous pirate ship cruise across Lake Ashi, making the lakeside torii both the beginning and the end of different Hakone Loop routes.
Essential Tips
The lakeside torii is free and always accessible. The best time is early morning before 9 AM, before mist burns off and before tour buses arrive from the morning pirate ships
Mt. Fuji appears over the ridge behind the torii on clear days. Winter (December-February) has the highest probability of clear mornings. Summer is usually hazy
The cedar approach to the main hall takes 8-10 minutes on stone steps. This walk is worth doing even if you have limited time; it is the most atmospheric part of the complex
The Homotsuden treasury (¥500) has a small but genuine collection of weapons donated by historical figures including the Tokugawa shogunate. Worth it for history-focused visitors; skip if time is short
Pirate ships dock at Moto-Hakone-ko pier, 5 minutes from the torii. The first ship from Togendai arrives mid-morning; the lakeside fills quickly after that
Combining the shrine with the Hakone Loop is the most efficient use of time: ropeway to Owakudani, pirate ship to Moto-Hakone, shrine walk, then bus back to Odawara
The Hakone Free Pass covers the bus to and from Moto-Hakone plus the ropeway and pirate ship. It is almost always cost-effective for a full Hakone day
The stone steps on the cedar approach are uneven and slippery when wet. Hakone has high rainfall; appropriate footwear is practical rather than optional
Don't Miss
Lake Ashi Torii Gate
The red torii gate standing in the shallows of Lake Ashi is one of the most frequently photographed shrine features in Japan. The gate marks the formal water approach to the shrine; historically, worshippers arriving by boat would pass through it. Today, it is photographed from the adjacent stone pier. On clear mornings in autumn and winter, Mt. Fuji appears over the ridge to the northwest, behind the gate, and the combination of the red gate, still water, and white mountain creates a very famous image. The gate is accessible at all hours for free.
Cedar Forest Approach
The main approach to Hakone Shrine from the Moto-Hakone bus stop passes through a corridor of old cedar trees on stone steps. The trees are several centuries old and the canopy is dense enough to block most light on overcast days. The approach takes about 8-10 minutes on foot. This part of the visit is often overlooked in favor of the lakeside torii, but the forest path is the most atmospheric part of the shrine complex and requires no ticket.
Homotsuden Treasury Hall
The inner treasury (¥500) holds Hakone Shrine's collection of votive swords, armor, and religious objects donated by shoguns and samurai clans over the centuries. The Minamoto, Hojo, Imagawa, Toyotomi, and Tokugawa families all donated to the shrine in return for military prayers. The collection is modest by national museum standards but has direct historical continuity with the people who shaped medieval Japan.
What to Do Here
Shrine Circuit with Lakeside Torii
Start at the Moto-Hakone bus stop, walk the cedar forest approach to the main shrine hall, pay respects at the inner compounds, then descend to the lakeside. Walk 5 minutes south along the shore to the torii gate. Spend time at the viewing pier (arrive before 9 AM on weekdays for the best conditions). Return to the bus stop via the lakeside path.
Tips:
- Arrive before the pirate ships dock (first ship from Togendai arrives at approximately 10:30 AM in high season)
- The torii is best photographed from the stone pier to its right (facing the water); morning light hits the gate directly
- The cedar approach is slippery in rain. The stone steps have no railing in some sections, so wear appropriate footwear
- If combining with a pirate ship cruise, arrive at the shrine first, then board the ship at Moto-Hakone-ko pier (5 minutes' walk)
Hakone Loop with Shrine as Endpoint
The classic Hakone Loop ends at Lake Ashi. Take the Hakone Tozan Railway from Hakone-Yumoto to Gora, the cable car to Sounzan, the ropeway to Togendai via Owakudani, and then the pirate ship cruise across the lake to Moto-Hakone. From the pier, walk 5 minutes to the lakeside torii and then through the cedar forest to the main shrine. End at the Moto-Hakone bus stop for the return to Odawara.
Tips:
- The Hakone Free Pass covers all transportation on this loop including the ropeway, pirate ship, and return bus
- Do Owakudani before 10 AM to avoid tour group buildup. The pirate ship and shrine timing is flexible
- The pirate ship cruise takes approximately 35 minutes from Togendai to Moto-Hakone
- Walking clockwise (Hakone-Yumoto to Moto-Hakone) ensures Mt. Fuji views are on the correct side of the pirate ship (port/left side departing Togendai)
Plan Your Visit
Opening Hours
grounds
6:00 AM – 8:00 PM (main shrine approach and grounds)
inner Buildings
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (main hall interior access; varies seasonally)
treasury Hall
9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Best Time to Visit
Early morning (before 9 AM) for the lake torii with mist on the water and no crowds. Clear autumn and winter mornings for Mt. Fuji framed in the background. Avoid midday on weekends when tour buses fill the lakeside.
Avoid:
Weekend and holiday afternoons. The pirate ships dock at the adjacent pier and discharge large groups toward the lakeside torii simultaneously.
Nearby
Hakone Sightseeing Cruise (Pirate Ships)
Themed boat cruise across Lake Ashi with views of Mt. Fuji on clear days. Included in the Hakone Free Pass. Moto-Hakone-ko pier is 5 minutes' walk from the lakeside torii.
0.3 km
Amazake-chaya Teahouse
A 300-year-old teahouse on the old Tokaido road serving amazake (sweet rice drink) and mochi. One of the few surviving rest stops on the original Edo-period highway.
1.5 km
Owakudani Volcanic Valley
Active volcanic valley with sulfur vents and the famous black eggs. Accessible by ropeway from Sounzan or by bus. Part of the Hakone Loop.
12 km
Hakone Open-Air Museum
Outdoor sculpture park with works by Rodin, Giacometti, Moore, and a Picasso Pavilion. Best art museum in the Hakone area. 20 minutes by bus from Moto-Hakone.
7 km
Gallery
The Lake Ashi torii: red gate in the shallows, Mt. Fuji visible on clear mornings
The cedar corridor: centuries-old trees lining the stone steps from Moto-Hakone to the main hall
The main hall, rebuilt in the Edo period on the site of the 757 AD original
The famous view: torii, lake surface, and Mt. Fuji behind the ridge on a clear winter morning
October: the cedars frame autumn maples at the lakeside approach
History
founding
Hakone Shrine was established in 757 AD by the Buddhist monk Mangan Shonin on the shores of Lake Ashi. The shrine was dedicated to the three mountain deities of the Hakone peaks: Ninigi-no-Mikoto (associated with Mt. Fuji and agriculture), Konohanasakuya-hime, and Hikohohemi-no-Mikoto. The site became an important waypoint for travelers on the Tokaido highway during the Edo period, as the Hakone checkpoint (sekisho) regulated movement between Edo and the western provinces nearby.
significance
Hakone Shrine was patronized by Japan's major military rulers, including Yoritomo Minamoto (who prayed here before the Battle of Ishibashiyama in 1180), the Hojo clan, the Imagawa family, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and the Tokugawa shogunate. The donations of armor and swords to the Homotsuden by these historical figures give the treasury its historical value. The shrine's location at the Hakone mountain pass, historically the most difficult section of the Tokaido road, made it a natural focus for prayers by travelers and armies moving between eastern and western Japan.
name Origin
Hakone (箱根) is believed to derive from an old word for 'deep forest valley,' referring to the dense cedar and beech forest that covered the mountain passes. The jinja (神社) suffix simply means shrine.
Getting There
Hakone Tozan Bus from Hakone-Yumoto Station
Station: Hakone-Yumoto Station (Odakyu Hakone Line)
Exit: Bus stop in front of station
Walk: 10 minutes from Moto-Hakone bus stop to main shrine; 5 minutes to lakeside torii
Bus route K (Moto-Hakone Ko) from Hakone-Yumoto Station to Moto-Hakone bus stop takes approximately 30-40 minutes. The Hakone Free Pass (¥6,100 from Shinjuku for 2 days) covers this bus and all major Hakone transportation.
Pirate Ship Cruise + Walk
Station: Togendai Pier (Hakone Ropeway terminal)
Exit:
Walk: 5 minutes from Moto-Hakone-ko pier to lakeside torii
Arrive at the shrine from the water by taking the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise from Togendai (Owakudani ropeway endpoint). The 35-minute pirate ship cruise across Lake Ashi is part of the classic Hakone Loop. Disembark at Moto-Hakone-ko pier and walk 5 minutes to the torii.
Bus from Odawara Station
Station: Odawara Station (JR Tokaido Line / Odakyu)
Exit: Bus stop #4
Walk: 10 minutes from Moto-Hakone bus stop to shrine
Bus from Odawara to Moto-Hakone takes approximately 55-65 minutes. Less scenic than the mountain railway route but available from the Tokaido Shinkansen stop at Odawara for those coming directly from Tokyo Station.
Location
80-1 Motohakone, Hakone, Kanagawa 250-0522
Nearest: Odawara Station (JR / Odakyu) then Hakone Tozan Bus, or via Hakone-Yumoto Station (Moto-Hakone bus stop: 10-minute walk through cedar forest to main hall; 5 minutes to lakeside torii)
Book tours & activities near Hakone Shrine
via Klook
Find nearby hotels in Moto-Hakone, Hakone
Compare prices across booking sites
More Attractions
Senso-ji Temple
Tokyo's oldest temple: a 645 AD Buddhist site with a lantern-hung gate, 89-shop street, and 30 million visitors a year
Tokyo Skytree
634 meters of Tokyo: Japan's tallest structure with two observation decks and Mount Fuji visible on clear winter days
Meiji Shrine
A 175-acre forest in central Tokyo holding a Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji, who opened Japan to the modern world
teamLab Borderless
Step into a surreal world where digital art comes alive around you
teamLab Planets
Walk through water, wade through flowers, and lose your sense of where the art ends and you begin
Shimanami Kaido
A cycling guide to Japan's greatest ride: 70km island-hopping across the Seto Inland Sea
Shibuya Crossing
The world's busiest pedestrian crossing, and Tokyo's most iconic spectacle
Shibuya Sky
Tokyo's best observation deck: open-air rooftop with nothing between you and the city
Ghibli Museum
The museum Miyazaki designed himself: no door sales, timed entry, no photography inside, and a life-size Robot Soldier on the roof
Imperial Palace & East Gardens
The emperor's residence at the center of Tokyo: free East Gardens on 400-year-old castle grounds, and a 5 km moat walking loop
Tsukiji Outer Market
Tokyo's greatest food market: fresh sushi, street food, and culinary chaos since 1935
Toyosu Fish Market
Tokyo's modern wholesale fish market: tuna auctions behind glass and sushi breakfast on the upper floors
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Three gardens in one: Tokyo's most celebrated park and its greatest cherry blossom destination
Tokyo Tower
Tokyo's original icon: cheaper, less crowded, and more romantic than the Skytree
Ueno Park & Museums
Tokyo's cultural centre: four national museums in one park, plus cherry blossoms that draw over 2 million visitors
Akihabara Electric Town
Tokyo's otaku hub: anime, electronics, retro games, and maid cafés stacked floor to ceiling
Tokyo Disney Resort
Two world-class theme parks: Disneyland for the classics, DisneySea for the most beautiful Disney park ever built
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Ten thousand vermillion gates winding up a forested mountain: Japan's most-visited Shinto shrine
Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
A gold-leaf temple reflected in a mirror pond: Kyoto's most-reproduced image
Kiyomizu-dera
Kyoto's hilltop temple with a wooden stage that floats above the treetops
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Five hundred metres of bamboo reaching 20 metres overhead, filtering light to green: free, open at dawn, packed by 9 AM
Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama
Wild macaques on a mountain overlooking Kyoto: the monkeys roam free and you're the one in the cage
Nijo Castle
The shogun's Kyoto stronghold: nightingale floors, golden screens, and 400 years of power politics
Nishiki Market
Kyoto's kitchen for 700 years, five blocks of pickles, tofu, and things you have never tasted before
Ryoan-ji Temple
Fifteen stones in white gravel, only fourteen visible from any angle, and no one knows what it means
Philosopher's Path
A 2-kilometer canal walk named after a philosophy professor who thought here every morning for 30 years
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
Eight floors spiraling down around a Pacific Ocean tank big enough to hold whale sharks
Osaka Castle
Toyotomi Hideyoshi's fortress: the castle that unified Japan, surrounded by the city's finest park
Kuromon Market
Osaka's kitchen: a 200-year-old market where chefs and visitors eat the city's freshest seafood
Sumiyoshi Taisha
Japan's oldest shrine architectural style and its most striking arched bridge: a world away from the tourist trail
Universal Studios Japan
Super Nintendo World, the Wizarding World, and one of Asia's best theme parks: all in Osaka Bay
Nara Park
Over 1,200 wild deer roam freely: bow to them and they'll bow back for a cracker
Todai-ji Temple
The world's largest wooden building and a 15-metre bronze Buddha: scale that leaves you speechless
Kasuga Grand Shrine
Three thousand lanterns lining a forest path to the shrine that has protected Nara since 768 AD
Kamakura Great Buddha (Kotoku-in)
A 13th-century bronze Buddha, 11 meters tall, that has sat in the open air since a storm destroyed its hall in 1498
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
The shrine at the center of Kamakura: a 1.8-kilometer approach from the sea, two clan ponds, and yabusame horseback archery since 1192
Hasedera Temple
A 9-meter gilded Kannon statue, hydrangea season that draws thousands, and an ocean view that makes the climb worth it every day
Hokokuji Temple
Two thousand bamboo stalks, a tea house inside the grove, and a quieter alternative to Kyoto's famous bamboo
Enoshima Island
A 4-kilometer island with a three-part shrine, sea caves, a lighthouse, and more cats per square meter than almost anywhere
Nikko Toshogu Shrine
Japan's most extravagant shrine: 55 gold-lacquered buildings, 5,000 carvings, and the tomb of the shogun who unified Japan
Kegon Falls
A 97-meter waterfall from Lake Chuzenji, with a paid elevator to the base and a winter freeze that turns it into a wall of ice
Lake Chuzenji
A volcanic caldera lake at 1,269 meters, the source of Kegon Falls, and Nikko's best place for autumn foliage views over open water
Owakudani
An active volcanic valley on the Hakone Ropeway, with sulfur vents, black eggs boiled in hot springs, and Mt. Fuji overhead on clear days
Kitano Ijinkan
Kobe's hillside district of 19th-century foreign residences: Victorian houses, consulate buildings, and the Weathercock House, from when Kobe was Japan's most cosmopolitan port
Arima Onsen
One of Japan's three oldest hot spring towns: two distinct spring types, 30 minutes from Kobe, with ryokans that have been operating for centuries
Nunobiki Herb Garden
A hillside herb garden above Kobe reached by ropeway, with views over Kobe Bay and the Kii Peninsula, plus Nunobiki Falls on the walk up
Meriken Park & Kobe Port Tower
Kobe's red drum-shaped tower, a quake-scarred wharf left exactly as 1995 left it, and a harbor that lights up at dusk
Cup Noodles Museum
The museum dedicated to instant noodles: design your own Cup Noodle, see the original 1958 kitchen where ramen was invented, and learn why Momofuku Ando changed how the world eats
Yokohama Chinatown
Japan's largest Chinatown: 200+ restaurants in one district established in 1859, with four colored gates and street food around every corner
Sankeien Garden
A 17-hectare garden in Yokohama containing historic buildings relocated from Kyoto and Kamakura, including a 1457 three-story pagoda from a Kyoto temple
Fukuoka Yatai Food Stalls
Fukuoka's open-air food stalls: sit at a counter under a canvas canopy, eat tonkotsu ramen or yakitori, and talk to the owner, Japan's most social street food experience
Kushida Shrine
The central shrine of Hakata: year-round, it holds a 10-meter festival float; in July, the Yamakasa race starts here at 3:59 AM
Ohori Park
A large lake park in central Fukuoka, built on the old castle moat, with a 2-kilometer circuit walk, rental boats, and 1,000 cherry trees
Kenroku-en Garden
Two centuries of Maeda clan garden design: 12,000 trees, the Kotoji-toro lantern, and the only place in Japan where pine trees wear snow ropes in winter
Omicho Market
Kanazawa's 280-year-old fresh food market: Sea of Japan seafood, winter crab, and kaisendon rice bowls eaten in the stall itself
Higashi Chaya District
Kanazawa's largest Edo-period geisha district: a single preserved street of wooden teahouses, gold leaf workshops, and morning calm before the tour buses arrive
Hakone Open-Air Museum
An outdoor sculpture park where kids can run free, adults admire Picasso, and everyone soaks their feet
Hida Folk Village (Hida no Sato)
Over 30 traditional farmhouses from the Japanese Alps, relocated and preserved in one beautiful hillside museum
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
The ground zero of the atomic age, transformed into the world's most powerful argument for peace
Hiroshima Castle
The castle built by the Mori clan in 1589, destroyed by the atomic bomb in 1945, and rebuilt in 1958, with a museum that covers both its feudal history and the destruction that ended it
Itsukushima Shrine
A shrine built on stilts over the sea, where the tide decides whether the great torii floats or stands on open sand
Korakuen Garden
Wide open lawns, a working tea field, and the black keep of Okayama Castle borrowed as scenery across the Asahi River
Rinno-ji Temple
Nikko's founding temple, where three 8-metre gilded deities stand in for the sacred mountains above the valley
Jigokudani Monkey Park
The only place on Earth where wild monkeys soak in a natural hot spring, at the end of a snowy forest trail
Zenko-ji Temple
A 1,400-year-old temple where the day begins at dawn and salvation is a metal key you find in total darkness
Matsumoto Castle
Japan's oldest surviving castle keep, black-walled and moat-ringed, with the Northern Alps stacked up behind it
Nagoya Castle
The keep is closed, and the real treasure is next door: a palace rebuilt plank by plank in hinoki and gold leaf
Ise Grand Shrine (Ise Jingu)
Japan's most sacred Shinto site, rebuilt from scratch every 20 years for 1,300 years so it is forever both ancient and new
Glover Garden
The mansions of Nagasaki's foreign merchants, gathered on a harbor hillside around Japan's oldest Western house
Tsutenkaku Tower
Osaka's retro tower in the Shinsekai neighborhood: 103 meters of 1950s neon nostalgia, the Biliken luck statue, and kushikatsu restaurants on every surrounding block
Shitenno-ji Temple
One of Japan's oldest Buddhist temples, founded 593 AD by Prince Shotoku, with a stone torii gate, a five-story pagoda, and the country's longest-running monthly flea market
Pola Museum of Art
A Western art museum embedded in Hakone's beech forest, with Monet, Picasso, and Renoir displayed in a building designed to disappear into the trees
Kanazawa Castle Park
The former seat of the Maeda clan, Japan's most powerful outside the Tokugawa: a free public park with an original 1788 gate, reconstructed towers, and a direct connection to Kenroku-en
21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
A glass circle in Kanazawa with a free permanent collection including the famous Swimming Pool illusion, and a building that won SANAA the Pritzker Prize