Hakone on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, if you stay in a hostel in Hakone-Yumoto and use a day onsen instead of a ryokan. A realistic minimum is about ¥16,000 a day per person sharing a room — around ¥6,000 for a bed, ¥4,000 for food, ¥3,000 for sights and ¥3,000 for transport.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | ¥6,000 | ¥17,000 | ¥45,000 |
| Food & drink | ¥4,000 | ¥7,000 | ¥12,000 |
| Sights & tickets | ¥3,000 | ¥5,000 | ¥7,000 |
| Local transport | ¥3,000 | ¥3,500 | ¥5,000 |
| Per person, per day | ¥16,000 | ¥32,500 | ¥69,000 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Hakone day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walking through the cedar forest to Hakone Shrine and the torii in Lake Ashi
- The lakeshore cedar avenue between Moto-Hakone and the Hakone Checkpoint
- Walking the stone-paved old Tokaido road from Moto-Hakone
- Looking out for Mount Fuji from Lake Ashi on clear mornings
- Browsing the shopping street of Hakone-Yumoto
- The steam vents of Owakudani (only the ropeway or bus to pay, when open)
Cheap eats
- Soba noodles at a noodle shop — ¥1,200–2,000
- Tofu dishes made with local spring water
- Kuro-tamago black eggs at Owakudani — roughly ¥500 a pack
- Kamaboko fish cakes and manju buns on the Hakone-Yumoto shopping street
- Convenience-store breakfasts and snacks near the main stations
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in hostels and simple guesthouses in Hakone-Yumoto, at the railway terminus, where rooms cost about ¥8,000–14,000 a night and dorm beds are cheaper. It is close to day onsen and the trains. Book early for weekends and autumn.
Getting around cheaply
Buy the Hakone Freepass from Odakyu, which covers the Tozan train, cable car, ropeway, lake cruise and most buses, plus the trip from Shinjuku. Take the regular Odakyu train instead of the Romancecar to save the seat supplement.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Tozan train, cable car and ropeway to Owakudani (covered by the Freepass) and black eggs (about ¥500)
- Lunch: soba noodles (about ¥1,500)
- Afternoon: lake cruise (Freepass), then the free walk to Hakone Shrine and along the cedar avenue
- Evening: day onsen in Hakone-Yumoto (about ¥1,500–2,000) and a simple dinner (about ¥2,000)
- Total: about ¥16,000 including a shared room (about ¥6,000) and the Freepass share
More ways to save
- Eat dinner early, as many restaurants close around 20:00.
- Buy breakfast and snacks at convenience stores near the stations.
- Use free footbaths, such as the one at the Open-Air Museum, as well as paid onsen.
- Visit on weekdays to avoid crowds and higher rates.
- Walk sections of the old Tokaido road instead of taking extra buses.
- Check the ropeway status in the morning so you do not waste money on a closed route.
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Common questions
Can you visit Hakone on a budget?
Yes. Stay in a hostel in Hakone-Yumoto, use the Freepass and a day onsen. Plan on about ¥16,000 a day.
Can I do Hakone as a day trip from Tokyo?
Yes, the loop fits in a long day, but an overnight stay lets you enjoy the onsen and avoid the crowds.
How much is a day onsen in Hakone?
Roughly ¥1,500–2,000 in Hakone-Yumoto. Check tattoo policies before you go.