What We Spent in Hakone: A Real Cost Breakdown
Like our Tokyo breakdown - keeping this one short and focused on the numbers. Transit isn't included here, since we tracked transportation trip-wide rather than city-by-city. For a general sense of what transportation costs, check out What Our 14-Day Japan Trip Actually Cost: A Full Family Breakdown
Hakone was one of the two true slow-downs we built into this trip - a single overnight stop between Tokyo and Kyoto that ended up being one of our favorite parts of the entire itinerary. The second one came a bit later, when we stayed on Miyajima island.
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Traveled: Late May / Early June 2026. All prices are in USD at the exchange rate at the time of purchase.
Hakone Subtotal (Hotel + Experiences): $466.40
Where We Stayed
Mount View Hakone — 1 night, $315
A traditional ryokan experience was one of our biggest priorities for the whole trip, and it was worth every dollar. We wanted at least one night that felt distinctly different from a standard hotel stay, and this delivered exactly that. We wore yukatas, had a traditional Japanese dinner and breakfast, and soaked in an onsen. The room itself was traditional too, with beds set up on straw-mat floors, and a tea set we made good use of. The traditional decor, mat-style floors, and sliding panel doors were exactly the vibe we were searching for.
Read More: Where to Stay in Hakone With Kids: Our Honest Take
Jackson in a yukata in our traditional ryokan room, complete with straw floors, was definitely the vibe we were searching for in Hakone.
Luggage Forwarding Tip
For Hakone, we packed only an overnight bag (a backpack we could easily carry) and sent the rest of our luggage ahead to Kyoto, our next stop. We highly recommend this. We didn't have to haul suitcases around or hunt for a locker while we did the Hakone Loop, and in our opinion the luggage forwarding service is inexpensive and well worth it. We arranged it through the front desk at our Tokyo hotel. If you want to do the same, ask as soon as you check in, because hotels have different deadlines: some need your bags a day or two ahead, while others accept them at checkout.
What We Ate
There's no separate food total for Hakone since our ryokan meals were included with the room. The traditional kaiseki-style dinner and breakfast were part of the stay itself, not a separate expense, so nothing shows up here.
The dinner and breakfast were absolutely amazing. Dinner included crab legs, salad, smoked fish, tofu, sashimi, rice, and a hot pot with pork and vegetables. Breakfast was just as delicious, with smoked salmon, salad, chestnuts, spinach, sashimi, tofu, and another hot pot with meat and vegetables. There were drinks available too, beyond just coffee and tea, along with a variety of delicious sauces served alongside each meal.
If you're gluten-free like us, be sure to reach out and give advance notice before booking. We go into more detail on that in Where We Stayed in Japan, or check out our Ultimate 14-Day Japan Travel Guide-Gluten Free Edition for the full details.
All smiles for the deliciousness in front of them!
What We Did
Hakone Experiences: $151.40
This one number covers three things that made our single night in Hakone genuinely memorable:
A private onsen experience (~$34.44)
In-room massages (~$56.96)
Trout fishing (~$60) for an afternoon we still talk about
Definitely “off the beaten path” but so worth it!
On top of the ryokan itself, we also picked up two Hakone-specific transportation passes to get around the loop and back toward Kyoto:
Hakone Free Pass— $89.50 (2 adults), covers the local trains, buses, and cable car around the Hakone loop
Romancecar — $18.10 (2 adults), a faster, more comfortable train option for getting in and out of Hakone
These two passes aren't included in the subtotal above, since they're transportation rather than hotel or experience costs but they're worth budgeting for if you're planning a similar stop.
To see what we thought about the Hakone Loop and our other experiences in Hakone, check this out: Is Hakone, Japan Good for Kids? Our Honest Take
Interested in a Hakone Day Trip? Check this out: Mount Fuji and Hakone Day Tour
Where to Next
We left Hakone on the shinkansen (Japan's bullet train) from Odawara Station, the gateway to Hakone, headed to Kyoto. It was our first bullet train ride of the trip, and it didn't disappoint. It was quick and comfortable. Jackson didn't need his own ticket because of his age, so he took turns sitting on each of our laps. We only had overnight bags since we'd sent the rest of our luggage ahead, but reserved seats are worth it for a family, especially if you're traveling with large suitcases.
Read more: Riding the Shinkansen (Japan's Bullet Train)
Book it: Hakone (Odawara) → Kyoto: Shinkansen (Bullet Train) Tickets
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