Guide · Onsen
Hakone onsen: access, day baths, tattoo wording and winter
Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto takes about 80 minutes by Romancecar. Yuryo and Tenzan day baths cost $9 (¥1,400 to ¥1,450). Three baths state tattoo limits.
Hakone works as a day trip from Shinjuku or as a night away. The Odakyu Romancecar takes about 80 minutes to Hakone-Yumoto, with a seat charge of $8 (¥1,200) on top of the base fare. Hakone Yuryo, a day bath, costs $9 (¥1,400) and has no closing day. The Hakone tourism page for Yuryo says “No tattoos allowed”.
How do you get from Tokyo to Hakone?
Take the Odakyu Romancecar from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto, about 80 minutes. Odakyu Global lists the seat charge at $8 (¥1,200) for adults and $4 (¥600) for children. The charge is added to the base fare. We did not find the base fare, so the full cost of the train is not yet known.
Dollar figures use about ¥155 to US$1 and are rounded; you pay in yen, so check the rate.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Train | Odakyu Romancecar, Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto |
| Time | About 80 minutes |
| Charge, adult | $8 (¥1,200) |
| Charge, child | $4 (¥600) |
| Base fare | Not found |
| Freepass | 2-day, $46 (¥7,100) |
At 80 minutes each way, a day trip spends about 2 hours 40 minutes on the Romancecar alone. The Freepass price is Odakyu Global’s; what it covers and where it starts are not stated, so read the Odakyu page before you buy.
What is the water like?
Hakone tourism describes the water as varied: milky in the highlands and highly alkaline at the base. It names no ions, so none are given here.
In law, the Ministry of the Environment defines a hot spring as water that is 25 °C or warmer at the source, or water that contains listed substances at set amounts. Onsen vs sento vs private bath compares the three bath types.
Which day baths can you visit?
Three baths have a published fee and tattoo wording in our sources. The wording below is each page’s own, not ours.
| Bath | Adult fee | Hours | Tattoo wording |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hakone Yuryo | $9 (¥1,400) | Weekdays 10:00 to 21:00, last entry 20:00. Saturdays and holidays 10:00 to 22:00. No closing day | "No tattoos allowed", main and private baths |
| Hakone Tenzan | $9 (¥1,450) | Not found | One tattooed person only |
| Prince Hakone Ryuguden | $6 (¥1,000) | 8:00 to 20:00, last entry 19:00 | "Guest that are tattooed can not use" |
Prince Hakone Ryuguden’s page also says staying guests only, so confirm who can use the bath before you travel.
Which day bath fits your plan?
Yuryo suits a late finish and private rooms; Ryuguden has the earliest start and the lowest fee.
- Earliest start. Prince Hakone Ryuguden opens at 8:00, two hours before Yuryo.
- Latest finish. Yuryo runs to 21:00 on weekdays and 22:00 on Saturdays and holidays, 11 and 12 hours in all. On a weekday, arrive by 20:00 for last entry.
- Lowest fee. Ryuguden is $6 (¥1,000), against $9 (¥1,400) at Yuryo and $9 (¥1,450) at Tenzan. The gap between Yuryo and Tenzan is under $1 (¥50).
- Private bath. Yuryo, covered below.
Does Hakone have private baths?
Yes, at Yuryo. Its private baths are listed at $25 to $38 (¥3,900 to ¥5,900) per room per hour, and one room, Hanare Yuya Kaden, at $39 (¥6,000). The two figures differ, so confirm the price when you book. The same page says “No tattoos allowed” for the private baths too. No other Hakone venue’s private-bath prices are listed in our sources. Booking steps and prices elsewhere in Japan are in Private onsen (kashikiri).
Can you visit Hakone onsen with a tattoo?
Each of the three baths above restricts tattoos in its own words. Yuryo bars tattoos in its main and private baths. Prince Hakone Ryuguden says “Guest that are tattooed can not use”. Tenzan’s FAQ limits tattooed guests to one person only. No Hakone bath’s own page welcomes tattoos.
Before you go Read the tattoo wording on the bath’s own page before you travel, and again for any private bath you book. Yuryo’s page bars tattoos in both.
Policies are set bath by bath across Japan. Tattoos and onsen has the wider picture and Can I go in an onsen with a tattoo? has the short answer.
Day trip or overnight stay?
A day trip works, and a night buys quiet. At about 80 minutes each way, the Romancecar and the Freepass make a day trip practical. The last Romancecar back to Shinjuku is not in our sources, so check it before you plan a late soak.
For an overnight stay, Ryokan explains dinner, breakfast and check-in times. Rules inside the bath, from washing to towels, are in Onsen etiquette; the sign at each bath overrides any general rule.
What changes in winter?
The Hakone Ropeway is reported to pause between December 2026 and February 2027. The one dated stretch is the section from Togendai to Owakudani via Ubako, 12 January to 26 February 2027, per an Odakyu notice read through search summaries. Winter hours for the baths are not listed, and Yuryo’s page shows no closing day.
Closed in winter Check Odakyu’s ropeway notice before you plan a route between Togendai and Owakudani from 12 January to 26 February 2027.
Where next?
The Onsen hub lists every onsen guide. Tokyo and Kanto covers the wider region, Best onsen in Japan compared puts Hakone beside other towns, and Onsen vs sento vs private bath compares the three bath types.
Questions
About 80 minutes on the Odakyu Romancecar from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto. The seat charge is $8 (¥1,200) for adults and $4 (¥600) for children, on top of the base fare, which is not found.
$9 (¥1,400) for an adult. It opens 10:00 to 21:00 on weekdays, with last entry at 20:00, and 10:00 to 22:00 on Saturdays and holidays. It has no closing day.
No. The Hakone tourism page for Yuryo says 'No tattoos allowed' for the main baths and the private baths. Tenzan and Prince Hakone Ryuguden also limit tattoos, so ask the venue before you travel.
Both work. A day trip is practical at about 80 minutes each way; stay a night for a quieter evening.