Hakone Day Trip & a Sushi Class in Asakusa

Hakone is one of the most popular trips out of Tokyo: hot springs, a mountain railway, a ropeway over a volcanic valley, a boat across Lake Ashi and, on a clear day, Mt Fuji. It is also a full day out, so it needs a little planning if you also want to make sushi in Asakusa.

This guide covers how to get there, how the classic Hakone loop works, and two realistic ways to fit our class into the same trip.

Getting to Hakone from Tokyo

Most visitors travel from Shinjuku in western Tokyo. From Asakusa, allow about 40 to 45 minutes to reach Shinjuku by subway, including walking to the platform. Our guide to getting between Shibuya, Shinjuku and Asakusa shows the main routes.

Odakyu Romancecar. The limited express runs from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto, the gateway to the Hakone area, in about 80 minutes. All seats are reserved. When we checked Odakyu's English site on 7 November 2026, the limited express ticket was listed at ¥1,200 for an adult one way, on top of the regular fare or a pass. Confirm current prices and seat availability when you book.

Regular Odakyu trains. You can also travel without the Romancecar on regular Odakyu trains, usually with a change at Odawara. It takes longer and the trains are commuter-style, but you do not need a seat reservation.

Hakone Freepass. Odakyu's pass covers the round trip on the Odakyu Line from Shinjuku plus unlimited rides on most Hakone transport, including the mountain train, cable car, ropeway, sightseeing cruise and designated buses. On 7 November 2026, Odakyu listed the 2-day pass from Shinjuku at ¥7,100 and the 3-day pass at ¥7,500 for adults. The Romancecar limited express ticket is not included and is bought separately. If you plan to ride the loop, the pass is usually simpler than buying each ticket.

The classic Hakone loop

The loop links several kinds of transport in one circuit, and it is the reason the Freepass exists. A common direction is:

1. Hakone Tozan Train from Hakone-Yumoto up to Gora, a small mountain railway that climbs through switchbacks.
2. Hakone Tozan Cable Car from Gora up to Sounzan.
3. Hakone Ropeway from Sounzan over Owakudani, a volcanic valley with steam vents, down to Togendai on Lake Ashi.
4. Hakone Sightseeing Cruise across Lake Ashi to Moto-Hakone or Hakone-machi, near the lakeside torii gate of Hakone Shrine.
5. Bus back down to Hakone-Yumoto.

Done at a relaxed pace with a stop or two, the loop fills most of a day. Owakudani is an active volcanic area, and the ropeway or access to the valley can be suspended because of volcanic gas, strong wind or maintenance. Check the operators' notices on the morning you go.

Mt Fuji is visible from parts of the loop, especially over Lake Ashi and from the ropeway, but only on clear days. Late autumn and winter often give the clearest air, and mornings are usually better than afternoons. Treat the view as a bonus rather than the whole point of the trip.

Hot springs and staying overnight

Many travellers make Hakone an overnight trip, staying at a ryokan with its own bath. If you do, you only need a small bag. Luggage delivery services in Japan can send a suitcase ahead to your next hotel. Our guide to luggage before check-in explains how that works around a class.

Day visitors can use public bathhouses near Hakone-Yumoto. Tattoo rules vary between facilities, so check before you go if that applies to you.

Fitting the sushi class into a Hakone trip

A Hakone day trip from Asakusa typically means leaving in the morning and returning in the evening. That leaves two practical ways to include our class.

Option 1: the class on a different day (recommended)

Put the class on the day before or after Hakone. You can go at your own pace, stay longer if the weather is clear, and return without watching the clock. If you stay overnight in Hakone, a class on the day you come back works well. Once you reach Shinjuku, Asakusa is less than an hour away.

Option 2: Hakone in the morning, the class in the evening

If you only have one day, skip the full loop. Take an early Romancecar, choose one or two highlights such as the ropeway and the lake, and aim to reach Shinjuku by 16:15 or earlier for an 18:00 session, if that time is offered on your date. You still need time for the subway, the walk from Asakusa Station and arriving 10 minutes early. Reserve the return train before you book the class, and leave a generous margin for delays on the mountain transport. Cancellations within 24 hours are charged in full, so do not book a tight connection.

A morning class before Hakone does not work well. You would reach the area around midday and spend much of your day travelling.

Choose your class time

Our signature sushi and matcha class lasts 90 minutes. You make nigiri and maki rolls with an English-speaking instructor, toast with sake, eat what you make and whisk your own matcha, so it also works as dinner after a long day. Start times vary by date. On the late-November dates we checked on 7 November 2026, sessions ran at 10:00, 12:00, 16:00 and 18:00. Check the booking calendar for current times, and please arrive 10 minutes early. Our guide to how long a sushi class takes helps you plan the margin around it.

If you are comparing trips out of Tokyo, our guides to Kamakura and a sushi class and Nikko and a sushi class use the same approach.

For a shorter trip with a direct shinkansen from Ueno, see our guide to Karuizawa and a sushi class.