Hakone is a famous hot spring resort in Japan with many hot spring inns (ryokan), and great spots from where you can see Mount Fuji. Extremely convenient in terms of transportation from Tokyo, it is a popular scenic spot in the Kanto area. There are many ways to get to Hakone from Tokyo: you can drive a rental car or use public transport like express trains or buses.
However, the most recommended mode of transport is the Odakyu Romancecar. In this article, we talk about our journey from the city to the beautiful area of Hakone in the Romancecar.
The departure station from Tokyo is Shinjuku. In addition to ordinary tickets, you also need to purchase limited express tickets for the Romancecar. All seats are designated.
There are many benches on the station platform, so you can sit down and rest if you arrive early.
If you look carefully at the design of the benches, you will notice multiple charging sockets on the side. How convenient is that!
You can charge your mobiles or power bank while you wait.
In this day and age, it is almost become an essential part of travel as many people are heavily reliant on their devices.
The Romancecar has finally arrived. The sleek, modern design is unbelievably cool.
The carriages are a silky white with a vermillion-orange band; the seats are of the same color as the band. With the latest technology and wide windows, you get uninterrupted views of the landscape in a comfort setting.
Even people who have taken this train before may not realize this but the seats are slightly inclined towards the windows. This is to make it easier for those passengers sitting in the aisle seats to clearly appreciate the scenery outside the window.
It takes about 80 minutes to get from Shinjuku to Hakone. Eating a ekiben (station lunch box) is a great way to spend time on the train; most Japanese look forward to these meals.
Let's take a look at the various facilities in the car. Different from the square design of ordinary trains, the dome-shaped ceilings arch over you adding to the retro atmosphere.
The toilet and bathroom areas have noren, Japanese-style curtain, separating the spaces providing a warmth like that of a ryokan.
Before the pandemic, you could also buy various drinks including coffee in this area.
On the way from Shinjuku to Hakone, it is recommended that you choose a seat on the right facing the same direction as the train to get a glimpse of Mt. Fuji. As you can see, even in early November, Mt. Fuji already has a snow cap.
For the best view, try purchasing seats for the front observation area. You almost get a 180-degree view with the wide front window.
The 80-minute journey comes to an end at the blink of an eye. We get off at Hakone Yumoto Station, and as you can see the platform design is also quite chic and retro. The arch design makes the compact streets of Hakone look extraordinarily stylish.
The journey to the destination is actually quite a lot of fun especially when taking a special train like the Odakyu Romancecar. The delicious station bento, the beautiful scenery along the way, and the elegant and thoughtful interiors of the train will definitely create a good memory of your Hakone trip.
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