9 Best Things to Do After Dinner in Hakone

Known for its historic Sangetsu-en Garden, featuring a circular path around a pond, Yoshiike Ryokan is a Japanese-style inn. Formerly the villa of Yanosuke Iwasaki, the second head of the Mitsubishi Zaibatsu conglomerate, the garden is now the home of Yoshiike Ryokan. The garden looks even more fantastic during special night events when it’s brightly lit up, and when the cherry blossoms are showering the garden with their petals the experience goes to yet another level.

A day-trip hot spring package is available here, featuring kakebagashi (genuine natural hot springs where no adjustments are made), and the ryokan offers towels and yukata (Japanese bathrobe) rentals too. A private room stay for a rest is also available as an option.

Drop by Chimoto Taki-dori Honten (or the Ekimae-dori Store) on your way back to your accommodation or before heading out to dinner at a restaurant to pick up a selection of Japanese sweets. Chimoto's sweets will fill you up whenever you’re feeling a little peckish before going to bed.

Besides the famous warabimochi (bracken-starch dumpling) filled with red bean paste, Chimoto has a variety of other treats, including yokan (sweet bean jelly), monaka (bean‐jam‐filled wafers), and manju (sweet bean jelly bun). The igusa dango (soft rush dumpling), to be eaten while fresh if possible, is a treat that can only be enjoyed during your stay in Hakone.

Meet Geisha is an interactive event offered at Yumoto Kenban. Here you can watch a dance performance by Hakone geisha on the stage of a rehearsal hall rich with history. This is a rare opportunity to catch a glimpse of zashiki (tatami room) culture at a location close to central Tokyo, without having to travel to Kyoto. Groups and families are made to feel at ease here.

Access is easy, as it’s located right in front of Hakone-Yumoto Station. Visitors can immerse themselves in an extraordinary experience as they take part in zashiki entertainment and listen to geisha talk.

Odawara Korona Cinema World is a cinema housed in the Korona World commercial complex. Open until midnight, the cinema screens many of the hottest new releases. Although the location is inconvenient, requiring a car, a free shuttle bus is available from Odawara Station.

In addition to amusement facilities such as karaoke, bowling, and video games, Korona World offers natural hot spring baths, making it the perfect place for families to visit. Fun is guaranteed at all times!

SEGA Odawara Dynacity is housed in Odawara Dynacity, a commercial complex with a cinema and a shopping mall. The atmosphere is family-friendly, and events and campaigns that offer good deals are held on a regular basis.

It’s packed with popular crane games and music games, as well as game machines ideal for beginners. The game prizes include a wide variety of cute items that children will love.

Yugawara Pucky Bowl is the only authentic bowling alley in the hot spring resort area in the south of Hakone. The retro atmosphere will give a touch of something special to your hot spring trip. Friendly staff and professional bowlers will be happy to guide you, so you should feel right at home even if you’re a beginner.

You’ll have a great time joining the locals and spa tourists on the old-fashioned lanes. It takes about 30 minutes by car from the centre of Hakone.

Yumoto Kenban serves as a rehearsal hall for Hakone geishas but is only open to the public when events are taking place. Throughout the year, many events in which geishas perform their songs and dances are scheduled, starting with a New Year's celebration in January and continuing with the Hakone no Mai dance once a month through December.

Open dance rehearsals are performed twice a month in the morning and afternoon, but if you’re visiting Hakone, why not experience a banquet attended by geishas? In Hakone, even first-time guests can book such a banquet by contacting a ryokan, hotel, or Yumoto Kenban directly.

Gora Brewery & Grill is a premier destination for international competition-winning craft beers. The brewery is combined with a restaurant-bar, where freshly brewed beer using pure Hakone water can be paired with grilled delicacies to delight your taste buds.

As a sister restaurant of the prestigious Itoh Dining by Nobu, the flavours are out of this world. After a bath or after dinner, this is definitely where you want to be. Its unique design, including a footbath space, also makes it well worth a visit.

Hakone Kowakien Yunessun is a swimsuit-style hot spring pool facility with a spacious bathing area. Unlike the baths at traditional inns, men and women can spend time together, which is very useful for those with children. There’s even a massive water slide, making it an excellent choice for children and young people who are looking for fun.

At the end of the day, you can relax and enjoy the outdoor area's open-air baths. The unique wine and coffee baths will be a great source of anecdotes for later telling.