Popular Restaurants to Outlet Shopping and Unforgettable Views of Mt. Fuji! Leisurely Travel in Gotemba

11:30 AM – Try Tofu Katsuni, a Local Delicacy Only Served at This Restaurant!

Tamura Ginkatsutei is a popular and well-known restaurant in Hakone. Their famous dish is the Tofu Katsuni Meal (1,380 yen including tax).This is original cuisine in which specially ordered tofu (*1) is filled with ground pork then deep-fried. It is then simmered in a nabe (earthenware pot) with a beaten egg.Dried mackerel fish flakes are used in the dish and go perfectly with white rice.

This dish was created by the second-generation owner, who wanted to make food suitable for his mother who has poor teeth. The dish is served piping hot, and the soft tofu is very delicious, attracting customers of all ages.

*1 Tofu: a processed food made by coagulating soy milk and pressing the resulting substance into solid white blocks. In Japan, it’s topped with soy sauce and other seasonings and is an important part of the daily diet.

Since Tamura Ginkatsutei is popular, there is a long line-up at lunchtime. We suggest arriving here as early as possible.

After working up an appetite, savor the exquisite taste of Tofu Katsuni, a special dish that’s the culmination of the owner’s persistent trial and error.

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Restaurant Tamura Ginkatsutei

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12:45 PM – Flowers at the Serene Hakone Gora Park

Hakone Gora Park opened to the public in 1914 and is Japan’s first French-style formal garden (*2). With the fountain pond as its centerpiece, the park has many flowers that bloom throughout the year.

*2 French-style formal garden: designed in a left-right symmetrical manner, a formal style of garden that often features a fountain pond and various flowers and plants.

In addition, the park contains Hakone Gora Park Craft House, where you can have hands-on glass blowing and pottery making experiences, and Hakone Gora Park Tea Room Pic, where you can relax and gaze at the picturesque fountain pond. There are also other facilities such as a tropical plant pavilion and teahouse, so you’ll be able to relax in an elegant environment.

Admission to Hakone Gora Park is 550 yen for adults, and free of charge for guests elementary school age and under (all prices including tax). Show your Hakone Freepass and admission becomes free of charge.

Next, let’s go to the Hakone Glass Forest Venetian Glass Museum. First, board the Hakone Tozan Bus (M, G route) and take a 10 minutes’ ride until you arrive at the Hyoseki/Hakone Glass no Mori Mae (243) bus stop. Get off here and walk to the museum.

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Hakone Gora Park

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1:50 PM – Hakone Glass Forest Venetian Glass Museum – Spellbound by Glittering Venetian Glass!

The Hakone Glass Forest Venetian Glass Museum is an art museum that specializes in Venetian glass. It is located in the Sengokuhara area. The inside of the museum replicates 15th to 19th century Venice. Cross the wooden bridge into the garden grounds and it will feel like you’ve wandered into an Italian scene from centuries ago.

As we look at the full-scale exhibit that is Japan’s largest collection of Venetian glass, let’s be dazzled by the graceful and elegant brilliance that excited medieval Europe’s aristocrats.

At the restaurant on the museum grounds, canzone (Italian song or ballad) are performed live every day, creating a unique and international-feeling atmosphere.

Museum admission is 1,500 yen for adults, 1,100 yen for high school students, and 600 yen for elementary school and junior high school students (all prices including tax). Show your Hakone Freepass and you’ll receive a 100 yen discount off your ticket price.

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Hakone Glass Forest Venetian Glass Museum

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3:15 PM – Fujimi-chaya – Gaze at Mt. Fuji During Teatime

Next, board the Hakone Tozan Bus (M, G route) and head for Gotemba. Gotemba is a town located at the foot of Mt. Fuji.

There are also other spots in Hakone from where you can see Mt. Fuji, but the view from Gotemba lets you get a closer look.

You will notice a spot with a great view of the mountain when you reach the summit of the pass on the bus. This is Fujimi-chaya, a food and sweets shop right in front of the Otome-toge (552) bus stop.

Let’s take a break here and try the shop’s famous Fujimi dango (150 yen per skewer including tax).

You can also see Mt. Fuji through the shop windows. Show your Hakone Freepass and you receive five percent off your food and drink price.

Take a 10 minutes’ climb from the parking area of the tea house to arrive at Otome no Kane, a wide open spot with a stunning views of Mt. Fuji.

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Fujimi-chaya

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4:40 PM – Enjoy Shopping to Your Heart’s Content at an Outlet Mall!

After spending time at the tea house, board a Hakone Tozan Bus (M, G route) once again, and 30 minutes later arrive at Gotemba Premium Outlets^® (563).

Spread out around the foot of Mt. Fuji, this one of the largest outlet malls in Japan and is eagerly waiting for shoppers just like you! Its area exceeds 40,000 square meters, making it just like a small town.

The grounds of the outlet mall is divided into two separate areas and connected by a bridge from where you can see Mt. Fuji.

This is a place where everyone can be entertained, packed with 210 shops featuring luxury brand items, sporting goods, and Italian goods.

The shops are normally reasonably priced, but there are also bargain sales on a regular basis that are worth checking out. In particular, make sure to visit during the large sales held biannually in January and August.

The grounds of the outlet mall also have a nursing room, a prayer room, and a playroom. Come enjoy shopping with your family and friends!

When you present your Hakone Freepass at the outlet information center, you’ll receive a coupon book that gives you discounts at participating shops.

There is direct bus service from Gotemba Station and Gotemba Premium Outlets® to Shinjuku Station in Tokyo.
When using the Hakone Freepass, you will receive an 870 yen discount on the Shinjuku-Tomei Gotemba (565) route which is usually 1,580 yen for a one-way adult ticket.

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Gotemba Premium Outlets^®

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Do More Sightseeing After Leaving Gotemba Station

It is also recommended to go sightseeing in the Mt. Fuji area from Gotemba.

There is direct bus service to from Gotemba Station to Lake Kawaguchiko, the starting point for Mt. Fuji hikes that offer magnificent mountain views, and also the Fuji-Q Highland theme park.

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Gotemba Station

From Art to Outlet Shopping – Enjoy All That Hakone has to Offer!

There are many different things to experience along the Hakone to Gotemba route?

This travel plan covers local specialties, the Hakone Glass Forest Venetian Glass Museum, outstanding views of Mt. Fuji, and outlet shopping. Try out this fun trip itinerary for yourself and discover how much Hakone has to offer!

*Restaurant menus, admission fees, and other information are all subject to change.