Sōunzan Station — Attraction in Hakone

The ropeway is closed between here and Owakudani so you have to take a 90 minute bus ride to get to Owakudani instead. The bus only travels 4.5 kilometers but the road is backed up with traffic. You could walk it easily in under an hour so I would suggest doing that instead of the bus if the traffic is bad. On the plus side, I got a really good midday nap out of the ride. When the cable car initially got to Sounzan I decided to walk up the hill and visit a small Buddhist temple before hopping on the bus. When I got back to the station the same group from my cable car was still waiting for the bus and then I hopped on with them without waiting long. The temple is nice so I suggest the short walk to visit it. I was the only person there so it was a much needed break from the crowd for a moment of...

The positives were the views, lovely scenery! The negatives… there were SO many people and honestly not much to do in Hakone overall. Whilst trying to scan my ticket, due to the amount of crowds, my ticket didn’t finish scanning. The lady at the ticket place shouted and pushed me out of the line. I’m Japanese myself and never have I ever had a staff be this rude. Other staff in other areas of Hakone were so rude.

Overall, the whole of Hakone was BUSY! Spent 90% of the time queuing and really not much to see. Not only this, it was so expensive with the amount of money you spend on the transport, it’s easier and cheaper to do the trip by car. Would never come back here again....

Sounzan Station's ropeway offered a breathtaking, snowy panorama, a rare March spectacle. The world transformed into a white wonderland, the normally verdant slopes blanketed in pristine snow. The aerial view revealed a landscape of frosted trees and snow-covered peaks, a serene and majestic sight. The ropeway ascended through the silent, snow-laden air, offering a unique perspective on this unexpected winter scene. The contrast of the white expanse against the clear blue sky was stunning. The rare, late snowfall added an ethereal beauty to the already magnificent Hakone scenery, a truly...