Hakone · Around Lake Ashi
Lake Ashi
How to get there and what to see · facts checked 2026-10-24
Photo: Charlie fong・CC BY-SA 4.0
A lake inside Hakone's volcanic caldera, with views of Mt. Fuji. Hakone Shrine and the old checkpoint stand on its shore.
- Nearest station
- Reach it by ship at Togendai, Hakone-machi or Moto-Hakone
What to see
- Size: 724 m above sea level, 19 km around, 6.9 sq km, up to 43.5 m deep.
- Nine-headed dragon legend: the monk Mangan is said to have calmed it and enshrined it as the god Kuzuryu.
- The name: probably from the reeds (ashi) along the shore.
Seasons
- Spring greenery, summer fireworks, autumn leaves, and an upside-down Mt. Fuji on the water in winter (tourism association).
History
It formed about 3,100 years ago when a landslide from Mt. Kamiyama dammed a river. It was once a sacred lake where mountain priests purified themselves.
Getting there
By bus to Moto-Hakone or Hakone-machi, or by ropeway and ship from Togendai.
Lake Ashi and Hakone-en
Tap a red pin to open that sight's page.
Nearby sights
← Hakone guide: trains from Tokyo
Sources
Hours, prices and history come from the official websites and public tourism pages listed here. They can change, so check the official site before you go.
- 箱根町観光協会（芦ノ湖）（checked 2026-10-24）
- 箱根町（芦ノ湖）（checked 2026-10-24）
- 箱根町観光協会（芦ノ湖エリア）（checked 2026-10-24）
Map data：© OpenStreetMap contributors