Fashionable cafes in Hakone. 7 carefully selected cafes in Gora and Ashinoko area
Gora and Lake Ashinoko, located at an altitude of 500 to 700 meters above sea level, are popular areas in Hakone where you can feel the clean air and rich nature. Many villas are located here as summer resorts, and the lakeside Shinto shrines and the ruins of a barrier station have attracted many visitors in the past and still do today. The area is also characterized by the many cafes here and there where you can fully enjoy the natural environment and the attractions of the tourist spots. We have carefully selected 7 cafes that we recommend for their great location, delicious tea and sweets, and stylishness.
1President de Rueff
A hidden café full of greenery at the end of a small street
The Hakone Museum of Photography is run by three generations of a family of photographers on the premises of their home, and in one corner is a stylish cafe. The most popular item on the menu is pound cake made by a patissier who studied pastry making at a famous store in Paris. There are two or three flavors to choose from, including banana and orange peel, and they are rustic yet firm and satisfying. Desserts arranged with seasonal fruits and light meals are also available.
French-style interior with the warmth of wood
The owner has been photographing Fuji as his life's work and often holds exhibitions in France. The café is decorated with French antiques, creating a relaxed atmosphere where art and nature blend together. On fine days, seating in the courtyard is recommended. You can enjoy your tea time while looking out at the pristine nature of Gora.
The cafe also offers "Salon de Photo," where you can take a simple lesson on how to use your camera. A cake set is available at the end of the lesson.
- President de Ruf
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1300-432 Gora, Hakone-cho, Ashigarashita-gun, Kanagawa MAP
A short walk from Hakone Tozan Railway Cable Car Koenoshita Station
Take a bus from Hakone Tozan Railway Hakone-yumoto Station, get off at Gora Station, and walk about 4 minutes.
10:00-18:00 (L.O.17:00 Morning 9:00-10:00)
Tuesdays (open if Tuesday is a national holiday) *Special holidays apply (check website)
0460-82-2717
None
Salon de foto 3,000 yen (reservation required) Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with occasional holidays (check website).
2Studio Cafe Sima
Handmade cakes and specialty coffee in a store with a photo studio
The café is attached to a long-established photo studio established in 1919. The pound cake with a motif of a mountain climbing train, invented by the mother of the current owner, who is now the fourth generation, is very popular. The cookies on the side have lemon zest kneaded into the dough and decorated with icing and chocolate pens. The cake inside is filled with dried fruit. The coffee is from Horiguchi Coffee, a specialty coffee shop with outlets in Tokyo and other cities, and is carefully brewed one cup at a time by paper drip, giving it a rich, deep aroma.
A large collection of rare old photographs are on display for your viewing pleasure.
The store is bright and homey, full of warmth and handmade atmosphere, and is decorated with old photos everywhere. The shop is decorated with old photographs taken between the Taisho and Showa eras, including the works of the first owner, who excelled at taking pictures of Hakone's scenery. Each of the photographs offers a glimpse into the history of Hakone. There is also an album of photos taken from the same location in the past and present, which some guests forget to look at for a long time.
Located on the "Park Slope" leading to Hakone Gora Park, where you can enjoy flowers and art, this is a perfect place to take a break during a stroll.
- Studio Cafe Shima
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- 1300-280 Gora, Hakone-cho, Ashigarashita-gun, Kanagawa MAP
- 1 minute walk from Gora Station on Hakone Tozan Railway
- Take a bus from Hakone Tozan Railway Hakone-Yumoto Station, get off at Gora Station, and walk about 1 minute.
- 10:00-18:00
- Thursdays (temporary closing due to filming)
- 0460-82-2749
- Free of charge (2 cars)
3Emblem Flow Dining&Bar
Weekend café break at the international hotel dining room
About a 1-minute walk from Gora Station, the EMBLEM FLOW HAKONE hotel's concept is to "create an interesting place where people can connect with each other. The dining room in the hotel is also open as a café from 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and is bustling with people enjoying coffee and sweets. The coffee is made by "27 Coffee Roaster" in Tsujido, Fujisawa City, using beans carefully selected from farms and producers. The coffee is characterized by its fruity and refreshing taste. The latte made by the barista is soft and comfortable to drink. They go great with donuts and other sweets that change daily.
A hearty plate menu is also available in the evening.
The dining room changes its appearance depending on the time of day, and during dinner and bar hours starting at 6:00 p.m., you can order a meal and beer or other alcoholic beverages. The casual atmosphere and menu that everyone can enjoy includes a plate menu with plenty of fresh vegetables and finger foods that can be picked up while chatting.
Since the hotel is popular among overseas guests, some people exchange travel information at the international tables. The stylish and cozy restaurant has 52 counter and table seats.
- Emblem Flow Dining & Bar
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- Inside "Emblem Flow Hakone" 1320-179 Gora, Hakone-cho, Ashigarashita-gun, Kanagawa MAP
- 1 minute walk from Gora Station on Hakone Tozan Railway
- Take a bus from Hakone Tozan Railway Hakone-Yumoto Station, get off at Gora Station, and walk about 1 minute.
- 14:00-17:00 (Cafe only on Sat. and Sun.) 18:00-23:00
- Mon.
- Charged
4Salon de Thé Rosage
A "delicious tea store" by the lake where you can enjoy the resort atmosphere.
This is a hotel-operated dessert restaurant in the annex of the Odakyu Yama-no-Hotel, which stands by Lake Ashinoko. It offers a sophisticated menu of teas, sweets, and light meals. The restaurant is certified by the Japan Tea Association as a "delicious tea store," and offers top-quality teas, especially Darjeeling, picked at some of the best tea gardens in Japan. Rosage's original blend using tea leaves from Shizuoka is also popular, and its mellow aroma is sure to satisfy even the most discerning tea connoisseur. For sweets, we recommend the apple pie, where the Staff/staff member puts the finishing touches on the dressage with a beautifully colored sauce on the table.
A perfect location nestled in the bosom of nature
French toast, omelets, and roast beef sandwiches are also on the menu, and guests stop by not only for tea time, but also for lunch and light meals. The "Premium Shop" on the second floor sells not only cakes and teas, but also original tea utensils and kitchen accessories.
The name of the store, Rosage, means "rhododendron" in French. It is a wonderful space reminiscent of a Parisian salon de teahouse, where visitors can elegantly enjoy a cup of tea with delicious sweets and light meals.
- Salon de Thé Rosage
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- 80 Moto Hakone, Hakone-cho, Ashigarashita-gun, Kanagawa MAP
- Approximately 25 minutes by car from Hakone Tozan Railway Hakone-Yumoto Station
- Free shuttle bus from Moto Hakone Port (for hotel guests only)
- 10:30-17:00 (L.O.), May 10:00~.
- Open daily, closed during the winter season.
- 0460-83-6321 (Mountain Hotel Representative)
- Free of charge
5Bakery&Table Hakone
A café with a spectacular view where you can enjoy bread and coffee from a very popular bakery.
Located right in front of the Lake Ashi sightseeing boat pier, the store is always crowded with tourists, with a bakery on the first floor, a café on the second floor, and a restaurant on the third floor. We recommend that you buy freshly baked bread from the bakery, which is now a Lake Ashinoko's specialty, and go upstairs to order a drink and enjoy it in a relaxed atmosphere. You can choose from a variety of drinks that go well with the bread, such as coffee, lattes, minestrone, and smoothies brewed by baristas. The large windows facing the lake offer a panoramic view of Lake Ashi and a stunning seasonal view.
In addition to bread, original goods are also sold. You can even enjoy a footbath!
The bakery on the first floor is open at 10:00 a.m., and the cafe on the second floor is open from 8:30 a.m., so visitors can enjoy a relaxing morning with a cup of coffee while waiting for their bread to be baked, just like in a resort town. The bakery offers original jams and sundries, making it the perfect place to find stylish souvenirs.
A footbath with hot spring water from "Moto Hakone Hot Spring" is located on the premises near the entrance. Soaking in the hot spring with a loaf of bread from the bakery or a drink from the attached parlor and enjoying the view of the lakeside is a wonderful experience.
- Bakery&Table Hakone
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- 9-1 Moto-Hakone, Hakone-cho, Ashigarashita-gun, Kanagawa MAP
- Approximately 25 minutes by car from Hakone Tozan Railway Hakone-Yumoto Station
- Take a bus from Hakone Tozan Railway Hakone-Yumoto Station and get off at "Moto Hakone Port".
- Cafe 8:30-17:00 (L.O.16:30) / Bakery 10:00-17:00 / Footbath 10:00-17:00 *Business hours vary by floor; check website for details.
- No holidays
- 0460-85-1530
- None
6Chaya Honjin Kohriya cafe KOMON
Enjoy original sweets at this Japanese-style cafe
This Japanese-style building stands near "Hakone Sekisho" on the shore of Lake Ashi. The name of the second-floor café, "Komon," is derived from the pattern of the waves that form a circle on the surface of the lake. Fuji, which changes its appearance depending on the time of day and the direction of the wind, and enjoy the original menu in a relaxing atmosphere.
The specialty, "Honjin Dango," consists of three kinds of dango (green tea, black sesame, and white) that you can bake yourself on the shichirin and add your favorite toppings such as mitarashi and adzuki bean paste.
Relaxing atmosphere with modern Japanese interior
The special pancakes are not only photo-worthy but also taste great. They are popular because they are freshly cooked and hot. The batter is matcha green tea flavor with azuki beans arranged on the surface. It is also served with ice cream. The spacious 74-seat restaurant is decorated in a Japanese style, making it a relaxing place to spend time.
On the first floor, "Chaya Honjin Kuroya" is lined with long-established souvenir stores in the Odawara area, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of an inn town. You can find local delicacies in a space that feels like a time slip back in time.
- Tea House Honjin Horiwaya cafe KOMON
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- 161-1 Hakone, Hakone-cho, Ashigarashita-gun, Kanagawa MAP
- Approximately 25 minutes by car from Hakone Tozan Railway Hakone-Yumoto Station
- Take a bus from Hakone Tozan Railway Hakone-yumoto Station and get off at Hakone-cho Port.
- 10:00-16:00 (Meals L.O.15:30), Souvenir store 9:30-17:15 *Hours may change depending on the season.
- Closed on weekends and holidays
- 0460-83-6711
- Free of charge
7LE TRAIN
Elegant tea time in a salon car decorated by French craftsman Lalique
The café is housed in the salon car of the "Orient Express," a luxury train that runs through Europe. The works of French craftsman René Lalique, who created the car's interior decorations, are on display at the Hakone Lalique Museum, which attracts visitors.
Reservations are required on site on the day of the ride and change every hour. Visitors can enjoy a 40-minute ride experience that includes a tea set. Desserts, prepared by a patissier, are seasonal delicacies. Beverages are available in hot coffee, tea, or herbal tea, and can be ordered iced only during the summer season.
View historical artworks up close.
Lalique, who switched from jewelry to glass art around the age of 50, began working on interior decorations. The LE TRAIN decoration was created in 1928, when Lalique was 68 years old, and features more than 150 glass panels with mirrored surfaces on the backs, skillfully manipulating the reflection of light to create a space.
The glass panels that adorn the walls, as well as most of the interior and furnishings, including tables and chairs, are from the period. Visitors can enjoy a luxurious tea time as if they were traveling on the Orient Express, as they lean back in their chairs while listening to the commentary of a dedicated crew member.
- LE TRAIN
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- 186-1 Sengokuhara, Hakone-cho, Ashigarashita-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture (Hakone Lalique Museum of Art) MAP
- Approximately 14 minutes by car from Gora Station on the Hakone Tozan Railway
- Take a bus from Gora Station of Hakone Tozan Railway and get off at Hakone Lalique Art Museum.
- First 10:00, last 16:00 (change by the hour, 40 minutes, capacity of 20 people per show)
- Open daily (closed on weekends and holidays in accordance with the museum's schedule)
2,200 yen (with tea set)- 0460-84-2255（Hakone Lalique Museum of Art)
- Free of charge
- Reservations required (accepted on site on the day of the tour, no reservations by phone)
Local Guide who was in charge of this article
- Yui Ozasa Gourmet girls in Hakone
Hoshino Resorts KAI Sengokuhara
Kanagawa-ken Sengokuhara hot spring
Guest rooms overlooking the magnificent nature are all equipped with Outdoor hot springs. Encountering works of art stirs your inner desire to express yourself.
Access by bus 15 minutes by cab from Gora Station on the Hakone Tozan Railway
- Example of Accommodation Rates
- 1 person per night From ¥57,500
Hoshino Resorts KAI Hakone
Hakone-Yumoto hot spring, Kanagawa
Hot spring ryokan where you can experience "Hakone Gokochi" and enjoy the charms of Hakone to the fullest!
Access by bus Approximately 7 minutes by cab from Hakone Tozan Railway Hakone-Yumoto Station
- Example of Accommodation Rates
- 1 person per night From 38,000 yen