8 exquisite sweets you must try in Hakone that will double the fun of your trip!
Hakone has long been a popular vacation spot, and its proximity to the foreign settlement of Yokohama has attracted many tourists, including many from abroad. Along with hot springs and delicious food, Hakone's wide variety of Japanese and Western sweets is one of the main attractions of a trip to Hakone. Stop by a quaint sweet shop between sightseeing tours, or taste a cake made from a traditional recipe. It is the perfect place for those with a sweet tooth to enjoy a great time. Here are some of the best Hakone sweets that we specially recommend.
1Fujiya Hotel Annex Former Imperial Residence "Kikkaso
Apple pie" made with a traditional recipe passed down for over 100 years
Fujiya Hotel opened in 1878 in Miyanoshita as Japan's first full-fledged resort hotel. The lounge's signature dish, "apple pie," has attracted many people, including celebrities from Japan and abroad, and the recipe, which has been handed down for more than 100 years, is still the same today, baked one by one in the pie workshop on the premises. The slow-cooked apples with a hint of cinnamon and orange marmalade are a true delicacy. The warm apple pie with ice cream "apple pie a la mode" is also popular.
Elegant tea time with a view of the Japanese garden in the historic annex
Due to the seismic renovation of Fujiya Hotel (as of November 2019), the apple pie is usually served at the Annex Kikkaso, which is open as a Restaurant. Kikkaso is a historic sukiya-style shoin-style building built in 1895 as the "Miyanoshita Imperial Villa. The residence is decorated with chrysanthemum crests here and there. After enjoying the sweets, it is recommended to take a look around the circular garden created by the imperial gardeners of the time.
Apple pies can also be taken out as souvenirs at PICOT, a bakery and sweets store standing on the grounds of Fujiya Hotel.
- Fujiya Hotel Annex Former Imperial Villa "Kikkaso
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359 Miyanoshita, Hakone-cho, Ashigarashita-gun, Kanagawa MAP
8 minutes walk from Miyanoshita Station of Hakone Tozan Railway
Take a bus from Hakone Tozan Railway Hakone-yumoto Station, get off at "Hotel Mae" and walk about 1 minute.
11:30-15:00 (L.O. 14:00)
No holidays
0460-82-2211 (reception 9:00-18:00)
Free of charge
The entrance to Annex Kikkaso is across from Fujiya Hotel, between Route 1 and Route 138 at the Miyanoshita intersection. Kikkaso is scheduled to be closed from April 2020 for seismic renovation. Apple Pie" will be served in the lounge after the seismic retrofitting of Fujiya Hotel is completed.
Update: Nov. 22, 2019
2President de Ruf
Moist "pound cake" made by a patissier with a Parisian background
This café is attached to the Hakone Museum of Photography, which was established on the grounds of the family's home by three generations of photographers. The museum exhibits the owner's works. The handmade pound cake is a must-try in the French-inspired store. The patissier, who studied pastry making at a famous store in Paris, creates simple and warm cakes incorporating popular flavors such as banana and orange peel, as well as seasonal fruits. Each flavor is aromatic and satisfying, while being moderately sweet. Two to three varieties are always available.
Seasonal parfaits and milk ice cream are also recommended.
In addition to the standard pound cakes, the "seasonal parfait," made with seasonal fruits and other ingredients, is also worth tasting. Ice cream made at Yatsugatake Farm is served with original sauce. In addition to the inside of the restaurant, there are also seats in the courtyard where the nature of Gora comes alive, and you can spend a relaxing time surrounded by the air that seems to blend with art.
The name of the restaurant is a combination of the French words "enjoyment, pleasure" and "egg. It expresses the hope that something will be born and grow here, and that it will be a place overflowing with joy.
- 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
3Lucky's Cafe
The rich flavor is appealing. Hot spring egg pudding in an original bottle
The owner, a native of Hakone, opened this cake store in 2001 with the wish that there would be a cake shop in Hakone where people could enjoy cakes in a casual manner. The "hot spring egg pudding," which comes in an original small bottle with the store's name designed on it, is simple but has a rich, mild flavor. The pudding is steamed slowly at a low temperature to give it a thick, hot spring egg-like texture. The "Kintoki Roll," a Japanese-style cake made with a fluffy brown sugar-flavored batter, soybean flour cream, and kintoki beans, is also an excellent item that has a high repeat rate.
Soft chiffon cakes, etc. are perfect for souvenir shopping!
Located near the trailhead of Mt. Kintoki, some visitors stop by on their way home from hiking. A popular souvenir is the chiffon cake, which uses only egg whites for its fluffy texture and gentle taste. The minis come in two flavors, plain and Earl Grey. There are many other cakes and baked goods on display, and the naming of the cakes after Hakone is also ingenious.
A café with a Provence image is also located inside the store. Cut cakes and "hot spring egg pudding" are available with tea.
- Lucky's Cafe
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- 372-1 Sengokuhara, Hakone-cho, Ashigarashita-gun, Kanagawa MAP
- 15 minutes drive from Gora Station on the Hakone Tozan Railway
- Take a bus from Hakone Tozan Railway Hakone-Yumoto Station or Gora Station, get off at "Sengoku" and walk about 8 minutes.
- 10:00-18:00
- Tuesdays
- 0460-84-4480
- Free of charge
4Chabo Uchida
Special chiffon cake" baked every morning, limited to 16 servings a day
The teahouse is located near Hakone-Yumoto Station, across the Yumoto Bridge. The owner, who used to run a ryokan (Japanese inn), converted it into a Japanese-style cafe. He learned to bake cakes himself, and after much trial and error, he has perfected his "special chiffon cake. Only milk is used as the water content. It is characterized by its moist and smooth texture without being dry. The balance of the whipped cream and the sweet bean paste imported from a bean-jam store in Yokohama is also well balanced, and you will want to visit again and again to taste the green tea, orange, blueberry, and other varieties, changing the day and season.
Handmade, seasonal, and thoughtfully prepared sweet treats to make your trip a memorable one!
The "Shiratama Cream Anmitsu Bean Jam" is topped with homemade agar and chewy shiratama (white bean curd) and a generous portion of seasonal fruit. It is a very popular menu item that has spread its reputation through social networking sites, even among overseas guests. Coffee is brewed slowly in a retro siphon for a deep taste. The owner, who is trained in the tea ceremony, prepares matcha green tea for each order.
In addition to sweet dishes, the restaurant also offers a variety of light meals such as pasta, sandwiches, and a lunch menu that changes daily. Located near Hakone-Yumoto Station, it is a great place to stop by on your way to or from Hakone.
- Chabo Uchida
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- 640 Yumoto, Hakone-cho, Ashigarashita-gun, Kanagawa MAP
- 5 min. walk from Hakone Tozan Railway Hakone-Yumoto Station.
- 10:00-18:00
- Wednesdays (open if Wednesday is a national holiday, closed the following day)
- Hakone Tozan Railway Hakone-Yumoto Station
- Free of charge (2 cars)
5Amazake Chaya
Enjoy traditional "amazake" at a sweet shop in the mountain pass that has warmly welcomed travelers for centuries.
This charming teahouse stands between Hatajuku and Hakonejuku on the "Old Hakone Highway. In the Edo period (1603-1867), there were three teahouses in the vicinity, and they were very busy with travelers coming and going. Today, only one teahouse remains, and the thirteenth-generation owner continues to serve customers with the same selection of goods as in the past.
Amazake" is the perfect accompaniment to a rest at a teahouse on the mountain pass. The natural taste, made only with rice malt and salt, will soothe your fatigue. The "Kurogoma Kinako Mochi," available only in limited quantities, is a rice cake covered with sesame and soybean flour on the front and back. The soybean flour is made from green soybeans and has a beautiful color to whet your appetite.
The restaurant's interior, with its sunken hearth and earthen floor, is filled with the atmosphere of the good old days.
Other items on the menu include miso oden, which is made with homemade miso and sesame flavored, and tokoro-ten. In summer, chilled amazake (sweet sake) and shaved ice are added to the menu.
Inside the restaurant, there are more than a dozen tables made from a large katsura root that has been sliced into rings. There is also a tatami room in the back where you can take off your shoes and relax. The shiny black daikoku-bashira (main pillar) was moved from an old house when the teahouse was reconstructed. The one-story building is constructed without nails, and the cedar bark roof blends in with the rich natural surroundings. It is a wonderful restaurant popular among foreign tourists that conveys the old-fashioned style to the present day.
- Amazake Tea House
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- 395-28 Futagoyama, Hatajuku, Hakone-cho, Kanagawa MAP
- 20 minutes drive from Hakone Tozan Railway Yumoto Station
- Take a bus from Hakone Tozan Railway Hakone-Yumoto Station and get off at "Amazake Chaya" stop.
- 7:00-17:30
- No holidays
- 0460-83-6418
- Free of charge
6Sweet shop Yomogiya
Original menus featuring the refreshing aroma of mugwort
Located near Sengokuhara's famous "Silver Grass Field," it is a perfect place to stop by before or after a stroll. Inspired by mugwort, which grows wild in Sengokuhara, the shop offers a wide variety of sweet dishes with natural colors and aromas. The "Yomogi Shiratama Zenzai" is a perfect match of a moderately sized mugwort white bean curd and a sweet bean paste. The owner's special sweet bean paste is imported from a bean-jam store in Gotemba, and the large grains enhance the flavor of the mugwort. Take-out is also available, and the "Yomogi Dango Anko" made with a special recipe is very popular.
Yomogi Shiratama Cream Anmitsu" is packed with all the sweetness you want.
The "Yomogi Shiratama Cream Anmitsu" is a very satisfying dish with yomogi shiratama (mugwort white bean curd), plenty of sweet bean paste, and mugwort-flavored soft serve ice cream and warabimochi (bracken rice cake). It is served with a drizzle of black honey to taste. We also recommend the "Matcha Ore" made with rich milk from Toi in Nishi Izu.
In addition to the inside of the store, there is also terrace seating, where you can enjoy the sweetness of the tea while feeling the refreshing highland breezes. Nearby are the sister restaurants "Gin-no-ho" and "Soba Restaurant Hoshinoan," where you can enjoy kamameshi (rice cooked in a pot), soba noodles, and wild vegetable dishes.
- Sweet shop Yomogiya
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- 817 Sengokuhara, Hakone-cho, Ashigarashita-gun, Kanagawa MAP
- 13 minutes by car from Gora Station on the Hakone Tozan Railway
- Take a bus from Hakone Tozan Railway Hakone-yumoto Station, get off at "Sengokogen" and walk about 3 minutes.
- 9:00-17:00
- Wednesday, Thursday
- 0460-84-3955
- Free of charge
7Tofu-do Hagino
Soy milk apricot bean curd" by a long-established tofu store that brings out the true flavor of the bean
This long-established tofu store was founded in the late Edo period. The "cotton (momen) tofu" made from 100% domestic soybeans has a rich bean flavor and is trusted by nearby inns and restaurants. The tofu is made one by one in a wooden box from 4:30 in the morning, using natural bittern and clean water unique to Hakone.
The "Soy Milk Apricot Bean Curd" is very popular among tourists. When ordered, it is served in a bowl with a spoon. The secret of its popularity is the ease with which you can sit and eat it at the storefront. It is melt-in-your-mouth smooth, and the natural sweetness of soy milk is matched by the aroma of the apricot.
Freshly made, authentic tofu that tastes good and is deeply satisfying!
Tamadare Tofu," a soft and fluffy tofu, and "Sesame Tofu," a rich mixture of soy milk and kneaded sesame seeds, are also available at the store. The "Ichiguchi Ganmono," or "Nama Yuba," made by squeezing cotton (momen) tofu, mixing it with carrots and sesame seeds, and deep frying it twice, can be packed in a cold pack to take home (sold separately) as a souvenir. The store is popular and often sells out, so early arrival is recommended.
Located across the Yumoto Bridge from the shopping street in front of Hakone-Yumoto Station, this store is a great place to visit in conjunction with a stroll along the Kumano Shrine and the Hayakawa River.
- Tofu Restaurant Hagino
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- 607 Yumoto, Hakone-cho, Ashigarashita-gun, Kanagawa MAP
- Approximately a 6-minute walk from Hakone Tozan Railway Hakone-Yumoto Station.
- 8:00-18:00
- Wednesday
- 0460-85-5271
- None
8Hakone Roasting Coffee
Soft-serve ice cream made by a store specializing in freshly roasted coffee beans
Located on a shopping street lined with souvenir stores in front of Hakone-Yumoto Station, this coffee shop has a lively atmosphere. There are only two items on the take-out menu: hot coffee and coffee milk soft serve. The smooth coffee milk soft serve is homemade with a moderate sweetness. The subtle aroma and taste of coffee blended with milk is popular with both children and adults. It is recommended to enjoy it right away as it is very soft. The coffee changes daily, with flavors from around the world, allowing you to enjoy the ideal state of freshly roasted, freshly ground, and freshly brewed coffee.
The exceptional flavor achieved by using only the best beans, with any inconsistencies removed.
Coffee barrels and jute bags are placed in the store, giving it the feel of a specialty store. Beans arriving from the producing regions are first thoroughly removed to remove any uneven grains. Selected beans can be purchased as souvenirs, and the green beans are immediately roasted in front of you. We recommend the "Mild Blend," which is easy to drink with a good balance of bitterness and acidity. There is also a "Drip Anywhere" coffee bag that allows you to enjoy freshly brewed coffee as soon as you have hot water, which is popular for its easy and tasty drinking. Other original products, such as tenugui hand towels dyed using traditional methods, are also available.
- Hakone Roasted Coffee
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- 702 Yumoto, Hakone-cho, Ashigarashita-gun, Kanagawa MAP
- About 2 minutes on foot from Hakone Tozan Railway Hakone-Yumoto Station
- 10:00-17:00 (subject to change depending on season and weather)
- Closed on weekends and holidays
- 0460-85-5139
- None
MAP
- Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby
Local Guide who was in charge of this article
- Yui Ozasa Gourmet girls in Hakone
Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby
Kanagawa-ken Sengokuhara hot spring- Hoshino Resorts KAI Sengokuhara
- Guest rooms overlooking the magnificent nature are all equipped with Outdoor hot springs. Encountering works of art stirs your inner desire to express yourself.
Hakone-Yumoto hot spring, Kanagawa- Hoshino Resorts KAI Hakone
- Hot spring ryokan where you can experience "Hakone Gokochi" and enjoy the charms of Hakone to the fullest!