Hakone Mototsumiya Shrine

Few visitors who gaze across Lake Ashi realise that high above them, on the summit of Mount Komagatake, stands Hakone Mototsumiya: the inner sanctuary of Hakone Shrine. This is where veneration of the mountain deity is said to have begun some 2,400 years ago, making it one of the oldest sacred sites in the region. The present building dates from 1964, yet the atmosphere is timeless, and the mysterious Bakoseki (a stone tied to legends of a divine white horse descending the peak) lends the summit a quietly mythic charge.

When to go

The sanctuary is open daily from 8:15 am to 5:00 pm. Arriving early in the morning rewards you with the best chance of mist-free views and near-solitude at the summit. Clear autumn days, when the caldera colours are at their richest, are particularly rewarding.

“Have to take the tram car up. 100% worth it. View from the overlook was bad because of the weather. Cloudy and rainy. But still worth it. Small walk with a decent bit of step to climb to get to the shrine. But Definitely worth it”— Mkv_James, Google review