Art among the mountains
Hakone＆Fujii

Art among the mountains

A journey through nature with visits to museums, the Valley of Geysers, and an authentic village

MADE AND REMADE

A reimagined landscape — between Hakone and Fuji

Both Hakone and Fuji are mountains born of fire.

About three thousand years ago, the northern slope of Mount Kamiyama collapsed. The earth and sand that descended blocked the Hayakawa River—thus Lake Ashinoko was formed. At the site of the landslide lies the Owakudani Valley, where even today steam rises, tinged with hydrogen sulfide. Here, destruction simultaneously gave birth to both a lake and a valley.

Early in the morning on September 25, 1966, the slope above the village of Nenba on the shore of Lake Saiko also gave way and slid directly onto the houses. Around forty thatched-roof buildings disappeared, and ninety-four people lost their lives. Forty years later, people began to thatch roofs on this land once again—today, twenty houses stand here in a row.

At the age of twenty, Kubota Itchiku saw fragments of tsujigahana—a technique lost since the Muromachi era. At sixty, he completed his own. This was not restoration, but creation anew.

Here, loss and rebirth occur on the very same land. In two days, you will witness both in a single landscape.

 

Additional Options

  • Geisha performance at the residence — dance and song by geishas from Hakone-Yumoto (advance reservation required)
  • Private boat from Tokyo Bay to Atami — begin your journey by sea (advance reservation required)
  • Tea ceremony — in your room or in the tea room
  • Walk along the Owakudani nature trail (advance reservation required)
  • Trekking with views of Fuji accompanied by a guide
  • Visit to a winery in Koshu and grape picking (generally from August to October)
  • ESPACIO SPA (BAMFORD) treatments
  • Private helicopter to Kansai (Day 3)

 

Arrival by Sea — First Day on a Cruise Yacht from Tokyo Bay

The first day can begin on a private cruise yacht. In this case, the POLA Museum is moved to the morning of the third day.

  • 08:30 Departure from Tokyo Bay — departure from the pier on a private yacht. On the right, you will see planes taking off and landing at Haneda; then, passing through the strait between the Bōsō and Miura peninsulas into the waters of Sagami-nada.
  • 11:30 Arrival in Atami — from the sea, it is especially striking how the mountains come right up to the water. You transfer to a car with a personal driver and ascend into the Hakone mountains via Yugawara.
  • 13:00 Kaiseki Restaurant "Kadan" — former residence of Prince Kan'in-no-miya.
  • 14:45 Hakone Open-Air Museum
  • 16:15 Ōwakudani
  • 17:15 Arrival at "Espacio Hakone Geihinkan Rinpōkiryū" — followed by dinner, onsen, and a geigi performance, as in the land itinerary.
  • Day 3, 09:00 POLA Museum of Art (right at opening) / 11:00 from Sengokuhara via Otome Pass to Gotemba, and then on to Kyoto and Osaka.

※ Times are approximate and may vary depending on the speed of the vessel and the pier used.

※ The tour price does not include meals or additional options. We kindly ask for your understanding.

※ Ōwakudani is an active volcanic area. Depending on the concentration of volcanic gases and the level of volcanic hazard, access on the day of your visit may be restricted.

※ In summer, the Fuji Subaru Line road has restrictions for private vehicles: in 2026, from 18:00 on July 3 to 18:00 on September 10. Vehicles in the "hire" category and taxis are exempt from this restriction, so you may reach the Fifth Station in your car with a personal driver. In winter, the open section of the road varies depending on snow cover.