What's on in Hakone (Mount Fuji), Japan through the year

Peak crowds — Hakone Ekiden, Winter break (fuyuyasumi) in Japan

• Festival

  Hakone Ekiden

  2–3 JanMajor festivalCrowdedClosures

  The university relay from Tokyo to Lake Ashi and back. The mountain road closes to traffic for both mornings and the whole town turns out along it in the cold. Source ↗

Quiet — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in February.

Busy — Spring break (haruyasumi) in Japan

Nothing new starts in March.

Peak crowds — Golden Week, Spring break (haruyasumi) in Japan

• Holiday

  Golden Week

  29 Apr – 5 MayCrowded

  Tokyo's nearest hot-spring valley in the country's busiest travel week. The ropeway queue and the road up to Owakudani are the bottleneck; the early train is the only fix. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Golden Week, Golden Week in Japan

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: Golden Week (29 Apr – 5 May)

Busy — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

• Festival

  Hydrangea train

  15 Jun – 20 Jul · usuallyWildflowers & bloomsBook early

  Thousands of hydrangeas line the Tozan switchbacks and flower from the bottom of the hill upward over a month. The evening train runs with the carriage lights off and needs a reserved seat. Source ↗

Busy — Summer break (natsuyasumi) in Japan, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in July.

Still on: Hydrangea train (15 Jun – 20 Jul (usually))

Peak crowds — Obon, Summer break (natsuyasumi) in Japan

• Holiday

  Obon

  13–16 AugNational holidayCrowded

  The other national travel week, and the evening of the 16th brings a burning character on the hillside above Gora with fireworks over the lake. Source ↗

Busy — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in September.

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in October.

Busy — Autumn colour

• Nature

  Autumn colour

  1–30 Nov · usuallyCrowded

  Lake Ashi and the Sengokuhara grass turn late, usually the middle of November. Weekend traffic on the loop road is worse than it is in Golden Week.

Busy — Winter break (fuyuyasumi) in Japan, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in December.