Hakone-Yumoto Onsen (the gateway hot-spring town of Hakone)

Hakone-Yumoto is the gateway to the entire Hakone region and, at the same time, one of the liveliest and most authentic hot-spring towns in central Japan. The Hayakawa river runs through the old town between forest-covered slopes, and along its banks line dozens of wooden ryokan, public sentō and shops selling mochi sweets and yuba (soy skin). The waters of Hakone-Yumoto are alkaline, transparent and at a mild temperature (~42 degrees), ideal for the first or last bath of a visit to Hakone. The most popular public establishment for day bathing is the Tenzan Tohji-kyo, with several rotenburo (open-air baths) among rocks in the forest, for 1.300 ¥. Other sentō in the town charge between 500 and 900 ¥. The main street, Yumoto-machi, is lined with shops selling local crafts —negishi woodwork, amulets of the Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu Festival— and food stalls. Hakone-Yumoto station is the starting point of the Hakone Tozan rack railway towards Gora and of the bus towards Owakudani, Lake Ashi and the Hakone shrine. It is reached by train from Odawara in 15 minutes (Odakyu or Hakone Tozan line) or from Shinjuku in 85 minutes on the Odakyu Romance Car.