Hakone in November: Autumn Weather, Hot Springs and Lake Ashi

In November, steam still rises from the sulphur vents of Owakudani and the air around Lake Ashi turns crisp enough to make a hot bath feel like the whole point of the day. Hakone sits in the mountains of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, and this is the month when the trees begin to change and the ryokan fill with the smell of simmering dinners. It is a month for soaking, ropeway rides and long lake views.

Lake Ashi in Hakone in autumn · Illustration

What is the weather like in Hakone in November?

November is cool and fairly dry in Hakone, a clear step down from October, with crisp days and cold nights.

Month	Average high (°F)	Average low (°F)	Precipitation (in)	Hours of sunshine	Daylight on the 15th
October	72.0	57.4	9.40	131	11 h 21 min
November	63.3	46.9	4.70	149	10 h 21 min
December	55.4	37.6	2.94	171	9 h 48 min

Afternoons at the foot of the mountain are comfortable for walking in a sweater, while the nights call for a proper coat. Up on the mountain side, at the Hakone station high on the slopes, a good deal more rain falls than down at Odawara, so the weather you meet by the lake or around Owakudani can differ from what you left at the bottom.

Layers make the most sense: a light base, a warm middle layer and a rain shell you can fold into a bag. Daylight is shrinking, so the sun sets early and evenings belong to the bath and the dinner table. Sunshine is generous for the month, which suits the first colors in the trees.

What to do in Hakone in November

The big pleasure of November in Hakone is the hot spring. Many visitors stay at a ryokan, a traditional inn, where dinner and bathing shape the evening.

From mid-November to early December, trees across Japan show colors from red to yellow and orange, and the hills around Hakone are part of that season.

Lake Ashi and the ropeway

Looking across the water, you hope for a view of Mount Fuji, a chance and never a promise, since clouds often decide.

Riding it, you look down on the volcanic valley, its active sulphur vents and the steam drifting off the slopes. Pair the ropeway and the cruise in one outing, and on a gray day keep the views for a clearer hour.

Owakudani and its black eggs

Owakudani is a volcanic valley with sulphur vents and hot springs, and its black eggs, boiled in the hot water until the shells darken, are said to prolong life. They make a good stop with a warm drink, since the valley sits in the cool mountain air.

The smell of sulphur is strong and the ground steams, which gives the walk a raw, otherworldly feel against the autumn hills. Dress warmly, because the mountain side is wetter and colder than the foot of Hakone.

Art museums and the open-air museum

Sengokuhara is filled with art museums, so a day of indoor galleries fits the weeks when showers sweep in.

The Hako Ticket Plus adds unlimited use of applicable art museums, hot springs and activity facilities, and is valid for 2 days or 3 days.

A two-day itinerary for Hakone in November

Then climb by the Hakone Tozan Train toward the mountain. With only about ten hours of daylight, aim to be on the high ground by midday while the light is good.

In the afternoon ride the ropeway through Owakudani, taste a black egg, and continue to Lake Ashi. Finish with a hot spring bath at your ryokan and a long dinner, since dark comes early in November. If rain sets in, swap the views for the museums of Sengokuhara.

Day 2 begins with a boat on Lake Ashi for the open water and the hills with their first colors. Midday suits the Hakone Open-Air Museum, with its sculpture among the slopes, then a lunch in a kind of place that serves local noodles or a set meal.

Spend the afternoon on a second bath, perhaps a different hot spring, and stroll the shops before you leave. On a wet day, stay indoors in the galleries and the baths, which work in any weather.

Is Hakone busy in November?

November is a busy month in Hakone, because it falls in the autumn color season that runs from mid-November into early December.

The pace is steady rather than frantic, with visitors drawn by cool, bright days and the bath. Because the color builds through the month, the later weeks draw more people looking for red leaves than the first ones do.

That keeps the evening meal, a central part of the stay, from slipping away.

What to pack for Hakone in November

Pack for a mountain that is cooler than the town at its foot, with nights that feel like winter.

A warm coat for the cold evenings and the windy lake
Layers such as sweaters for changing temperatures between valley and mountain
A compact rain jacket, since the mountain side gets more rain
Comfortable walking shoes for Owakudani and museum grounds
A small towel and a bag for the hot spring

Good to know before you go

November falls outside the New Year closures, when many restaurants and attractions shut, so Hakone is open for the autumn season. The winter chill is near, and the mountains elsewhere in Japan begin to see snow later in the season. Hakone’s ryokan keep dinner and curfew times, so arrive in good time.

Hakone in November vs October and December

Going four weeks earlier, in October, brings a much warmer and wetter Hakone, with long days and heavy rain on the mountain side. The leaves have barely turned, so the color is thinner than in November.

Going four weeks later, in December, brings cold nights near freezing and the shortest days, with more sunshine and less rain. The color season on the Pacific coast of Kanto peaks in early to mid December, so late leaves can still be found.

Travelers who like warmth and long days should shift to October, while those who want crisp air, clear light and a hot bath do best in November. December suits people who want dry weather and the coldest soaks.

Is November a good time to visit Hakone?

Yes, November is a good time for travelers who love hot springs, cool air and the first autumn colors. It rewards people who enjoy a ropeway ride, a lake cruise and a slow evening more than a packed list.

Those who want warm days for long hikes or guaranteed views of Mount Fuji may prefer another month, since clouds and rain on the mountain side can hide the scenery. On arrival, settle in at your ryokan first and take your first bath before planning the rest. What is special about November in Hakone is the contrast: cold, bright air above a steaming valley, then a bath that melts the chill away.

Sources

Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Normal values 1991-2020, monthly (https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=46&block_no=1008), station Odawara, elevation 14 m, checked October 11, 2026
Computed from the date and the latitude of the place (sunrise equation, solar elevation -0.833 degrees), October 11, 2026
Japan Meteorological Agency, maple color-change dates 2025-2026 with difference from the 1991-2020 normal (https://www.data.jma.go.jp/sakura/data/phn_014.html), checked October 11, 2026
Japan Meteorological Agency, kaede2020.pdf (https://www.data.jma.go.jp/sakura/data/kaede2020.pdf), checked October 11, 2026
Japan National Tourism Organization, winter in Japan (https://www.japan.travel/en/guide/winter-guide/), checked October 11, 2026
Japan National Tourism Organization, autumn in Japan (https://www.japan.travel/en/guide/autumn-guide/), checked October 11, 2026
Japan National Tourism Organization, spring in Japan (https://www.japan.travel/en/guide/spring-guide/), checked October 11, 2026
Japan National Tourism Organization, summer in Japan (https://www.japan.travel/en/guide/summer-guide/), checked October 11, 2026
Japan National Tourism Organization, Hakone (https://www.japan.travel/en/destinations/kanto/kanagawa/hakone-and-around/), checked October 11, 2026
Hakone Tourist Information (https://www.hakonenavi.jp/international/en/), checked October 11, 2026
Wikipedia, Hakone, Kanagawa (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakone,_Kanagawa), checked October 11, 2026
Wikivoyage, Hakone (https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Hakone), checked October 11, 2026
Wikipedia, Hakone Open-Air Museum (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakone_Open-Air_Museum), checked October 11, 2026
Wikipedia, Hakone Ropeway (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakone_Ropeway), checked October 11, 2026
Wikipedia, Ōwakudani (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%8Cwakudani), checked October 11, 2026
Wikipedia, Lake Ashi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Ashi), checked October 11, 2026