Mount Komagatake

Mount Komagatake rises to 1,356 metres directly above the eastern shore of Lake Ashi, and thanks to a fast aerial ropeway its summit is one of the easiest high viewpoints to reach anywhere in Hakone. The Hakone Komagatake Ropeway climbs from the lakeside resort of Hakone-en, at about 723 metres, to the top in roughly seven minutes, covering some 1,780 metres of cable and lifting you out over forest to a broad, wind-scoured grassy plateau where the views open in every direction.

From the summit observation plaza the panorama is exceptional. Mount Fuji stands across Lake Ashi to the west, the lake itself glitters below with the sightseeing cruise ships tracing white wakes across it, and on clear days the outlook stretches south over Suruga Bay and east toward the Shonan coast and the Pacific. Unlike many Japanese peaks the top of Komagatake is open meadow rather than forest, so there is nothing to block the horizon - the whole summit is a natural viewing terrace, and its exposed grassland takes on a windswept, almost alpine character.

The mountain is also a place of deep spiritual significance. A short, easy walk across the summit meadow leads to Hakone Mototsumiya Shrine, an inner sanctuary of the great Hakone-jinja whose main hall stands on the lakeshore at Moto-Hakone far below. Mount Komagatake is regarded as the original site of Hakone mountain worship, and the small, weather-beaten shrine on its exposed summit, backed by Fuji and open sky, carries a genuine sense of the sacred that the busy lakeside precinct cannot match. The walk out to it is gentle and well worth the few extra minutes.

Because the ropeway does almost all the work, Komagatake is a rare high summit that suits families, older visitors and anyone short on time or energy - there is no real climbing involved, and the plateau paths are broad and mostly level. The plaza has restrooms, a cafe and observation decks, and a visit of an hour or so is enough to ride up, walk to the shrine, take in the views and ride back down. For hardier walkers a trail links Komagatake with neighbouring Mount Kamiyama, the highest peak in Hakone, though that route depends on volcanic-activity conditions and is sometimes restricted.

Conditions at the top can differ sharply from the lakeside: it is cooler and often windier, and cloud can roll in quickly, so a clear, calm morning gives by far the best chance of a sharp Fuji. Fresh green covers the slopes in late spring, the meadow is at its most pleasant in summer when the highland stays cool, autumn brings colour to the surrounding forest, and winter offers the crispest long-distance views, sometimes with frost or snow on the summit.

Getting there is part of a classic Lake Ashi loop. The ropeway base at Hakone-en is served by Izuhakone buses and by lake cruise boats from Odawara, Togendai and Moto-Hakone, so you can arrive by water and leave by road, or vice versa. Note this ropeway and the surrounding buses are run by the Izuhakone group rather than Odakyu, and are not covered by the Japan Rail Pass; the ropeway charges its own round-trip fare, so check which regional pass best fits your route before you travel.