From eggs blackened by sulfur to crystalline spring-water tofu, Hakone’s gastronomy is a dialogue with the mountain.
"A multi-course dialogue between the chef and the season."
Dinner in a Hakone Ryokan is an elaborate ceremony known as Kaiseki. Unlike city Kaiseki, Hakone’s version emphasizes **Sansai** (mountain vegetables) and **Iwana** (river trout). Each dish is served on local **Yosegi-Zaiku** woodwork or seasonal ceramics, designed to mirror the current state of the forest outside your window.
Salt-Grilled Ayu
Simmered Bamboo Shoots
Served in the privacy of your room, these meals often consist of 10 to 12 small plates, moving from light appetizers to a final course of miso soup and local pickles.
"Eat one, and add seven years to your life."
In the steaming valley of Owakudani, regular chicken eggs are boiled in natural sulfuric hot springs. A chemical reaction with the iron in the water turns the shells a matte, charcoal black. While the inside remains a perfectly cooked, creamy hard-boiled egg, the ritual of eating them overlooking Mt. Fuji is the quintessential Hakone experience.
Sold in packs of 5 at the Owakudani Kurotamago-kan.
The water in the boiling pools contains sulfur and iron. The iron attaches to the porous shell, creating a layer of iron sulfide.
The purity of Hakone's water defines its tofu and soba.
Famous for 'Tofu Shakedown.' Deep-fried tofu stuffed with minced meat, simmered in an earthenware pot. A hearty staple of the Gora area.
Try 'Yuba-don' at Yuba-don Naokichi. Delicate sheets of tofu skin served in a hot dashi broth made from the crystalline springs of Hakone-Yumoto.
Buckwheat noodles are best served cold here to highlight the mineral profile of the local water. Often topped with grated mountain yam (Tororo).
The sensory entrance to the caldera starts with the scent of manju.
Small, sponge-cake buns stamped with an image of the mountains and filled with sweet white bean paste. Watch them being made by automated machines at **Kikukawa Shoten**.
TOP PICK: KIKUKAWA SHOTENWhile neighboring Odawara is the capital of Kamaboko, Hakone-Yumoto offers unique grilled versions served on sticks for easy walking. Try the **Kagosei** stand for the freshest samples.
TRADITION: STEAMED FISH PROTEINA modern Hakone staple. Creamy soft-serve ice cream topped with local honey and a chunk of honeycomb, often served with a "toasted" wooden spoon.
VIBE: INSTAGRAM FAVORITEIn the caldera, "Spice" is defined by mountain aromatics rather than chili peppers. Here is how Hakone compares to the rest of Japan.
Compared to the bold, spicy Korean-influenced dishes of Osaka or the pepper-heavy Ramen of Northern Japan, Hakone food is **historically mild**.
Because travelers were resting their bodies after the grueling climb over the Hakone Pass, the cuisine prioritized **digestion and hydration**. Heat was seen as an irritant; instead, they used **Sansho** (Japanese pepper) to provide a numbing, citrusy "tingle" rather than a burn.
The "Heat" of Hakone. Grown in the pristine mountain streams of the caldera, Hakone wasabi is known for its sharp nasal kick that vanishes instantly, leaving a sweet aftertaste.
In the winter, citrus becomes the primary "spice." High-altitude Yuzu is used to brighten the heavy fats of mountain boar and river trout.
The most unique "spice" in Hakone is the subtle aroma of volcanic sulfur. You'll taste it in the **Kuro-Tamago**—it adds a savory, mineral depth that tastes like the earth itself.
Try 'Hakone-yama' sake. Because Hakone water is soft and low in minerals, the resulting sake is exceptionally "Tanrei-Karakuchi"—meaning it is crisp, dry, and goes perfectly with sashimi.
Visit **Bakery & Table Hakone**. They use a 100-year-old sourdough starter and volcanic spring water to brew their coffee, which you can drink while soaking your feet in a lakeside ashibu (foot bath).