Hakone Shrine

Hakone Shrine sits just steps from Lake Ashi, a spot dotted with coveted Hakone destinations like Owakudani and Togen-dai. The shrine heralds the Hakone Ookami god, and remains one of the most renowned shrines in Kanto.

Hakone Shrine traces its roots back to the early Nara period over 1260 years ago. It was deeply revered by a number of noteworthy samurai throughout history such as Minamoto no Yoritomo and Tokugawa Ieyasu, further boosting its reputation. Today the Shrine is revered for its god of good luck, warding off misfortune, fulfilling wishes, protection for victories, safe travel, and matchmaking.

Walk along the nature-rich walkup to reveal the red-painted Gongen-zukuri style main sanctuary, backed by the mountains of Hakone. For culture-buffs, you can use this spot as a chance to try the "Sansha Mairi", visiting Hakone Shrine, Kuzuryu Shrine that worships the guardian god of Lake Ashi - Kuzuryu Okami, and the inner shrine Hakone Motomiya, together.

There are a number of destinations here to swing by on your visit to Hakone Shrine, like the Torii of Peace, a gate overlooking the remarkable view of Lake Ashi, the Ryujin Sui-sha, where you can take home the holy water that springs up from the grounds, and the Yatate no Sugi, a cedar tree believed to be approximately 1200 years old to name a few.

To top it off, you won’t want to miss the collection at the treasure hall, which holds a number of exhibits and nationally designated important cultural properties.