Hakone

Hakone, Japan, is a mountain town in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park that's famed for its hot springs, panoramic Mount Fuji views and an iconic Shinto shrine with a red torii gate. You can tour Lake Ashi by boat and see the shrine from the waters, as well as explore the Owakudani Valley sulphur springs. The hot springs are known as Onsen. Yunessun is a modern version of an indoor hot springs spa for adults that you'll certainly want to experience. The natural beauty of this region cannot be understated, and you can learn all about its history at places like the Hakone Open-Air Museum.

Other popular destinations in Hakone include the Pola Museum of Art and Hakone Venetian Glass Museum, also called the Glass Forest. Among the most popular times to visit here is early spring, when the cherry blossoms erupt to paint the entire landscape a brilliant pink.