January in Hakone — reliably good (2nd best month)
Good · 8/10Expect 6°C (43°F) in January. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
Budget for roughly 47 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 25 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.1 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 8/10 on the same scale — 2nd of 12 months, versus 8.5/10 for the best month here.
Budget for peak pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.
February in Hakone — middling scores, decent value
Trade-offs · 6.8/10Expect 7°C (44°F) in February. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
120 mm of rain makes this a wet month here, though with about 20 days with 6+ hours of sunshine there is still bright weather between the fronts.
That is 6.8/10 on the same scale — 8th of 12 months, versus 8.5/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, December is materially better in Hakone — 1.7 points higher on the same scale.
March in Hakone: strong conditions, 5th of 12
Good · 7.2/10March averages 10°C (51°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Monthly rainfall reaches 192 mm — wet for this destination — but about 24 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still break through, so keep one indoor fallback in the plan.
It scores 7.2/10 here, 5th of 12 months, against 8.5/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
April in Hakone — reliably good (7th best month)
Good · 7/10Temperatures hover around 15°C (59°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.
Expect monsoon-level rainfall at 233 mm: only about 19 days with 6+ hours of sunshine across the month, and stretches of heavy rain are normal.
That is 7/10 on the same scale — 7th of 12 months, versus 8.5/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, December is materially better in Hakone — 1.5 points higher on the same scale.
May in Hakone: strong conditions, 6th of 12
Good · 7.1/10May averages 18°C (64°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
247 mm makes this the wettest stretch of the year, though about 22 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still appear — keep an indoor fallback ready.
It scores 7.1/10 here, 6th of 12 months, against 8.5/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
June in Hakone: mixed conditions, plan around the weather
Trade-offs · 6.8/10Trail conditions at 22°C (71°F) favour early starts and shaded routes in June; midday is for water breaks, not for exposed climbs.
This is the year's wettest stretch at 316 mm, but with about 20 days with 6+ hours of sunshine it is not a total loss; an indoor fallback covers the risk.
That is 6.8/10 on the same scale — 9th of 12 months, versus 8.5/10 for the best month here.
Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, December is materially better in Hakone — 1.7 points higher on the same scale.
July in Hakone: mixed conditions, plan around the weather
Trade-offs · 5.6/10Days in July average 26°C (79°F) and humidity near 84% — front-load outdoor plans before the heat builds and treat the middle of the day as indoor time.
136 mm of rain makes this a wet month here, though with about 24 days with 6+ hours of sunshine there is still bright weather between the fronts.
That is 5.6/10 on the same scale — 11th of 12 months, versus 8.5/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, December is materially better in Hakone — 2.9 points higher on the same scale.
August in Hakone — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 4.9/10August averages 27°C (80°F) and humidity near 84%, so the practical pattern is early mornings, a long midday break, and evenings back outside.
205 mm makes this the wettest stretch of the year, though about 28 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still appear — keep an indoor fallback ready.
It scores 4.9/10 here, 12th of 12 months, against 8.5/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
Flexible dates? December scores 3.6 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
September in Hakone — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 5.8/10September averages 25°C (77°F) — warm for the outdoors: start trails early, use shaded routes at midday, and carry more water than you think you need.
206 mm makes this the wettest stretch of the year, though about 24 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still appear — keep an indoor fallback ready.
It scores 5.8/10 here, 10th of 12 months, against 8.5/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
Flexible dates? December scores 2.7 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
October holds up well in Hakone — 4th best month
Good · 7.4/10Temperatures hover around 18°C (65°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.
155 mm of rain makes this a wet month here, though with about 22 days with 6+ hours of sunshine there is still bright weather between the fronts.
That is 7.4/10 on the same scale — 4th of 12 months, versus 8.5/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
November in Hakone — reliably good (3rd best month)
Good · 7.7/10Temperatures hover around 14°C (57°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.
119 mm of rain makes this a wet month here, though with about 22 days with 6+ hours of sunshine there is still bright weather between the fronts.
That is 7.7/10 on the same scale — 3rd of 12 months, versus 8.5/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
December: the best month of the year in Hakone
Best window · 8.5/10December averages 8°C (47°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Expect 39 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside about 27 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 9.8 daylight hours.
On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Hakone at 8.5/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.
Figure on peak pricing, with this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, footwear you can get muddy.
