Sengokuhara has a different rhythm from the rest of Hakone. It’s quieter, flatter, and more spread out, and Hakone Sengokuhara Prince Hotel fits that atmosphere well — retro in some ways, distinctly modern in others, with a calm that’s hard to find in the more crowded parts of Hakone during peak season.
A Quiet Base in Sengokuhara
The hotel sits in Sengokuhara, an area known for its open plateau landscape rather than the steep mountain terrain found closer to Gora or Owakudani. It’s also right next to Daihakone Country Club, one of the region’s well-known golf courses, which gives the whole area a slightly different character — more resort, less traditional onsen town. The hotel itself blends older, established architecture with more contemporary touches, and the overall feeling is unhurried in a way that stands out from Hakone’s busier tourist centers.
The Onsen
The hotel draws on water from the Ubako hot spring, classified as a simple onsen, generally regarded as gentle and suited to muscle and joint pain relief. The outdoor bath looks out toward Hakone’s outer rim mountains, and the design incorporates traditional Hakone marquetry (yosegi) motifs, a nice regional touch. There’s also an indoor bath area that comfortably holds a good number of guests, useful if you’re visiting during a busier period.
Rooms
Rooms come in four main categories, ranging from around 29 square meters up to roughly 53 square meters for the largest option. All rooms are non-smoking, and standard amenities include free Wi-Fi and wired internet, a flat-screen TV, refrigerator, and bathtub. It’s a comfortable, standardized hotel experience rather than a rustic ryokan one, which suits travelers who want reliable modern comforts alongside the onsen.
Sengokuhara Susuki Grass Fields
One of the reasons I’d point people toward this area specifically is what’s nearby: the Sengokuhara susuki (Japanese pampas grass) fields, one of Hakone’s most photographed autumn spots. When the grass turns golden in fall, it creates a striking, almost otherworldly landscape that’s genuinely worth building a day around. If your Hakone trip lines up with autumn, staying in Sengokuhara rather than commuting out from Hakone-Yumoto makes visiting the fields at golden hour much easier.
Timing a Visit to the Susuki Fields
The golden color of the Sengokuhara susuki fields generally peaks sometime between late September and early November, though the exact timing shifts a bit year to year depending on weather. Early morning or late afternoon light tends to make the grass glow more dramatically than midday sun, and since the fields are only a short distance from the hotel, staying in Sengokuhara makes it realistic to catch that light without an early train ride from elsewhere in Hakone.
Golf and Other Nearby Activities
Beyond the onsen, Sengokuhara’s flat, open terrain makes it one of the few parts of Hakone well suited to golf, and Daihakone Country Club next door is a convenient option if that’s part of your trip. The area is also close to the Hakone Venetian Glass Museum and several other small museums scattered around Sengokuhara and neighboring Gora, so it works well as a base if you’re planning a museum-focused day rather than a strictly onsen-focused one.
Dining
The hotel operates multiple restaurants and a bar on-site, giving you the option to stay in for the evening without needing to head back out after a long day of sightseeing — useful in an area that’s quieter and more spread out than central Hakone.
Access
From Odawara Station, there’s a reservation-based free shuttle bus to the hotel. The Hakone Tozan Bus also stops at Sengoku-Kogen, with hotel transfer available from there. If you’re driving from Tokyo, it’s roughly 25 minutes from the Gotemba interchange on the Tomei Expressway.
Price and Booking
Rates vary by season and room type — third-party travel agency listings show a wide range, roughly ¥12,000 to ¥65,000 per person for two sharing a room, depending on season and plan, so treat any specific figure as a loose guide rather than a promise. The hotel is listed on Booking.com with a strong volume of guest reviews, and as part of the wider Prince Hotel network it’s also easy to find on major Japanese platforms like Rakuten Travel and Jalan, plus international sites like Hotels.com.
Onsen Etiquette for International Visitors
Standard onsen rules apply here: shower and rinse before entering the shared bath, and keep your towel out of the water. As with most Hakone properties, it’s worth checking the current tattoo policy directly with the hotel if this applies to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sengokuhara a good base for exploring all of Hakone, or is it too far out?
It’s more removed from central Hakone than a Gora or Hakone-Yumoto base, so factor in extra transit time if you’re planning to bounce between multiple areas each day. It works best if you’re happy to spend a full day around Sengokuhara itself before moving on.
Do I need a car to enjoy this area?
Not necessarily — the shuttle bus from Odawara and local bus connections cover the basics, but a car does make it easier to reach the susuki fields, golf course, and smaller museums at your own pace.
Is the onsen here suitable for guests with sensitive skin?
Simple onsen (tanjun-sen), which is what this hotel draws on, is generally considered one of the gentler onsen types and is often recommended for those with sensitive skin, though individual reactions vary.
More Hakone Reviews
- Hakone Kowakien Yunessun, if you want a more playful, family-focused day out
- Hakone-en, for a lakeside day combining an aquarium and animal park
Who Sengokuhara Prince Hotel Is For
This is a solid choice for travelers who want a calmer, more spread-out base in Hakone, especially if golf, the susuki fields, or a quieter pace matter to your trip. It’s less about historic atmosphere and more about comfortable, dependable modern hospitality in one of Hakone’s more scenic, open areas.
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