Experiences for Groups & MICE

Hakone isn’t just for individual travelers or families – it’s also a fantastic destination for groups, corporate retreats, and incentive tours. As a calm, rejuvenating locale not far from Tokyo, Hakone offers a refreshing change of pace for business events and team outings while still providing top-notch facilities. Blending natural tranquility with authentic culture, Hakone can elevate any Meeting, Incentive, Conference, or Exhibition (MICE) itinerary. Whether you are a honeymoon couple, a multi-generational family, or a company looking to reward your team, Hakone has something special for everyone. In particular, for travel agencies and event planners, Hakone strikes an ideal balance: it feels like a remote mountain getaway, yet it’s easily accessible and well-equipped. Imagine hosting a strategy meeting where attendees can later bond over a sunset cruise on a crater lake, or planning an incentive trip that has your guests riding a ropeway to a volcanic valley in the morning and enjoying a gourmet banquet by evening. Hakone’s unique blend of leisure and inspiration makes it appealing to both leisure visitors and business groups. Here are some ways Hakone shines for groups and MICE travel:

Group-Friendly Accommodations & Venues: Hakone offers a range of hotels and ryokans that cater to groups. Several resort hotels (such as the Hakone Kowakien Tenyu, Prince Hakone Lake Ashinoko, or Hyatt Regency Hakone) feature not only comfortable rooms and onsen spas but also conference rooms and banquet halls for meetings or events. You can hold a corporate seminar in a modern meeting room during the day, then transition to an outdoor patio or traditional tatami banquet hall for the evening reception. For a truly unique venue, consider renting out a historic ryokan – some can be booked entirely by a group, providing exclusive use of facilities (and onsen) and an intimate atmosphere for a company retreat. There are also smaller museums or art galleries in Hakone that can host private events after hours. How about a cocktail party in the sculpture garden of the Open-Air Museum with art and mountain silhouettes around? For large-scale gatherings, while Hakone doesn’t have big convention centers, it can accommodate medium-sized groups handily across multiple properties. The setting itself – with Mt. Fuji in view – adds gravitas to any event. Tip: Many Hakone hotels have experience working with incentive groups, so they offer package rates that include meals, transportation, and even themed dinner setups (like a yukata night or Fuji-themed decor). The combination of quality facilities and evocative setting ensures your group will be both productive and inspired.Team-Building & Incentive Activities: Hakone’s wealth of activities doubles as excellent team-building opportunities. For an active group, arrange a “Hakone Adventure Rally” – a friendly competition where teams follow clues to various landmarks (Hakone Shrine, a scenic lookout, a hidden waterfall) or complete tasks like taking a group selfie with Fuji in the background. The Hakone Ropeway and cable cars can be used as part of a fun race or scavenger hunt. Less formally, a group hike on the Old Tōkaidō trail (maybe even in samurai costume for laughs and photos) can build camaraderie as participants literally walk in historic footsteps. Onsen can also be a team experience: some resorts offer private onsen sessions where colleagues can relax and chat in the healing waters – a unique bonding experience you won’t find in the boardroom! For incentives focused on culture, consider booking a private tea ceremony demonstration at a Hakone ryokan, where your guests can learn Zen principles while whisking matcha. Or arrange a yosegi puzzle box workshop as a team exercise – everyone learns how these intricate crafts are made and even tries opening a puzzle box (great as a giveaway prize!). Culinary classes can be memorable too: the group could try making soba noodles or sushi at a local cooking studio, fostering teamwork and delicious results. And nothing says team unity like everyone donning yukata robes for a group photo by Lake Ashi’s torii gate. In the evening, entertainment options include hiring traditional Taiko drummers or a geisha performance to surprise your guests during dinner. By infusing cultural and interactive elements, a Hakone trip becomes more than sightseeing – it becomes a shared story for your group.

Easy Access & Tokyo Add-On: One of Hakone’s greatest strengths for MICE planners is its proximity to Tokyo and ease of access. It’s close enough that a day trip from a Tokyo conference is feasible: for example, shuttling your delegates by chartered coach or even the famous Romancecar express train to Hakone-Yumoto in the morning, spending the day touring Hakone’s highlights, and returning to Tokyo by night. (Imagine the delight of international attendees getting to see Mount Fuji and soak in a hot spring in between meetings!). As an incentive trip, Hakone pairs perfectly with Tokyo: you can spend a few nights amid Tokyo’s urban excitement and high-tech luxury, then a night or two in the tranquil environs of Hakone to unwind and reflect. The transition from skyscrapers to scenic mountains is something participants really appreciate. Logistics are straightforward – many DMCs arrange private coaches or even bullet train rides to nearby Odawara Station, followed by comfortable buses within Hakone. For high-end groups, helicopter transfers from Tokyo to Hakone are also possible, landing near Lake Ashi – talk about arriving in style with Fuji in full view! Additionally, Hakone can be a stepping stone to other destinations: after Hakone, groups can continue on to Kyoto/Osaka via bullet train or head to the Fuji Five Lakes area for more nature. In terms of incentive itinerary design, Hakone offers a relaxing yet enriching break that enhances a Japan tour’s variety. Because it’s so well-known and beloved by Japanese people too, incorporating Hakone in your program adds local cachet. Simply put, Hakone is an easy win – accessible, famous, and rewarding – for group travel planners seeking to impress their clients with a different side of Japan beyond the big cities.

From the quiet ripple of Lake Ashi carrying a reflection of Mount Fuji, to the billowing steam of volcanic springs that have soothed travelers for centuries, Hakone offers an experience of Japan that feeds the soul. It’s a place where you can slow down and savor the moment – be it soaking in a cedar-scented bath, admiring a timeless piece of art in the forest, or bonding with friends new and old over a black egg and a laugh. Hakone’s versatility is key to its charm: it is as rewarding for a solo adventurer seeking natural beauty as it is for a couple on a romantic getaway, a family making memories, or a corporate team in search of inspiration. The mountains and lakes welcome all with equal grace. In Hakone, leisure and business, culture and nature all find a harmonious balance. A morning might bring contemplative peace at a shrine on the lake, while the afternoon could spark creativity during a productive meeting or an exciting group challenge. By night, the warmth of onsen waters and the sight of stars above the ridges remind every visitor to unwind and dream. Hakone’s appeal lies in these contrasts – the dynamic interplay of relaxation and adventure, of ancient tradition and modern comfort. It leaves you feeling recharged and connected: to Japan’s heritage, to each other, and to the stunning environment. As you depart Hakone, taking one last look at the outline of Mt. Fuji or the shimmer of the lake, you’ll understand why so many make it an essential part of their Japan journey. It’s said that Hakone is a place you’ll want to return to in each of life’s seasons, and indeed, its door is always open. Yōkoso! (Welcome!) to Hakone – a destination that rejuvenates the body and spirit, and beckons you to come back for new discoveries, time and again.