Is Odawara worth stopping at on the way to Hakone?

Yes. The castle is about a 10-minute walk from the station, so an hour or two slots neatly between the shinkansen and the Hakone mountain line.

Can you go inside Odawara Castle?

Yes. The keep is a reconstruction housing a local-history museum, and the top floor is an observation deck looking over the town to Sagami Bay. The surrounding park is free to enter.

What is Odawara known for as food?

Kamaboko (steamed fish cake) is the local product, with several long-running makers near the station, plus fresh seafood from the fishing port and Hakone-bound interest in umeboshi pickled plums.

How far is Odawara from Hakone?

The Hakone Tozan line climbs from Odawara to Hakone-Yumoto in about 15 minutes, where the Hakone loop of mountain railways, cable cars and lake boats begins.

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小田原

Odawara

Kanagawa · kanto

historyculturenature

A castle town and shinkansen gateway to Hakone, with a restored hilltop keep and a long history as a Tokaido checkpoint.

Who Odawara is for

Castle and history fans, and travellers staging into Hakone who want a worthwhile stop on the way.

About Odawara

Odawara guarded the western approach to Edo and was the seat of the Hojo clan until Hideyoshi besieged it in 1590. Its reconstructed castle sits in a park of cherry trees above the town. As the shinkansen stop nearest Hakone, it is an easy add-on to a hot-spring trip, with kamaboko fishcake shops near the station.

Things to do

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Odawara Castle
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Small, stalwart castle featuring an assortment of exhibits & artifacts, plus views from the tower.
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The Hakone Open-Air Museum
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Museum featuring an outdoor sculpture park & some indoor exhibits, plus a natural hot spring.
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Odawara Castle Park
Park with a museum of samurai artifacts, kids' rides & seasonal blooms including wisteria & plum.
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Suzuhiro Kamaboko-no-sato
Delicatessen selling craft beer & artisan foods, plus cookery classes making kamaboko fish cakes.
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Suzuhiro Kamaboko Museum
Venerable producer of kamaboko, traditional cured-fish cakes, with exhibits, workshops & tastings.
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Odawara Shokudō Dan
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Frequently Asked Questions

Odawara

About Odawara

Things to do

Odawara Castle

The Hakone Open-Air Museum

Odawara Castle Park

Suzuhiro Kamaboko-no-sato

Suzuhiro Kamaboko Museum

Odawara Shokudō Dan

Frequently Asked Questions

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