Hakone or Kawaguchiko to Kyoto or Osaka: Getting to the Shinkansen Without Hauling Your Suitcase

To get from Hakone to Kyoto, most travellers take the Hakone Tozan train from Hakone-Yumoto to Odawara (about 15 minutes) and change to a Tokaido Shinkansen Hikari, which reaches Kyoto in about 2 hours. From Kawaguchiko to Kyoto, take the Mishima–Kawaguchiko Liner bus to Mishima (about 1 hour 20 minutes, ¥2,700 for adults) and change to the Shinkansen; the Hikari gets to Kyoto in about 1 hour 51 minutes. The hard part is everything before the bullet train — mountain trains, buses and station stairs with a suitcase in tow — which is why many people send their bags straight from the ryokan to their Kyoto or Osaka hotel.

Key takeaways

• Hakone-Yumoto to Odawara takes about 15 minutes on the Hakone Tozan train; direct Hikari trains from Odawara to Kyoto run about every 2 hours and take about 2 hours (about 2 hours 20 minutes to Shin-Osaka).
• The Mishima–Kawaguchiko Liner bus runs from Kawaguchiko Station to Mishima Station in about 1 hour 20 minutes for ¥2,700; big bags go in the hold, one per person, up to 30 kg.
• On the Tokaido Shinkansen, bags measuring 161–250 cm in total dimensions need a reserved "seat with an oversized baggage area" at no extra cost; without one you pay ¥1,000, and bags over 250 cm aren't allowed.
• The JR Pass covers Hikari and Kodama trains; the Hakone Tozan train and Fujikyu buses are not JR and cost extra.
• If you'd rather not carry your bags, you can hand them in at your Hakone or Kawaguchiko ryokan and have them delivered to your hotel in Kyoto or Osaka.

How to get from Hakone or Kawaguchiko to Kyoto or Osaka: 4 routes compared

Whether you start in Hakone or at Lake Kawaguchiko, you first have to reach a Tokaido Shinkansen station (Odawara or Mishima) and then ride west; the routes differ in how you get to that station. Times below are from timetables checked in October 2026; always confirm on the day.

Route	How you connect	Shinkansen to Kyoto	Luggage notes
Hakone-Yumoto → Odawara → Shinkansen	Hakone Tozan train, about 15 min to Odawara	Hikari about 2 h; Kodama about 3 h	If you stay in Gora or by Lake Ashi, you first have to get down to Hakone-Yumoto; trains are crowded in peak season
Lake Ashi (Moto-Hakone) → Mishima → Shinkansen	Tokai Bus to Mishima Station	Hikari about 1 h 51 min; Kodama about 2 h 40 min	Check the official timetable for frequency and journey time; mountain roads can be slow
Kawaguchiko → Mishima → Shinkansen	Mishima–Kawaguchiko Liner, about 1 h 20 min	Hikari about 1 h 51 min; Kodama about 2 h 40 min	One bag per person in the hold; book online in peak season
Kawaguchiko → Kyoto or Osaka (overnight bus)	Direct overnight highway bus, arriving early next morning	—	No transfers, but you sleep on the bus; check the operator for schedules and fares

If you're heading to Osaka, the routes are the same; you simply ride the Shinkansen on to Shin-Osaka — about 2 hours 20 minutes by Hikari from Odawara, or about 2 hours 11 minutes from Mishima.

Hakone to Kyoto: Hakone Tozan train to Odawara, then the Shinkansen

The most direct way from Hakone to Kyoto is the Hakone Tozan train from Hakone-Yumoto to Odawara (about 15 minutes), where you change to the Tokaido Shinkansen in the same station. If you're staying around Gora, Owakudani or Lake Ashi, you first have to come down to Hakone-Yumoto by mountain train, cable car or bus — and with a big suitcase, that's the most tiring part of the day.

Shinkansen services from Odawara

Odawara is served by Hikari and Kodama trains. Direct Hikari trains to Kyoto and Shin-Osaka run about every 2 hours; at other times the hourly Kodama gets you to Kyoto in about 3 hours. Figures below are from the October 2026 timetable.

Train	Odawara → Kyoto	Odawara → Shin-Osaka	Frequency
Hikari	About 2 h	About 2 h 20 min	About every 2 hours
Kodama	About 3 h	About 3 h 15 min	About hourly

Check the Hikari departure first and work back to your ryokan checkout; reserved seats fill up on peak weekends.

The Tokaido Shinkansen platform at Odawara Station. Photo: Mister0124 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Starting from Lake Ashi or Moto-Hakone: the bus to Mishima

If you're staying by Lake Ashi, you can also take a Tokai Bus from the Moto-Hakone port area to Mishima Station and board the Shinkansen there, instead of doubling back to Hakone-Yumoto. The bus runs on mountain roads, so journey times depend on traffic and services aren't frequent; check the day's timetable with Tokai Bus or on Hakone Navi before you set off.

A Hakone sightseeing cruise ship on Lake Ashi. Photo: Celuici / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

Kawaguchiko to Kyoto: the Mishima–Kawaguchiko Liner and the Shinkansen

The usual way from Kawaguchiko to Kyoto is Fujikyu's Mishima–Kawaguchiko Liner bus from Kawaguchiko Station to Mishima Station, then the Tokaido Shinkansen. Going by the earliest departure (8:55 on weekends and holidays, arriving at Mishima Station North Exit at 10:15), the ride takes about 1 hour 20 minutes (Fujikyu City Bus, timetable valid from 1 December 2025).

Item	Mishima–Kawaguchiko Liner (Kawaguchiko Station → Mishima Station)
Journey time	About 1 h 20 min, depending on traffic
Fare	¥2,700 for adults (from 1 May 2026)
Departures	About 15 a day from Kawaguchiko Station; some run on weekdays or weekends/holidays only
Luggage	One item per person in the hold (up to 2 m on any side, 0.25 m³, 30 kg); you load and unload it yourself
Booking	The operator says buses get very crowded and asks you to book and pay online; walk-ups board only if seats are free

At Mishima, about six Hikari a day reach Kyoto in about 1 hour 51 minutes and Shin-Osaka in about 2 hours 11 minutes; the hourly Kodama takes about 2 hours 40 minutes to Kyoto. Because the bus hold takes only one bag per person, a second large suitcase has to come inside with you, and space is tight in peak season.

The station plaza at Mishima Station. Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public domain

Another option is the overnight highway bus run jointly by Kintetsu Bus and Fujikyu, which goes straight from Kawaguchiko to Kyoto and Osaka and arrives early the next morning. There's no transfer, but you spend the night on the bus; check the operators for current schedules and fares. Some people take the Fuji Excursion back to Shinjuku and catch the Shinkansen from Tokyo, but that means doubling back and takes much longer.

Big luggage on the Shinkansen: do you need a reservation from Odawara or Mishima?

Yes. Odawara and Mishima are both on the Tokaido Shinkansen, so the same oversized-baggage rules apply as when boarding in Tokyo: bags up to 160 cm in total dimensions need no reservation, bags of 161–250 cm need a reserved "seat with an oversized baggage area", and bags over 250 cm can't be taken on board.

Total dimensions	Reservation needed?	Cost
Up to 160 cm	No	Free
161–250 cm	Yes, a seat with an oversized baggage area	No extra charge; ¥1,000 if not reserved
Over 250 cm	Not allowed on board	—

Each passenger can bring two pieces free, each up to 30 kg. The rule applies to Hikari and Kodama alike: even if you'd normally ride a Kodama in a non-reserved car, an oversized bag still needs a reserved seat. For the full rules and the trial running since July 2025, see Shinkansen Oversized Baggage Reservation: Do You Need One? 2026 Rules.

Is it covered by the JR Pass?

The JR Pass covers the Hikari and Kodama trains that stop at Odawara and Mishima with no extra ticket; only the Nozomi and Mizuho need a separate "special ticket" (for example ¥4,960 from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka, per the official JR Pass site). The Hakone Tozan train, the Mishima–Kawaguchiko Liner and Tokai Bus are not JR services, so you pay for them separately.

Can Hakone Carry Service send your luggage to Kyoto?

No. Hakone Carry Service only covers the stretch between Hakone-Yumoto Station and partner ryokan. When you leave Hakone, you hand your bags to the ryokan front desk by 10:00 and collect them at Hakone-Yumoto Station between 13:30 and 18:30; it costs ¥1,500 per normal-size bag or ¥2,500 per large bag (Hakone Navi).

In other words, even with this service you still have to be back at Hakone-Yumoto after 13:30 to pick up your bags, then carry them onto the mountain train and the Shinkansen yourself. If you want to leave for Kyoto in the morning, or board at Mishima instead, it doesn't help. Kawaguchiko has no comparable station delivery service.

Sending luggage from your Hakone or Kawaguchiko ryokan to your Kyoto or Osaka hotel

Moving from Hakone or Kawaguchiko to Kansai with luggage is hard for a few reasons: you change at Hakone-Yumoto, Odawara or Mishima, and mountain trains and buses have little room for bags; the Mishima–Kawaguchiko Liner holds only one bag per person; and on the Shinkansen, anything over 160 cm needs a reserved seat. The trip isn't long, but the transfers can eat most of your day.

LuggAgent's (行李特工) approach is to send your bags straight from the ryokan: hand them to the front desk at your Hakone or Kawaguchiko ryokan when you check out, send us a photo, and set off with just a day bag — and fit in another half day of sightseeing on the way. Standard hotel delivery means choosing a 09:00–11:00 pickup time when you book and leaving your bags at the front desk before then (no need to wait for the driver) for delivery by 21:00 the same day (or by 18:00 with paid priority delivery); Hakone and Kawaguchiko to Kansai are long-distance routes that take longer, and the actual delivery time is shown when you book.

1. On the booking page, choose your ryokan in Hakone or Kawaguchiko and your hotel in Kyoto or Osaka.
2. Most services need to be booked at least 24–72 hours in advance; the exact cutoff is shown on the booking page. If you're picked up at an Airbnb or guesthouse, meet the driver in person at the pickup time you chose (09:00–11:00) with your bags; if your bags are delivered to one, send the full address and entry details (door code, key box or building access) by 13:00 local time on the service day, and you don't need to be there.
3. Hand your bags to the ryokan front desk at checkout, and let your Kyoto or Osaka hotel know that luggage will arrive ahead of you.
4. Keep your passport, medication, power banks and valuables in your day bag.

For service areas and times around Mt Fuji and Hakone, see Mt Fuji & Hakone luggage delivery.

Staying at a Hakone onsen ryokan with Kyoto next? Hand your bags to the front desk at checkout and they go straight to your Kyoto hotel:

Heading to Kyoto after seeing Mt Fuji from Kawaguchiko works the same way, from your lakeside hotel to Kyoto:

If Osaka (Umeda, Namba and so on) is your next stop, bags can go straight there from Hakone too:

Book luggage delivery

FAQ

How long does it take to get from Hakone to Kyoto?

The Hakone Tozan train from Hakone-Yumoto to Odawara takes about 15 minutes, and the Tokaido Shinkansen Hikari from Odawara to Kyoto about 2 hours, so allow about two and a half hours including the transfer. Direct Hikari trains leave Odawara about every 2 hours; if you miss one, the Kodama takes about 3 hours to Kyoto.

What's the easiest way from Kawaguchiko to Kyoto?

Most people take the Mishima–Kawaguchiko Liner from Kawaguchiko Station to Mishima Station (about 1 hour 20 minutes, ¥2,700 for adults) and then the Shinkansen, where the Hikari reaches Kyoto in about 1 hour 51 minutes. There is also an overnight bus that goes direct to Kyoto and Osaka, arriving early the next morning.

Can I use the JR Pass on the Shinkansen from Odawara or Mishima to Kyoto?

Yes. The Hikari and Kodama trains that stop at Odawara and Mishima are covered by the JR Pass with no special ticket. The Hakone Tozan train, the Mishima–Kawaguchiko Liner and Tokai Bus are not JR, so you pay for them separately.

Do I need to reserve space for a big suitcase when boarding at Odawara or Mishima?

Yes. On the Tokaido Shinkansen, bags of 161–250 cm in total dimensions need a reserved seat with an oversized baggage area at no extra cost; without one you pay ¥1,000, and bags over 250 cm aren't allowed. Bags up to 160 cm need no reservation.

Can I send my luggage from a Hakone ryokan straight to my hotel in Kyoto or Osaka?

Yes, though Hakone Carry Service only goes as far as Hakone-Yumoto Station, not Kyoto. LuggAgent can collect your bags from the front desk of your Hakone or Kawaguchiko ryokan and deliver them to your hotel in Kyoto or Osaka; most services need to be booked at least 24–72 hours in advance (the exact cutoff is shown on the booking page), and the delivery time for these long-distance routes is shown when you book.

Cover photo: Alpsdake / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0