Just starting to build our itinerary for Hakone
 

Hi guys, I have done a lot of reading in the group and it has been very valuable in my trip planning. I could use some specific help with my Hakone planning. This is my first draft of our Hakone itinerary.
Day 1
Around 9 am Take JR East to Hakone-Yumoto Station from Shinjuku. We will have a JR Pass
Upon arrival at Hakone-Yumoto Station have 1 bag sent to hotel Ryokan Aura Tachibana
Purchase Hakone Free 2-day pass
Travel to Hakone Open Air Museum (open to suggestions of other things to see instead)
Back to Hakone Yomoto Station
Call hotel for pickup shuttle
Dinner at hotel
Day 2
8:00 am – Leave hotel go to Hakone Yomoto Station
Leave bag in a locker – Would prefer to send on to Kyoto hotel but not sure we would get it in time.
Travel to Hakone Shrine
Travel to Motohakone Port - Pirate Ship to Togendai
Take Hakone Ropeway to Owakudani
Eat Lunch
Travel to Kyoto – Suggestions for best way to leave Owakudani to catch train to Kyoto. Any idea of what time we might be finished to catch the train?

Should we do more on Day 1 and not so much on Day 2 ?
I welcome all suggestions and ideas.

While they don't (as far as I know) participate with the JR pass, Odakyu line goes directly from Shinjuku to Hakone Yumoto. No transfers, and if picking the right train, very limited stops. Just get on at Shinjuku and relax until at Yumoto.

You can also buy the Hakone Free passes in the Odakyu part of Shinjuku station, they have a Hakone travel/tourism desk there.

Looks like the ryokan is walking distance to the station - maybe 10-15 minute walk. How much/how bulky is the luggage? You might not need the shuttle for your legs w/o luggage.

If travelling by rail/ropeway, how you get in will be how you get out - except you'll stop at Odawara and catch the Shinkansen to Kyoto from there. Figure roughly 3 and half hours from Gora to Kyoto station.

Edited to add - the number of Shinkansen trains that stop at Odawara and go to Kyoto is fairly small - most terminate at Nagoya. I suspect that simply changing from that train to the next one heading to Kyoto will do the trick, but I'm not sure of all of the ins and outs of JR pass usage.

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When is the Ropeway scheduled to reopen? The official website does not mention its closure.

B
 

[QUOTE=TravelLawyer;32065154]When is the Ropeway scheduled to reopen? The official website does not mention its closure.[/QUOTDeleted

On day such as today, the Pirate Ship is closed due to fog, and Ropeway is closed due to high winds.

The most reliable form of transit are the busses, but blizzards are still possible through the end of March, rendering even busses unusable.

In short, I think you're planning is too tight for a place with as many accessability variables as Hakone. Playing it by ear is your best bet.

Why don't you sent your bag from Tokyo to Kyoto (will be there when you arrive) and just pack everything you need for one night into a backpack (and as Japanese hotels/ ryokans provide a lot it shouldn't be much). This way no worries about lockers etc.