Surrounded by the Hakone mountains and the Pacific Ocean, Odawara is a picturesque city in Kanagawa Prefecture. It is known for being the most convenient and accessible entry point to Hakone, which is probably one of the best Japanese towns from which to enjoy clear and beautiful views of Mt Fuji, therapeutic and relaxing hot springs, and gorgeous spring and autumn spots.

How to get to Odawara

I had a Japan Rail Pass, so my entire trip from Tokyo to Odawara was fully covered. From Tokyo Station, I boarded a Shinkansen going to Odawara Station. The journey only took 35 minutes. Alternatively, you could hop on a JR Tokaido Line train to get to Odawara Station, but the trip is much slower and takes about an hour and a half.

Getting around Odawara

Many of Odawara’s most famous and attractions are located close to Odawara Station, so walking is highly recommended. A stroll also gives you the opportunity to become familiar with typical local life in Odawara and opens up opportunities to discover hidden gems that you won’t find in travel books or on tourist blogs and websites.

What to see

Odawara Castle

Having reached Odawara Station, look for the east exit and walk about 10 minutes to Odawara Castle. There are signs along Ohoribata Street that point to the castle entrances.

The castle grounds can be explored for free, and are home to numerous cherry trees, plum trees, hydrangea, iris, lotus, azalea, wisteria, and many other flowering plants and trees. They are a popular sakura viewing spot, which typically gets crowded with tourists once the peak blooming season starts towards the end of March and up until the first couple of weeks of April.

The four-storey castle keep, which is categorised as a Hirayama-style Japanese castle, was built in the 1440s and remains as the city’s most important landmark. Considered a national historic monument, it is now a museum that contains an extensive collection of objects and artifacts from feudal times. Also found in the castle complex is the Odawara Castle Historical Museum, which features Edo Period displays and exhibits that provide a more interactive experience. A castle keep and museum combo ticket costs 650 yen.

Odawara Shuku Nariwai Koryu-kan

After visiting the castle, I walked to the Odawara Shuku Nariwai Koryu-kan.

Featuring a dashigeta-zukuri design, the Odawara Shuku Nariwai Koryu-kan used to be a wholesaler house that was rebuilt after suffering damage from the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake. Today, its first floor offers a place where visitors can rest and acquire information regarding tourist attractions and spots of the city; and its second floor holds special events, such as lantern-making and traditional arts and crafts exhibits, on certain days of the month.

Odawara Fish Market Den

Odawara has some of the best seafood restaurants in Japan, so a visit will not be complete without trying the local cuisine.

A stone’s throw from Odawara Station, the Odawara Fish Market Den is where you can find many of these top-rated seafood restaurants. They serve a wide variety of fresh seafood that may cost you about 1,500 yen to 2,000 yen on the average. The most popular dish is called Shonan Shirasu no ODawara Sanshoku-don, which uses three types of shirasu. Other donburi dishes, like the Uogashi Kaisen-don and the Tataki-don, are also on offer and typically come with sashimi and other side dishes.