Odawara

Odawara (小田原) is a city in Kanagawa prefecture in eastern Japan. It is on the coast of Sagami Bay, about 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Tokyo. Odawara is near Hakone, a major hot springs destination and is along the historic Tokaido road between Edo (Tokyo) and Kyoto.

Understand

Get in

By plane
  • Narita Airport: the fastest way to get to Odawara - especially useful if you have a valid Japan Rail Pass - is the JR Narita Express to Shinagawa station, then walk on over to the Shinkansen platforms and take the next Kodama (こだま) all-stations service two stops to Odawara. This takes 1 hour, 45 minutes and the journey is fully covered by the pass. Without a rail pass, the journey costs ¥6,280 with an additional surcharge if you used reserved seating on the Kodama.
The alternative by train is to transfer to a local JR Tokaido Line train at Shinagawa, which brings the fare down to ¥4600 and increases the journey time to 2½ hours.
  • Haneda Airport: take the Keikyu Railway to Yokohama and transfer to the JR Tokaido Line for Odawara (about 90 minutes, ¥1,420).

If you have a reservation at a ryokan in or around Odawara, unless your plane lands in the morning, it is recommended that you spend your first evening in Tokyo or Yokohama, or else you might miss out on (and be charged for) dinner at the ryokan, or worse, you may be locked out of (and be charged for) your room at the ryokan's curfew time, if there is one.

  • The Mount Fuji-Shizuoka Airport in Shizuoka serves a few international flights from other points in Asia. Bus service to Shizuoka station takes 55 minutes and costs ¥1000; from here, Kodama bullet trains run to Odawara in 45-50 minutes (¥3,300 unreserved seat).

By train

By JR

Odawara is a major transit hub for several rail lines: It is a stop on the Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train line and the regular JR Tokaido Line local services. The private Odakyu railway operates trains from here to Shinjuku, while trains on the Hakone Tozan Line run up to the hot springs gateway of Hakone-Yumoto. Finally, the Izu-Hakone railway offers access to the Buddhist temple at Daiyuzan.

The fastest way to get from Tokyo Station to Odawara is to use the Tokaido Shinkansen Kodama (こだま) all-stations service, taking it three stops to Odawara. At a hefty price of ¥3130 for an unreserved seat, the trip to Odawara lasts only 35 minutes.

Select Hikari (ひかり) services stop at Odawara as well - direct services run to Odawara every 2 hours from Osaka (2 hours 15 minutes, ¥12,300), Kyoto (2 hours, ¥11,800) and Nagoya (70 minutes, ¥8700). At other times of the day, taking a Hikari service and changing en route to a Kodama will most likely be the fastest way to Odawara.

All JR journeys are covered by the Japan Rail Pass, but the regional JR East Rail Pass will not cover the Tokaido Shinkansen.

By Odakyu

The Odakyu Railway (formerly named Odawara Kyuko Dentetsu) operates mainline services from Shinjuku station to Odawara. Commuter services take approximately 90 minutes (some runs slightly faster) for a fare of only ¥850. For an added surcharge of ¥870, you can go in one of Odakyu's flagship "Romance Car" express trains which offer reserved seating and a slightly faster journey. You can choose from the Hakone (はこね) service which stops in Odawara en route to Hakone, or the Sagami (さがみ) which terminates in Odawara. At the end of the day, some of these services may be called Home Way (ホームウェイ).

By bus

Overnight buses operate to Odawara from Kyoto (9 hours) and Osaka (10½ hours). Fares start at ¥5500 for travel Monday-Thursday, with higher fares on other days and on holidays.

See
  • 🌍 Odawara Castle (小田原城, Odawara-jō). 09:00 to 17:00 (admission until 16:30), daily except December 29th to January 1st. The most popular sightseeing spot in Odawara. The castle tower commands a view of the whole of Odawara city and ancient objects such as weapons and tools are on display. Basic English descriptions are available. And there are various events around Odawara castle: for example, there are Hojo Godai Festival and Ume-Festival, and it's a great spot to view cherry blossoms in the springtime. ¥300 adults, ¥100 children. 
  • 🌍 Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History (神奈川県立生命の星・地球博物館, Kanagawa kenritsu seimei no hoshi chikyū hakubutsukan), 499 Iryuda, Odawara, Kanagawa 250-0031 (Iriuda Station on Hakone Tozan Line), ☏ +81 465-21-1515. 09:00 to 16:30. Closed Mondays (except National Holidays) and 2nd Tuesdays. A large natural history museum, two stops from Odawara Station on the Hakone Tozan Line. The museum focuses primarily on the natural history of Kanagawa Prefecture, including sea life found in Sagami Bay. It includes an extensive geology section discussing the formation of the Japanese isles, as well as large displays of volcanic rock from Australia and northern Canada. ¥520. (updated Jan 2017)
  • 🌍 Chinriu Honten (ちん里う本店) (around Odawara Station), ☏ +81 465-22-4951. A shop with products made of ume (Japanese apricot) since 1871. In the back of the shop, there is a historical section with a barrel more than 140 years old made to produce umeboshi (pickled ume) as well as a display of a series of pickles dated since the foundation of the company. The company was founded by Mr. Monya Komine, who was chief cook of Odawara castle, and is run by the Komine family in its fifth generation. You can taste a wide selection of products for free, and on weekends there is often a multilingual person who can help you with additional information. 

Do

Karaoke is popular, and there are many lounges with all-you-can-drink packages. There's an arcade near Odawara Station that has purikura machines, which are popular with kids these days, along with other arcade games.

  • Odawara Ume Festival (小田原梅まつり) (In the Soga neighborhood. Shuttle buses are available from Odawara Station.). Late Feb. A festival to contemplate the blossom of plum flowers. (updated Mar 2023)
  • Odawara Hojo Godai Festival (小田原北條五代祭り) (Near Odawara Castle.). In May. Hojo Godai means "Five heads of the Hojo clan", who ruled the area in the 16th century. At this large and lively festival, there are many street stalls selling barbecued chicken, yo-yos, and more. Locals carry an omikoshi (portable shrine). (updated Mar 2023)

Eat
  • Kamaboko. Kamaboko is a special product of Odawara. Kamaboko is made in various shapes, by boiling or steaming fish paste (surimi). There are many famous Kamaboko shops in Odawara.
  • Himono. Himono is dried fish, and Odawara is well known for its himono made of Aji (a type of horse mackerel)
  • Umeboshi. Farmers around Odawara cultivate plums that are used to make traditional sour pickles called umeboshi.
  • Odawaradon. Odawaradon is a ricebowl dish that is offered in many restaurants in Odawara using typical local products such as kamaboko and umeboshi.
  • Odawara-kei Ramen.
  • Odawara-kei Tantanmen.

Budget
  • Kumamoto Ramen "Bodh-Gaya" (くまもとらーめん ブッダガヤ), 3-14-14 Sakae-chō (About 10 minutes walk from Odawara Station), ☏ +81 465-23-4003. 11:30-14:00, 17:00-21:00; also open at 14:00-17:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. ¥1000-2000. (updated Feb 2024)

Mid-range
  • 🌍 Daruma, だるま料理店小田原市本町2-1-30 (a 10-15 minute walk from Odawara Station), ☏ +81 465-22-4128. A traditional tempura restaurant founded during Meiji Area (1868 - 1912). The building is listed for the protection of historic monuments. 
  • 🌍 Ajiichi Hojo (鯵壱北條), 3 Chome-5-22 Honcho, ☏ +81 465 25 1932. 11:30-16:00. A ramen restaurant that uses a himono based broth and adds kamaboko on top. Noodles are served in a wooden bowl with an optional set of mix-in pastes based on local ingredients. ¥1200. (updated Jan 2023)
  • 🌍 Harekonami (晴小波), 3 Chome-3-1 Shiroyama, ☏ +81 465 20 5074. Located a 3-minute walk from Odawara Station. Preparing a kaiseki course centered on fish dishes. Every morning, they cook fish and local vegetables auctioned off at Manazuru Port. At the end of the course, they serve handmade 100% buckwheat noodles. Reservation recommended. (updated Dec 2023)

Drink
  • 🌍 7th Nest, 神奈川県小田原市栄町1-14-57 ジャルダンビル7F (200 m from Odawara station; take east exit, follow main road about 100 m to the crossing and on the right you will see Odakyu OX and Yoshinoya; the bar is on the right side of Yoshinoya, opposite Odakyu OX. 7th floor), ☏ +81 465-23-3311. M 19:00-00:00, Tu-Sa 19:00-01:00. Cool jazz bar. Personnel speak English. Mid-range prices. 

Sleep

Mid-range

Go next
  • Hakone - the popular hot springs destination and one of Japan's main tourist attractions
  • Yugawara, Manazuru — for hot springs and coastal resort, eating sashimi and mikan, views of Manazuru Peninsula, some festivals (Matsuri).
  • Mount Fuji - the national symbol of Japan, open for climbing in the summer months
  • Minamiashigara
  • Nakai
  • Ninomiya
  • Atami
  • Izunokuni
  • Ito
Routes through Odawara
Nagoya ← Atami ←  W  E  → Shin-Yokohama → Tokyo
Shizuoka ← Atami ←  W  E  → Yokohama → Tokyo
END ←  W  E  → Atsugi → Sagami Ōno → Shinjuku
Gōra ← Hakone Yumoto ←  W  E  → END
END ←  W  E  → Atsugi → into → Tokyo
Numazu ← Mishima ← Hakone ←  W  E  → Chigasaki → Fujisawa → Yokohama
END ←  N  S  → Atami → Itō → Shimoda
Yamanakako ← Gotemba ← Hakone ←  N  S  → END


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