Shinjuku or Ueno as your Tokyo base
You are picking a Tokyo hotel area and the bags from the airport are on your mind.
Cities and where to stay
Which Tokyo area suits Hakone and Fuji?
You plan side trips from Tokyo and want a hotel that makes the mornings easy.
For Hakone and Fuji day trips, stay on Tokyo’s west side, around Shinjuku. The Odakyu Romancecar to Hakone leaves from Shinjuku, and Fuji-area buses and trains also start in the west. A western hotel cuts one cross-city leg from each morning.
This guide shows why, with times and costs.
Why does Shinjuku suit Hakone?
The Romancecar is the direct limited express to Hakone. It takes approximately 80 minutes from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto 1. If your hotel is near Shinjuku, you walk or ride a short hop to the departure station and sit down.
A hotel on the east side adds a transfer before the train even starts. Our Romancecar versus JR guide compares the other route.
What does the Romancecar cost?
The adult limited express surcharge is 1,200 yen one way, and children aged 6 to 11 pay 600 yen. You pay it on top of a regular fare ticket or pass 1. At the Bank Negara selling rate of RM 2.603 per 100 yen on 19 October 2026, 1,200 yen is about RM 31 1 2.
Odakyu also lists a 2-day Hakone Freepass at 7,100 yen in its sample cost, about RM 185 3 2. Use the ringgit budget tool to total your day, and read Hakone Freepass versus single tickets to test it.
When do you need to book?
All Romancecar seats are reserved. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. one month before departure 4. Book early if you travel on a weekend or in a school-holiday week.
Tell us your dates and we help you choose a departure that fits check-out and luggage.
What about Fuji?
Fuji-area buses and trains for the Fuji Five Lakes start from the west side too. A western hotel is therefore convenient for Fuji as well. We have not fixed a current bus time here, because timetables change by season.
Read Tokyo to Kawaguchiko by bus for the route, and the Fuji Five Lakes page for the area.
Should you choose Hakone or Fuji?
Choose Hakone for hot springs and a loop of transport. Choose Fuji for lake views when the weather is clear. Doing both in one short trip is tiring. See Hakone versus Fuji Five Lakes to choose.
For hotel areas in general, compare Shinjuku versus Ueno as a base.
What should Malaysian travellers think about?
Weather and luggage matter. Mountain areas are colder than the city, so carry layers. Send large bags to the hotel instead of dragging them on trains.
Reserved seats help elders. Book a seat rather than rely on a standing space. See the Tokyo page and Hakone page for more.
Tell us whether you want Hakone, Fuji or both, and when. We pick a hotel area that shortens the mornings and write the train or bus times into your plan.
Keep planning
Tokyo, planned around your family
Tokyo is big, fast and a little overwhelming, and you want it to feel easy.
Hakone or Fuji Five Lakes from Tokyo
You have a few spare days near Tokyo and two famous mountain areas to choose between.
Fuji Five Lakes, planned around your family
You want to see Mount Fuji, and you are not sure how to fit it into the trip.
Hakone, planned around your group
You want the volcano, the lake and the hot spring without a day of missed connections.
Buses from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko
You want to reach Fuji's lakes from Tokyo without getting lost on the way.
Questions travellers ask
Which part of Tokyo is best for a Hakone day trip?
Shinjuku and the western side suit best, because the Odakyu Romancecar leaves from Shinjuku and takes approximately 80 minutes to Hakone-Yumoto. A hotel within a short ride of Shinjuku saves a transfer. If you stay east, you add a cross-city leg on both ends.
Do I need to reserve the Romancecar?
Yes. All Romancecar seats are reserved, and tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. one month before departure, per Odakyu. Book early for school-holiday weekends. We check the date for you and help you choose a departure that fits your hotel check-out and luggage.
How much is the Romancecar surcharge in ringgit?
The adult limited express surcharge is 1,200 yen one way, about RM 31 at the Bank Negara selling rate of RM 2.603 per 100 yen on 19 October 2026. You pay it on top of a regular fare ticket or pass. Children aged 6 to 11 pay 600 yen.
Is Fuji easy from western Tokyo?
Fuji-area buses and trains for the Fuji Five Lakes also leave from the western side of the city, so a Shinjuku-area hotel is convenient. Timetables change by season, so we confirm the current bus or train before you plan the day.
Sources
Figures are checked against these sources and dated so you can see how current they are.
- Odakyu Electric Railway, Romancecaraccessed 2026-10-20
- Bank Negara Malaysia exchange rates (JPY)accessed 2026-10-20
- Odakyu Electric Railway, Romancecaraccessed 2026-10-20
- Odakyu Electric Railway, Romancecaraccessed 2026-10-20
Ready to shape your Japan trip?
Tell us your dates, who is travelling and what you hope to see. We will reply with ideas and a tailored quote.