Hakone Pirate Ship: Lake Ashi Cruise Guide for 2026

What Is the Hakone Pirate Ship?

The Hakone pirate ship is what most visitors call the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise, three large boats dressed as 17th and 18th-century warships that cross Lake Ashi between Togendai at the north end and Hakone-machi and Moto-Hakone at the south end. It is a scheduled ferry, not a theme-park ride, and it is one of the main legs of the Hakone loop.

For families it is usually the part of the day the children talk about. There are masts, gold carvings, 3D trick art, a captain's photo spot and open decks, and on a clear day Mt. Fuji rises behind the lake.

The sections below give the 2026 price, Freepass coverage, the timetable, the ships and tips for young children. For the whole day around it, see our Hakone day trip guide.

Hakone Pirate Ship Price in 2026

A one-way ticket from Togendai to Hakone-machi or Moto-Hakone is ¥1,700 for adults and ¥850 for children since the fare revision on 1 October 2025. Many websites still show the old ¥1,200 one-way fare and the old ¥2,220 round trip.

Ticket	Adult	Child (6 to 11)	Before Oct 2025 (adult)
One way, Togendai to Hakone-machi or Moto-Hakone	¥1,700	¥850	¥1,200
Round trip from Togendai	¥3,000	¥1,300	¥2,220
One way, Hakone-machi to Moto-Hakone	¥600	¥300	¥420
Special cabin, extra one way (long route)	+¥800	+¥400	Same

Adults are 12 and over (junior high school age). The child fare is for elementary school children. Children under 6 ride free, up to two for each paying adult or child.

A six-year-old who has not started school still counts as an infant.

For a family of two adults and two children aged 7 and 9, a one-way crossing costs ¥5,100 in the standard cabin. Tickets are sold at the port on the day.

Advance booking is only for groups of 15 or more.

Does the Hakone Freepass Include the Pirate Ship?

Yes. The Hakone Freepass covers unlimited rides on the pirate ship in the standard cabin for every day the pass is valid, on all three routes.

• Special cabin. It is not included. Freepass holders pay the extra fee each time, at a discounted rate.
• Other boats on Lake Ashi. The lake also has sightseeing boats run by a different company. The Freepass does not cover them, so check that you are boarding a pirate ship.
• Freepass price. The 2-day pass from Shinjuku is ¥7,100 for adults and ¥1,600 for children. From Odawara it is ¥6,000 and ¥1,500. The 3-day versions are ¥7,500 and ¥6,400 for adults.

The cruise and the ropeway alone cost an adult ¥3,700 one way, so the pass usually pays for itself on one full loop. Prices, coverage and where to buy are in our Hakone Freepass guide.

If you only want the lake and the ropeway, Odakyu Hakone also sells a 1-day Sightseeing Cruise & Ropeway Pass (¥5,000 adults, ¥1,400 children) at the ropeway stations and the pirate ship ports.

Routes, Ride Time and the 2026 Timetable

A one-way ride on the Hakone pirate ship takes about 25 to 35 minutes between Togendai and Hakone-machi or Moto-Hakone, and a round trip from Togendai takes about 70 to 90 minutes. Boats leave roughly every 35 to 40 minutes from 9:30.

Port	Connects to	Nearby
Togendai-ko	Hakone Ropeway (Togendai Station), buses	Ropeway to Owakudani
Hakone-machi-ko	Buses to Hakone-Yumoto and Odawara	Hakone Checkpoint
Moto-Hakone-ko	Buses to Hakone-Yumoto and Odawara	Hakone Shrine, Old Tokaido

Most boats from Togendai call at Hakone-machi first and then continue to Moto-Hakone, so the two southern ports are a short hop apart (¥600 if you ride only that leg). The departures below are the official timetable for 20 March to 30 November 2026.

• From Togendai. 9:30, 10:10, 10:45, 11:25, 12:00, 12:40, 13:15, 13:55, 14:30, 15:10, 15:50 and 16:25 (the 16:25 calls at Moto-Hakone first). The 17:00 goes to Hakone-machi only.
• From Hakone-machi to Togendai. First 9:30, last 16:20.
• From Moto-Hakone to Togendai. First 9:40, last 16:30.
• Summer extras. From 26 July to 25 August a later boat runs (17:35 from Togendai, 17:05 from Hakone-machi).

From 1 December to 19 March a winter timetable runs and some crossings take longer. Boarding opens 5 to 10 minutes before each departure. If you are heading north to the ropeway, remember that the last ropeway leaves Togendai in the late afternoon too.

Check both on the Hakone Navi timetable on the day.

The Three Ships (Queen Ashinoko, Royal II and Victory)

All three ships are barrier-free, with lifts, accessible toilets and open decks, and each has a different design. You cannot choose which ship you get, because it depends on the departure.

Each ship has a kiosk selling drinks and snacks but no restaurant.

1. Queen Ashinoko

Queen Ashinoko is the newest ship, in service since April 2019, with a gold hull and wooden interiors. It holds 541 passengers, 87 of them in the special cabin.

Unlike the older ships it carries no cannons. The sofas inside are each a different design and colour.

2. Royal II

Royal II has been in service since 2013 and is modelled on an 18th-century French warship. It is the largest of the three, at 565 passengers.

Children like the trick-art corners and the captain photo spot on board. Its special cabin was redesigned and the ship returned to service in July 2026.

3. Victory

Victory is modelled on HMS Victory, the British flagship at Trafalgar, and has a dark hull and gold trim. Its special cabin was renovated in April 2025 in a British style.

Standard Cabin vs Special Cabin

The standard cabin is enough for most families. Pay for the special cabin if you want sofa seating and a quieter deck on a busy day.

It costs ¥800 extra one way for adults and ¥400 for children on the long route (¥240 and ¥120 between Hakone-machi and Moto-Hakone).

• What you get. You get a separate cabin with sofas, a private deck, water, an attendant and a separate boarding line, so you board first. Seats are not assigned.
• How to buy. Only at the ticket counter of your departure port on the day. Reservations are not accepted, and tickets are limited.
• With the Freepass. You still pay the extra fee, at a discounted price.

On a quiet weekday the standard deck has room to spare. On a weekend afternoon in autumn, the priority boarding alone can be worth it with tired children.

What You See from the Deck

The views are the point of the crossing. On a clear day you see Mt. Fuji above the far shore, the forested caldera walls around the lake and, as you approach Moto-Hakone, the red torii gate of Hakone Shrine standing in the water.

• Mt. Fuji. The mountain lies north-west of the lake, so it is behind the ship as you sail south from Togendai and ahead of you on the way north. It is clearest on winter mornings. In summer it is often hidden by cloud by midday.
• Hakone Shrine torii. You can see it from the deck on the Moto-Hakone leg. On land there is often a queue for the photo at the gate. See our Hakone Shrine guide.
• Seasons. Cherry blossom lines the lake in April, the hills are green in summer, and the leaves turn red from late October into November.

How the Pirate Ship Fits into the Hakone Loop

Most people ride the ship as the fourth leg of the loop, after the mountain train to Gora, the cable car to Sounzan and the ropeway over Owakudani to Togendai. The pirate ship from Togendai to Moto-Hakone or Hakone-machi comes next, then the bus back to Hakone-Yumoto.

• Coming from the ropeway. The ropeway station and the pier at Togendai are in the same building, about a 3-minute walk apart.
• Moto-Hakone or Hakone-machi? Get off at Moto-Hakone for Hakone Shrine, or at Hakone-machi for the Hakone Checkpoint. Buses back to Hakone-Yumoto leave from both.
• Doing it in reverse. Start at Moto-Hakone by bus and ride north to Togendai, then the ropeway. This can avoid the busiest ropeway queues at midday.
• Luggage. The ropeway stations have coin lockers, so leave large bags there or at Hakone-Yumoto before the loop.

By public transport that is five changes, each with its own queue, which is a long day with small children and a stroller. Our private tours are on foot in Tokyo and Yokohama.

Your guide rides the trains with you, and each of you pays your own fare with an IC card. See our Tokyo private tour with kids.

Our guides to the Hakone Ropeway and the Hakone Tozan Railway cover the other legs.

Crowds and the Best Time to Ride

The ships are busiest from late morning to mid-afternoon at weekends, on Japanese holidays and in autumn, when the people who came over on the ropeway all reach Togendai at once. Each ship carries over 500 passengers, so you rarely miss the first departure you queue for, but the deck rails fill quickly.

• Ride before 11:00 or after 15:00 for space on the open deck.
• Weekdays are noticeably quieter than Saturdays and Sundays.
• Golden Week (early May), the summer holidays and November are the peak periods.
• The real-time congestion page on Hakone Navi shows queues at the ports.

Hakone Pirate Ship with Kids and Strollers

The pirate ship is one of the easiest parts of Hakone with small children. All three ships have lifts and accessible toilets, and the operator describes them as barrier-free.

It does not publish a separate stroller rule, so bring a folding stroller and be ready to fold it on a crowded deck so the passageways stay clear.

• Baby care. There is no nursing room on the ships. Togendai and Hakone-machi ports have nursing rooms.
• On deck. The rails are high, but children will want to climb to look over. Hold hands on the upper deck, and bring a jacket, because it is windy and cooler on the lake than in the valleys.
• Wheelchairs. Each port lends one wheelchair free, and staff set up ramps for boarding.
• Pets. Pets are allowed, but only inside a carrier or cage that holds the whole animal, in the port and on board.

Weather, Fog and Cancellations

The ships run all year, but fog or strong wind can change the route or cancel sailings. In winter some crossings take longer. Ropeway and boats can be affected on the same day, so check both on the Hakone Navi operation status page before you leave Tokyo.

If the boat is cancelled, buses link Togendai with Moto-Hakone and Hakone-machi around the lake. With a Freepass you can use them at no extra cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Hakone Freepass include the pirate ship?

Yes. The Hakone Freepass covers unlimited pirate ship rides in the standard cabin while the pass is valid. The special cabin costs extra, at a discounted rate for Freepass holders.

How much is the Hakone pirate ship in 2026?

A one-way ticket from Togendai to Moto-Hakone or Hakone-machi is ¥1,700 for adults and ¥850 for children. A round trip is ¥3,000 and ¥1,300. Fares rose on 1 October 2025.

How long is the pirate ship ride in Hakone?

It takes about 25 to 35 minutes one way between Togendai and Hakone-machi or Moto-Hakone, and 70 to 90 minutes for a round trip. Some winter sailings take longer.

What time is the last pirate ship in Hakone?

From 20 March to 30 November the last boat from Togendai to Moto-Hakone leaves at 16:25, and the last boats north to Togendai leave Hakone-machi at 16:20 and Moto-Hakone at 16:30. In late summer one later boat runs.

Do I need to book the Hakone pirate ship in advance?

No. Buy a ticket at the port, or use the Freepass. Special cabin tickets are also sold only at the port on the day. Only groups of 15 or more can book.

Can you see Mt. Fuji from the pirate ship?

Yes, on clear days. Winter mornings give the best chance. In summer the mountain is often in cloud.

Can I take a stroller on the Hakone pirate ship?

Yes. The ships are barrier-free with lifts. Fold the stroller on a crowded deck, and use the nursing rooms at Togendai or Hakone-machi ports.

Sources

https://www.hakonenavi.jp/international/en/transportation/hakone-kankosen
https://www.hakonenavi.jp/international/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/re_price202510.pdf
https://www.hakonenavi.jp/transportation/ticket_info/fee/
https://www.hakonenavi.jp/hakone-kankosen/
https://www.hakonenavi.jp/hakone-kankosen/firstclass/
https://www.hakonenavi.jp/hakone-kankosen/queen/
https://www.hakonenavi.jp/transportation/ticket_info/search/timetable/detail/?timetableNo=S8001-001-001
https://www.hakonenavi.jp/faq/
https://odakyu-global.com/passes/hakone-freepass/