Hakone 2025: Top Sweets and Snacks You Must Try
Hakone is one of Japan's premier hot spring destinations. In this town surrounded by beautiful nature and hot springs, many people enjoy taking their time to relax.
One aspect of Hakone that you absolutely must enjoy is the "food." You can savor dishes made with fresh and delicious ingredients, including local vegetables grown in Hakone's clean flowing waters and fish caught at nearby fishing ports.
Furthermore, Hakone is famous for its impressive array of delicious sweets. In this article, we'll introduce you to Hakone's exceptional sweets by category. This is essential reading for both those who want to enjoy café hopping and those looking for souvenirs.
The Hot Spring Town "Hakone" Has Many Popular and Exquisite Sweets
The hot spring town of Hakone is also famous for its sweets, which are often featured on television and in magazines. Hakone's sweets come in a wide variety, from traditional Japanese confections (wagashi) to elegant Western-style pastries and Instagram-worthy cute desserts.
Enjoying Hakone's sweets will surely enhance your sightseeing experience. They can make your post-hot spring moments even more blissful, and you can take this happiness home as "souvenirs."
Can't Miss These! 3 Must-Visit Recommended Sweet Shops in Hakone
First, I'll introduce three sweet shops that I personally return to every time I visit Hakone.
Hakone Cheese Terrace
Source: Official website
Hakone Cheese Terrace offers handmade cheesecakes using fresh, rich milk sourced locally.
The distinctive feature of this cheesecake is the coexistence of "richness" and "smoothness." The cake is heavily packed with the rich sweetness of cheese. Additionally, thanks to their unique baking method, you can enjoy a smooth and pleasant texture.
Their cheesecakes come in various flavors, including plain, matcha, strawberry, chocolate, and seasonal limited-edition flavors. While they're all delicious, my recommendation is the chocolate. The mix of rich chocolate and cheese creates a satisfying taste.
The gentle sweetness of Cheese Terrace's cheesecakes makes them popular as souvenirs too.
<Details>
• Address: 54 Motohakone, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture
• Hours: 10:00-16:00
• Closed: Irregular holidays
• Phone: 0460-83-9007
• Official Website: https://hakone-cheese-terrace.com/
Hakone Butter Sand SUN SAN D
Source: Official website
The flagship product of "Hakone Butter Sand SUN SAN D" is the handmade butter sandwich "HAKONE BUTTER SAN D," inspired by the rich natural scenery of Hakone. Between two cookies lies a thick butter cream, offering a delightful combination of salty cookies and sweet butter. Coming to Hakone Sweets and desserts 2025, the PLAIN flavor features a refreshing lemon taste, while the DOUBLE CHOCOLATE offers a pleasantly bitter cacao flavor - each variety provides its own unique taste combination. You'll find yourself wanting to eat more and more.
The "HAKONE COOKIE SAN D" is also popular. Instead of butter cream, this treat features a chocolate filling. Like the butter sandwich, you can enjoy a harmony of various flavors blending together.
<Details>
- Address: 37 Motohakone, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa
- Hours: 10:00-17:00
- Closed: Irregular holidays
- Phone: 0460-83-6300
- Official Website: https://sunsan-d.com/
Salon de The Rosage
Source: Official website
"Salon de The Rosage" is a restaurant directly managed by the luxury resort "Hotel de Yama." Located along Lake Ashi, it offers spectacular views of the calm water surface and the mountains beyond. Terrace seating is available where you can feel the pleasant lake breeze.
Their signature dessert is the "Rosage's Traditional Hot Apple Pie." This charming menu item features an apple pie shaped like a large flower, accompanied by pie sauce decorated with heart and flower patterns. The patterns are drawn right before your eyes by the staff using six different colored sauces.
The establishment is also certified as a "Fine Tea Shop" by the Japan Tea Association. Please enjoy their apple pie paired with their excellent tea selections.
<Details>
- Address: 80 Motohakone, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa (Hotel de Yama Annex)
- Hours: 11:00-17:00 (L.O. 16:00)
- Closed: None
- Phone: 0460-83-6321
- Official Website: https://www.hakone-hoteldeyama.jp/restaurant/rosage/
5 Beloved Traditional Japanese Confectionery Shops in Hakone
Next, we introduce recommended Japanese confectionery shops in Hakone. Japanese sweets are traditional confections characterized by their subtle, gentle sweetness. They are often said to be "eaten with the eyes," so please pay attention to their beautiful presentation.
Chimoto Station Street Store
Source: Official website
Chimoto is a popular Japanese confectionery shop that has been beloved for over 70 years. Looking ahead to Hakone Sweets and desserts 2025, they maintain traditional manufacturing methods, offering freshly made sweets without frozen storage. They also use minimal food additives, ensuring safety.
Their famous product is "Yumochi." This is a must-try representative confection of Hakone, designated as a specialty sweet of Kanagawa Prefecture. It consists of mochi (rice cake) filled with yokan (a jelly-like sweet made from red beans), known for its smooth texture.
Please take your time selecting from their many attractive sweets, including award-winning creations.
<Details>
- Address: 509 Yumoto, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa
- Hours: 9:00-16:00
- Closed: Irregular (approximately 5 days per year)
- Phone: 0460-85-5632
- Official Website: https://www.yumochi.com/
Marushima Honten
Source: Official website
Manju (steamed buns) can be found everywhere, and hot spring manju has become one of Japan's iconic hot spring souvenirs.
Marushima Honten sells two types of manju - white and black. The black variety has brown sugar kneaded into the outer skin, giving it a distinctive roasted brown sugar aroma.
Inside the manju is anko (sweet bean paste made by cooking red beans with sugar). While some anko retains bean skin pieces, others are completely smooth - this shop offers the latter type called "koshi-an."
Many people who aren't familiar with anko find koshi-an easier to eat, making it recommended for those trying anko for the first time.
<Details>
- Address: 706 Yumoto, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture
- Hours: 8:30-18:00
- Closed: Open year-round
- Phone: 0460-85-5031
- Official Website: http://www.marushima-honten.com/information/index.htm
Kikugawa Store
Source: Rakuten Ichiba
Kikugawa Store also offers hot spring manju. Their manju is slightly different from typical ones, with an outer layer made from castella (sponge cake) batter.
The anko inside is "shiro-an" (white bean paste), made from white kidney beans or white azuki beans. It's characterized by a smoother texture and more refined sweetness compared to regular dark anko.
These unique hot spring manju from Kikugawa Store are perfect for those wanting to explore Japanese wagashi more deeply.
Besides manju, Kikugawa Store offers various Hakone souvenirs. Please visit to find special memories of your trip.
<Details>
- Address: 706 Yumoto, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture
- Hours: 9:00-18:00
- Closed: Thursdays (may vary on holidays)
- Phone: 0460-85-5036
- Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hakone_manju_kikugawa/
Kashi-dokoro Hanashi
Source: Tabelog
Kashi-dokoro Hanashi is a renowned establishment that has been loved in Hakone for about 100 years. They sell various types of Japanese sweets, from baked confections to fresh wagashi.
A distinctive feature of their wagashi is the use of "Hakone Eiju no Meisui" water. This spring water comes from a Hakone shrine and is said to heal both mind and body. Please enjoy these delicious Japanese sweets made with the pure water nurtured by Hakone's rich nature.
Additionally, all their wagashi are handmade, not machine-produced. You can feel the warmth of handcrafted treats in every bite. However, due to everything being handmade, quantities are limited, so it's recommended to visit early in the day.
<Details>
- Address: 934 Kiga, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture
- Hours: Weekdays: 9:00-17:00
Weekends: 11:00-15:00
- Closed: Wednesdays
- Phone: 0460-82-2465
- Official Website: https://magosan.jp/houmei-shrine/
Sabo Uchida (Tea House Uchida)
Source: Tabelog
At Sabo Uchida, visitors can enjoy everything from traditional Japanese sweets to light meals, along with beverages such as matcha green tea and black tea.
Their signature menu item is the "Matcha Chiffon Cake," which incorporates high-quality Uji matcha. While the chiffon cake has a light and fluffy texture, you can distinctly taste the deep, rich flavor of matcha. This chiffon cake has recently gained significant media attention and is currently experiencing a surge in popularity. As it's limited to 16 servings per day and often sells out even on weekdays, early visits are recommended.
Besides the chiffon cake, you can also enjoy various Japanese-style sweets and matcha drinks. Everything on the menu is exquisite, so please make sure to visit.
<Details>
- Address: 640 Yumoto, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture
- Business Hours: 10:00-18:00 (July-September: until 19:00)
- Closed: Wednesdays (If Wednesday is a holiday, closed the following day)
- Phone: 0460-85-5785
- Official Website: https://sabou-uchida.com/
Perfect for Souvenirs! 3 Recommended Hakone Sweets with Over 2 Months Shelf Life
Hakone no Uribo (Shelf life: 135 days)
Source: Official website
Hakone, with its abundant nature, is home to many wild animals. "Hakone no Uribo" is a traditional Japanese manjuu (sweet bun) designed to look like a baby wild boar (uribo). Inside, you'll find milk-butter bean paste that offers a gentle sweetness that pairs perfectly with coffee.
The charm of this sweet lies in its adorable appearance. The uribo faces come in two varieties: one with innocent round eyes and another with a worried expression.
These visually delightful sweets make perfect souvenirs, and their extended shelf life of over 4 months is an added bonus.
<Details>
- Address: 1F Shop, Yumoto Fujiya Hotel, 256-1 Yumoto, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture
- Business Hours: 8:00-20:00
- Closed: Never
- Phone: 0460-85-6111
- Official Website: https://www.shiino.co.jp/household/detail.php?cn=11&pn=07
*Also available at various souvenir shops in the area
Hakone Rusk (Shelf life: 90 days)
Source: Official website
Hakone Rusk is one of Hakone's signature souvenirs, produced at the rusk specialty store "Grand Riviere Hakone." This product is attractive for its stylish packaging and universally appealing taste. The buttery aroma and crispy texture make it exceptionally delicious.
Why Hakone Rusk is Recommended as a Souvenir:
- Affordable price at 1,944 yen for 21 pieces, making it easy to distribute among large groups
- Individually wrapped, perfect for those who want to share with multiple people
Detailed Information:
- Address: 1246-737 Sengokuhara, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture
- Business Hours: 10:00-18:00
(Last Order 17:30)
(Hours may vary by season)
- Closed: None
(May vary by season)
- Phone: 0460-83-8123
- Official Website: https://hakonerusk.com/
Nuts Vessel (Shelf life: 90 days)
Source: Official website
Nuts Vessel is the most popular product from Hakone Sagamiya, a specialty store focusing on nut-based sweets and desserts.
This delightful treat features cookies topped with rich caramel and decorated with seven different types of nuts. The combination of sweet caramel and the satisfying crunch of nuts makes it particularly appealing.
The sweet is inspired by and adapted from treats traditionally served at Spanish weddings. Available in small, 1/3 size, and large portions, making it perfect for gifts and souvenirs. Please choose the size that best suits your recipient's needs.
Detailed Information:
- Address: 706-35 Yumoto, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture
- Business Hours: Weekdays 9:30-16:30
Weekends & Holidays 9:00-17:00
- Closed: Tuesdays
- Phone: 0460-85-6610
- Official Website: https://sagamiya-honten.co.jp/products/list?category_id=13
