The Sengokuhara Pampas Grass Field is designated as a Special Protection Area in the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. It offers stunning views of pampas grass from September to November, making it a perfect spot for autumn strolls in Hakone. Selected as one of the ‘50 Scenic Spots of Kanagawa’ and one of the ‘100 Famous Flower Spots in Kanagawa’ , this location allows visitors to fully enjoy the beauty of nature.
Scenic Walking Trails in the Vast Pampas Grass Fields
Covering an area of 22.7 hectares, the fields are filled with pampas grass. It grows to a height of about 2 meters and offers an impressive sight.
A 700-meter walking trail has been created through the center of the fields.
This walking trail, which extends straight from the entrance, is crowded with tourists. As the area is a Special Protection Zone, visitors are only allowed to walk along this designated trail.
Beautiful views of surrounding mountains
The fields, spreading along the base of Mt. Daigatake slopes, also offer stunning views of the surrounding mountains as you walk.
Gold and cotton-like color of pampas grasses
We visited this area in mid-November around 3 PM. As we walked to the end of the trail, the pampas grass shimmered in golden hues under the sunlight.
On the way back, the setting sun created a backlight effect, making the grass look like pure white cotton. This allowed us to enjoy two distinct views of the pampas grass fields on a single visit.
Here is the view from the end of the walking trail.
This area consists of volcanic ash soil unsuitable for crops and is a wetland. For this reason, it was once used as thatch fields to cultivate grass for traditional thatched roofs.
Today, the pampas grass fields are preserved through an annual controlled burn to prevent them from turning into wild forests. This burn takes place once a year, in March.
The best time to view the pampas grass is from September to late November.
Address: 神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町仙石原｜Sengokuhara, Hakone machi, Ashigarashimogun, Kanagawa
Access: Take the Hakone Tozan Bus (Route T) from Hakone-Yumoto Station for about 28 minutes, and get off at the “Sengokukogen” bus stop. It’s about a 5-minute walk from there.
From September to late November, two free temporary parking lots are opened.
[Temporary Parking Lot 1 for Tourists] Located at the Sengokuhara Water Purification Center, about a 7-minute walk from the Sengokuhara Pampas Grass Fields. Temporary restroom facilities are available.
[Temporary Parking Lot 2 for Tourists] Situated along the main road, this is the closest free parking lot to the Sengokuhara Pampas Grass Fields.