Location: Odawara
Top Things to do in Odawara
Top 10 Things to do in Odawara, Japan
Odawara is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
As of February 2015, the city had an estimated population of 194,672, and a population density of 1,710 persons per km². The total area is 113.79 km².
Restaurants in Odawara
1. Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 119 reviews
Reviewed By hungryman127 - Tokyo
Went to this place just before GW 2015. As others are saying, it turned out to be a much better museum than expected. It costs only 520 yen for adults and free for kids (parking is also free). My son loved the dinosaurs section but for me, the collection of insects was particularly impressive. Good way to spend a few hours when visiting Odawara area.
http://nh.kanagawa-museum.jp/index_en.html
2. Odawara Castle
Overall Ratings
4 based on 782 reviews
Odawara Castle is a symbol of Odwara City. It was as an impregnable castle owned by the Hojo clan, the samurai family who governed Kanto region for about a century from the end of 15th century. Since then, the castle became a reserve for Hakone and Tokaido route and functioned as a cornerstone of defense in the region. The castle has reopened in May 2016 after the completion of a seismic retrofit and renewal of the exhibition inside.
3. Suzuhiro Kamaboko Museum
Overall Ratings
4 based on 110 reviews
Kamaboko is a traditional Japanese seafood whose history dates back to the 12th century. The museum has wonderful programs and classes that give you the opportunity to get hands on in making, creating, and tasting your own Kamaboko. While you are here, you can watch Suzuhiro's craftsmen using state-of-the-art traditional techniques and gain insight on the tradition and history of this popular Japanese food. Next to the museum, there are a Kaiseki restaurant, a buffet styled cafe, the Hakone brewery, 200-year-old Japanese buildings, a Japanese garden, and shops that sell more than 200 kinds of seafood products, sweets, local beer and sake, and crafts by local artists!
Reviewed By Mark Emmanuel Y - Cebu City, Philippines
A very unique museum in a way edible fish products are being presented, featured, made and how modern technologies were used to preserve its taste from when they were cooked during the ancient times. The museum presents a video, in Japanese, as well as showcases...MoreThank you for coming. We renovated the museum this past October. More Make-your-own classes!! For example, a make-your-own-fried Kamaboko class and a making Kaiseki styled Kamaboko tapas class. We will have English explanations for Exhibitions soon. Hope to see you coming back soon.
4. Odawara Castle Park
Overall Ratings
4 based on 159 reviews
Reviewed By Rush401 - Mumbai
A short 15to20 minutes walk from odewara station,,after the hakone trip if you are taking the train from this station and you have an hour or two hours free,,take a walk up to the castle,it's all uphill,,it's in the edo period,you enter through two big gates,then climb up some steep stairs,inside after buying ticket the self tour will take you through halls filled with artifects from edo times,lot of history ,,but one has to climb up to four or five levels to see all the exhibits ,,,,lovely grounds,and Gardens to wander through,,,,
5. Odawara Wanpaku Land
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 84 reviews
Reviewed By sarandan98 - Bellevue, Washington
There is a reason Odawara Wanpaku Land is rated number one on Trip Advisor!
It is a fantastic complex of many activities for kids of many ages! I took four kids there 15, 13, 12 and 6 and all of them had a blast! And the three oldest were boys!
There are three major different types of Playgrounds. All of them are just incredible. Love the one designed as an old Japanese castle! You have to see it to believe it.
There is a cool, clean water running stream specifically designed in places to let kids play in it.
There is a a train that drives you to all of these areas for a small fee (300 yen per adult, 100 yen per kid), since they are built into some steep hills. But you can easily walk the are on foot too. There is also an actual train on tracks that kids can ride! Not sure if the train on the tracks charges a fee or not.
Restrooms are clean and plentiful.
Vending machines are plentiful.
Picnic areas are plentiful!
Parking is cheap (510 yen) and plentiful. Also located within 1 minute walk from the Playgrounds.
Plenty of shade in the heat of summer.
The park itself is free to get in.
6. Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle Historic Park
Overall Ratings
4 based on 79 reviews
Reviewed By BIDEOBOB - Webster, New York
In 1590, Toyotomi Hideyoshi built a hilltop castle for his blockade of Odawara Castle. According to tradition, trees were finally cleared to reveal Hideyoshi’s castle, hence the popular “One Night Castle” name. Meanwhile, in Odawara Castle, the Hōjō clan leaders debated whether to fight or surrender. (Even today the term “Odawara Conference”, Odawara Hyoujou, おだわら ひょうじょう, is a Japanese business proverb for “an endless discussion with no outcome”). Finally, with superior forces, Toyotomi Hideyoshi defeated the Hōjō clan, and forced the elder leader Hōjō Ujimasa and his brother Ujiteru to commit suicide. (The graves of the Hōjō brothers can still be seen in downtown Odawara next to the present-day Hotel POSH!).
Today, the ruins of Hideyoshi’s One Night Castle (Ishigakiyama Ichiyajō, 石垣山一夜城) have been turned into a peaceful park, with shady wooded areas and grass lawns. This hilltop park gives spectacular views of nearby hills, the Odawara urban area and out over Sagami Bay. During the weekends and holidays of the spring and autumn tourist seasons (too hot and humid in the summer!), a sightseeing bus (小田原宿観光回遊バス) leaves from the east exit of the Odawara railway station and follows a circular route to/from the One-night castle and other attractions — for the bus schedule, check at the station tourist center or search Google for “小田原宿観光回遊バス”. To reach the park at other times, local groups generally hike uphill from the Hayakawa Railway Station. For Western visitors, a less-confusing urban/rural route is as follows: From the Odawara Railway Station, take the Odakyu train towards Hakone Yumoto and get off at the first stop (Hakone Itabashi, はこねいたばし、箱根板橋) Exit this railway station and turn left onto the main road (National Route 1, locally known as Ichigo-sen). Ahead, a large green sign for the Toyo Tires Turnpike (TOYO TIRES ターンパイク) points left, as does a smaller blue sign for the One Night Castle (石垣山一夜城 ). Take the road to the left and pass over the Odakyu railway tracks and under the Seisho Bypass highway. Cross the Hayakawa River and continue for two blocks until a large green sign points ahead to the Toyo Tires Turnpike entrance, and a blue One Night Castle sign points to the left. Turn left and walk towards the Shinkansen bridge that crosses the road ahead. Just before the Shinkansen bridge, turn right onto a small side road. After about 70 metres, take the second small road to the right. This concrete road heads steeply uphill passing through mikan (mandarin orange) orchards for about 1.7 km. Finally, on the left, there is a parking area for a restaurant/farm market (一夜城ヨロイジカファーム), and on the right is the entrance to the One Night Castle Historical Park (石垣山一夜城歴史公園). Be sure to enjoy the tranquility and viewpoints of the park, while contemplating the important history of the stone castle ruins at this site.
7. Soga Bessho Bairin
Overall Ratings
4 based on 66 reviews
Reviewed By Madelyn G - Melbourne, Australia
As you can tell from the lack of English reviews, this hanami experience will not be very foreigner friendly! We didn't see a single non-Japanese person the entire time we were there, but this meant that the experience was really local.
The plum blossom festival is made up of a few plum farms and features a huge sprawling collection of blooming trees. The main festival area is an assortment of 20 or so stalls and a single canteen serving plum-themed food, rice and noodles. You can spot the Fuji mountain clearly in the background from most areas of the forest. Don't underestimate the size of the forest! You could easily spend 4 or 5 hours here if you're really into flowers.
The train only departs once every thirty minutes, so do check beforehand on Hyperdia or end up getting stranded at the station with nothing much to do. It might be better to catch a bus instead if you can navigate the signs.
8. Hotokuninomiya Shrine
Overall Ratings
4 based on 80 reviews
Reviewed By Bianca B
A small, tranquil almost tourist-free shrine. Gorgeous grounds, lush and green. The stand at the entrance sells bags of fish food to feed the carp in the pond. We saw a shinto wedding when we were there - beautiful!
9. Seikantei
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 31 reviews
Reviewed By konijn72 - Japan
気候温暖な小田原市には、明治時代に著名人が別荘を持っていて、そのうちのいくつかが市によって管理され、内部も見学可能です。こちらは小田原城に近い丘の上にある、福岡藩主だった黒田家の別宅であった数寄屋造りです。無料で見学できるうえ、ガイドをお願いすると、興味深い説明を聞くことができました。2階の居室からは海を見渡せますし、黒田家が昔に仕えた秀吉の一夜城の地を望めることも、黒田家がここに別宅を持った理由のようです。１階はカフェとして利用でき、抹茶に付いてくる最中の皮と餡、それぞれ小田原のお店のものだそうです。（皮も餡も美味）スタッフの皆さんの対応もとても良かったです。
10. Odawara Flower Garden
Overall Ratings
4 based on 35 reviews
TAGS
