Last checked: October 9, 2026
Rent a rowboat at Kojiri, the north end of Lake Ashi in Hakone, and fish for trout or bass on your own. The rental shop, Fishing Boat Ueno, is on the lake’s list of permit sellers.
This is a boat rental, not a guided tour, and the KKday listing doesn’t include fishing gear. It suits anglers who bring their own. Facts come from the KKday listing, the Lake Ashi fishing cooperative and Japan’s transport ministry, and we say what we couldn’t confirm.
KANTO REGION
Kojiri, Lake Ashi, Hakone (Kanagawa)
From Shinjuku: About 2 h 25 min to 2 h 42 min by train, then Izuhakone Bus J03 to Kojiri
At a Glance
- Rowboat for 2: about US$22 for a half day or about US$25 for a full day on KKday (as of October 9, 2026)
- Motorboat for 4–6: about US$89 a day, but it needs a Japanese boat license (see below)
- Hours: 6:00–16:00 from October to the third week of December. Longer in spring and summer
- Ages: 18 and over
- Fishing permit: ¥1,800 a day for adults, bought before you fish (as of October 2026)
- Free cancellation: up to the day before
Prices and available dates vary. Check the booking page before you book.
Is This Rental Right for You?
✅ Great if you…
- bring your own rod and tackle
- are staying in Hakone and can be on the lake early
- want a quiet morning on the water with Hakone’s hills around you
- know how to row, or don’t mind learning
⚠️ Think twice if you…
- have never fished and want a guide. None is included
- are traveling with anyone under 18. The listing sets the age at 18 and over
- want a motorboat but don’t have a Japanese boat license
- need English support. We couldn’t confirm it
📅 When you can rent a boat
Open △ Check dates Closed
Lake Ashi’s fishing season runs from March 1 to December 14. Fishing seasons shift a little from year to year, so check dates on the booking page.
Source: Ashinoko Fisheries Cooperative and KKday listing, checked October 2026.
Rowboat or Motorboat?
Rowboat for 2 or 3
The simple choice for visitors. No license needed. Half-day and full-day rentals.
Motorboat for 3 or 4–6
Four rod holders, a flat bow deck and a big live well in the middle. 9.9 or 15 horsepower engines.
⚠️ Motorboats need a Japanese boat license. Japan’s transport ministry says only boats shorter than 3 m with an engine under 1.5 kW (about 2 horsepower) can be used without a license. The motorboats here have 9.9 or 15 horsepower engines.
The ministry’s page doesn’t cover foreign licenses, and we couldn’t confirm whether the shop rents motorboats to visitors. Ask through KKday before you book, or choose a rowboat.
Prices and Opening Hours
Prices below are what KKday showed in October 2026 and change with the date and availability.
| Option | Price on KKday |
|---|---|
| Rowboat for 2, half day | about US$22 |
| Rowboat for 3, half day | about US$25 |
| Rowboat for 2, full day | about US$25 |
| Rowboat for 3, full day | about US$32 |
| Motorboat for 4–6, full day | about US$89 |
Source: KKday listing, checked October 9, 2026. The listing doesn’t say clearly whether each price is per boat, so check the total before you pay.
| Season | Rental hours |
|---|---|
| March to May | 6:30–16:30 |
| June to September | 5:00–17:00 |
| October to the third week of December | 6:00–16:00 |
When you book, write your preferred start time in the notes. The listing says to ask about the start time.
You Need a Lake Ashi Fishing Permit
Lake Ashi is managed by a fishing cooperative, and everyone who fishes needs its permit. Buy it before you start and carry it with you, because patrol staff can ask to see it.
| Permit | Adult | Junior high school age and under |
|---|---|---|
| One day, bought at a shop | ¥1,800 | Free |
| One day, bought on the water | ¥4,000 | Free |
| Annual pass | ¥20,000 | Free |
Source: Lake Ashi fishing cooperative (芦之湖漁業協同組合), checked October 2026. The fishing season runs from March 1 to December 14.
Where do I buy the permit?
Buy it at a shop before you go out, because it costs more than double on the water. The cooperative lists Ueno, the rental shop, among its sellers, and you can also buy it online through FishPass.
Lake Ashi Fishing Rules
These are the main points of the cooperative’s rules, revised January 1, 2024:
- Up to two rods or hand lines per person
- No chumming, no plastic worms and no synthetic soft baits
- Multi-hook rigs are allowed only for pond smelt (wakasagi)
- Minimum sizes: 18 cm for trout, char and carp, and 25 cm for largemouth bass
- Keep no more than 15 trout in total and 5 largemouth bass
- Fish only from 1 hour before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset
- Don’t take largemouth bass out of the lake alive, and don’t release bluegill back into the lake
- On a boat, wear a life jacket and don’t drink alcohol
Some areas and seasons are closed to fishing. Read the full rules on the cooperative’s website before you go, or ask at the shop.
What You Can Catch
Japan’s transport ministry lists rainbow trout, black bass and brown trout among Lake Ashi’s fish. The lake is best known for pond smelt, whose season opens on October 1. We didn’t find month-by-month catch records for the lake, so ask at the shop about current fishing.
Getting to Kojiri
Shinjuku by Romancecar and bus
about 2 h 42 min · ¥3,781
Odakyu limited express to Hakone-Yumoto, then Izuhakone Bus J03 to Kojiri
Shinjuku by Shinkansen and bus
about 2 h 25 min · ¥4,930
JR to Shinagawa, Shinkansen Kodama to Odawara, then Izuhakone Bus J03 to Kojiri
Source: Yahoo! Japan Transit, searched for Wednesday, October 21, 2026, leaving Shinjuku around 8:00. IC card fares. The route planner notes that bus J03 may skip Owakudani when traffic is heavy. If you drive, the shop is about 25 minutes from the Gotemba interchange on the Tomei Expressway, according to KKday.
Stay by the lake
Rentals start at 6:00 in autumn, and no train from Tokyo gets you to the lake that early. Hakone Lake Hotel is about 300 m, or a 5-minute walk, from Togendai Station and about 200 m from the Kojiri area, according to its Klook listing. Check-in is 15:00–18:30 and check-out is by 10:00, and it has a 24-hour front desk and luggage storage.
Check Hakone Lake Hotel on Klook →Booking and Cancellation
KKday confirms your booking one day after you order. If you want a motorboat, say which engine you want (9.9 or 15 horsepower) when you book.
KKday’s cancellation policy (as of October 2026):
Can I rent a rod at the shop?
The KKday listing doesn’t include any rental gear, and we couldn’t confirm whether the shop lends rods. Bring your own, or ask through KKday before you book.
What to Bring
🎒 Your packing list
- ☐ Your rod, reel and lures or bait that follow the lake’s rules
- ☐ Your fishing permit, or a phone to buy it online
- ☐ Warm layers. Mornings on the lake can be cold
- ☐ Rain gear
- ☐ Drinks and snacks. Alcohol isn’t allowed on boats
If you’re flying in with rods, see how to bring fishing rods to Japan.
FAQ
QDo I need a fishing license?
Yes, a Lake Ashi fishing permit. It costs ¥1,800 a day at a shop, or ¥4,000 if you buy it on the water.
QCan I drive the motorboat?
Only with a Japanese small-boat license, under the transport ministry’s rules. Visitors without one should rent a rowboat.
QCan children come?
The KKday listing sets the age at 18 and over.
QIs there a guide?
No. This is a boat rental only.
QWhen is the season?
March 1 to December 14. Pond smelt season opens on October 1.
QCan I keep my fish?
Yes, within the size and number limits, but largemouth bass can’t leave the lake alive.
Ready to Book?
If you have your own gear and a free morning in Hakone, a rowboat on Lake Ashi is a cheap way to fish. Buy your permit first, start early and follow the lake’s rules.
