Odawara is a castle town at the foot of Hakone, and for most riders it is the place where the mountains begin. The castle, which belonged to the Hojo clan until Toyotomi Hideyoshi besieged it in 1590, has a reconstructed keep, built in 1960, with a museum inside. The old town around it is quiet, with a modest shopping street and some traditional shops. It sits on Sagami Bay, with the coast road leading east and west and the Hakone mountains rising behind.
The town is known for food. Odawara is one of Japan's great producers of kamaboko, the white fish paste cakes that appear in noodle soup and on celebration tables, and shops along the coast sell them freshly steamed. The fishing port sells dried horse mackerel, and Odawara also has a long tradition of growing ume plums, which are made into pickles and drinks. It is a pleasant place for a late lunch, with sushi bars close to the station.
For the rider, Odawara is a gateway and a place to refuel. It has a population of about two hundred thousand, so there are petrol stations, convenience stores and restaurants in abundance, and the roads inland lead to the Hakone Turnpike, one of Japan's best-known scenic toll roads. Riding back down into Odawara at the end of a day in the mountains, with the road sloping to the bay and lights in the town below, is a pleasure. The coast road, Route 135, is busy at weekends but good for relaxed riding.
Expect traffic, especially on summer Sundays, and note that speed limits in Japan are low and enforced. Weather on the coast is mild, but Hakone can be wet and foggy when Odawara is dry, so check conditions before you go up. Autumn offers crisp air and good views of Fuji on clear days. Park near the castle, walk up to the keep, then find something warm to eat.