Unsure how to structure visit to Hakone

As part of my [February trip](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/yyekah/itinerary_check_2_weeks_in_tokyo_hakone_unsure/), I plan to visit Hakone using the 2-day Hakone Free Pass.
I imagined it as fairly straightforward thing requiring little plannying, but I’ve realized the placement of the
hotel will affect the whole itinerary and I can’t figure out how to best organize it.

As I understand it, Hakone is not exactly full or small sights you walk to visit, but the main attractions are the ropeway, Okuwadai, maybe the Open Air Museum and the lake pirate ship ride + visit to na onsen?

Basically, my current 2 ideas are this:

###1) Counter-clockwise

– we would leave Tokyo early the first day (like leave hotel at 7-8am)
– get to Hakone-Yumoto immediately transfer to Gora (should I take a train or a bus? I hear the train is super slow)
– get up to Gora (visit the Open Air Museum, have lunch)
– take the ropeway to Okuwadani, walk around there, have the black eggs
– then down to Togendai (not much to do here?), cross the lake on the pirate ship
– walk by the lake to the Hakone Shrine and then take the bus back to Hakone-Yumoto
– here we would probably get of little earlier for out hotel, as it seemed that hotels around here are more affordable (little more than in Gora and lot more than around the lake)
– spend the evening relaxing in an onsen

And with that we’ve basically completed the Hakone route.

On the way back the next day, walk around in Hakone-Yumoto, maybe do some shopping and on the way back to Tokyo we could stop by in Odawara to check out the castle.

But that seems little tight the first day and little empty the second day. Maybe I can flip it around?

###2) Clockwise

– we would leave Tokyo early the first day (but perhaps no need to rush so much so 8-9am)
– get to Hakone-Yumoto and immediately transfer to the bus to the south side of the lake
– walk by the lake to the Hakone Shrine and then take the bus pirate ship to Togendai
– take the ropeway to Okuwadani, walk around there, have the black eggs
– then get up to Gora, get to our hotel and relax in an onsen, spend the night

2nd day

– Open Air museum
– get down to Hakone-Yumoto, look around there
– take another dip in some onsen, have lunch
– stop by Odawara Castle on the way back to Tokyo

That seems little more calm, although as I understand it clockwise way is less common? And if so, why? Did I miss anything obvious?

And for context, it will be 3 guy friends, we don’t need/expect expensive ryokan experience. Cheap one will do. This is not a romantic trip.

Thanks for any help!