Odawara lies in the Ashigara Plains, in the far western portion of Kanagawa Prefecture at the southwestern tip of the Kantō region.

It is bordered by the Hakone Mountains to the north and west, the Sakawa River to the east, and Sagami Bay of the Pacific Ocean to the south.

Kanagawa Prefecture Odawara has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall.

During the Genpei War between the Heike clan and Minamoto no Yoritomo, the Battle of Ishibashiyama was fought near present-day Odawara.

During the Sengoku period, Odawara developed as a castle town and capital of the domains of the later Hōjō clan, which covered most of the Kantō region.

Odawara has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 27 members.

In terms of national politics, the city is part of Kanagawa 17th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Enoura, a coastal area of Odawara known for its pristine sea, has an abundance of kumamomi, a type of fish that prefers clear and clean water.

The Odawara Hōjō Godai Festival, the city's biggest tourism event, takes place every May 3 during Golden Week.