This is a private guided tour report by Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.), a network of 1,000+ government-licensed, English-speaking local guides across all 47 prefectures of Japan. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Tour Itinerary
- 11:00 Meet Guests at Hakone-Yumoto Station
- 11:23 Dep. Haknoe-Yumoto by Hakone Tozan Train & Cable Car
- 12:50 Dep. Sounzan by Ropeway
- 13:10 Arr. Owakudani
- 13:30 Lunch at Owakudani-eki Shokudo
- 14:10 Dep. Owakudani by Ropeway
- 14:30 Dep. Togendai by Bus
- 14:50 Arr. Hakone Venetian Glass Museum
- 15:59 Dep. Hakone Venetian Glass Museum by Bus
- 16:30 Arr. Hakone-Yumoto
Tour Itinerary in Detail
From there the group visited Dep. Haknoe-Yumoto by Hakone Tozan Train & Cable Car at 11:23, Dep. Sounzan by Ropeway at 12:50, Arr. Owakudani at 13:10, Dep. Owakudani by Ropeway at 14:10, Dep. Togendai by Bus at 14:30, Arr. Hakone Venetian Glass Museum at 14:50, Dep. Hakone Venetian Glass Museum by Bus at 15:59 and Arr. Hakone-Yumoto at 16:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Hakone-Yumoto to Gora by train (460JPY); Gora to Sounzan by train (430JPY); Sounzan to Owakudani (1,500JPY); Owakudani to Togendai (0JPY); Togendai to Hyoseki by bus (580JPY); Hyoseki by bus (840JPY). Across 6 sections the fare came to 3,810JPY per person.
What Is a Private One-Day Hakone Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group of family members visiting from North America. Due to an engine problem with the bus taking them from their previous night's accommodation, Hotel, to the meeting point at Hakone-Yumoto Station, the tour, originally scheduled to start at 10:30, began about 30 minutes late.
The ropeway had been suspended over the previous two days due to bad weather and strong winds, but although it was cloudy today, there was no wind, so it managed to operate. From Hakone-Yumoto to Sounzan, we traveled using the mountain railway and cable car, enjoying the mountain scenery along the way. At Owakudani, Mount Fuji was not visible, but we enjoyed the view of the valley while eating Owakudani curry at the Owakudani Station restaurant.
At the guests' request, we visited the Hakone Venetian Glass Museum instead of the Hakone Open-Air Museum, and everyone was very pleased. They especially liked the garden and took many photos. The guide was able to enter by presenting the guide license.
Click here for more details: Hakone Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Hakone-Yumoto～Gora | 460JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Gora～Sounzan | 430JPY |
| Section 3 | Other | Sounzan～Owakudani | 1,500JPY |
| Section 4 | Other | Owakudani～Togendai | 0JPY |
| Section 5 | Bus | Togendai～Hyoseki/Hakone Glass no Mori-mae | 580JPY |
| Section 6 | Bus | Hyoseki/Hakone Glass no Mori-mae～Hakone-Yumoto Station | 840JPY |
| Total | 3,810JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Dep. Haknoe-Yumoto by Hakone Tozan Train & Cable Car, Dep. Sounzan by Ropeway, Arr. Owakudani, Dep. Owakudani by Ropeway, Dep. Togendai by Bus, Arr. Hakone Venetian Glass Museum, Dep. Hakone Venetian Glass Museum by Bus and Arr. Hakone-Yumoto.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 3,810JPY per person across 6 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Harry is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?
Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Kanagawa itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
Hello there,
I’m Harry. This nickname comes from Harry Bosch, a character in American detective novels. I like watching films, listening to music and reading books, especially detective stories. I love meeting people from different countries and would like to help them understand Japanese culture and history. I believe that tourism can connect people all over the world and change the world into something truly peaceful. I was born in Osaka and have lived in Tokyo for more than 35 years. I am very happy to welcome tourists from all over the world. I will do my best to make your days fantastic. I look forward to seeing you soon.
Oct 8, 2025
Denise_M
Great tour of Kyoto
Viator review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our guide Harry was very knowledgeable. We learned…
Oct 8, 2025
Denise_M
Great tour of Kyoto
Viator review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our guide Harry was very knowledgeable. We learned a great deal and we saw a lot. We
traveled all over the city
Jun 30, 2025
Iguana74
Customized Tour of Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our four-hour private tour of Kyoto was excellent.…
Jun 30, 2025
Iguana74
Customized Tour of Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our four-hour private tour of Kyoto was excellent. Harry, our tour guide, customized our
experience based on what we told him we wanted to do and see in such a short period of
time. He was insightful, communicative, and made the afternoon unforgettable.
May 12, 2025
Tonya_G
Would do it again.
Viator review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide from Yokohama
Our guide, Harry, did an excellent…
May 12, 2025
Tonya_G
Would do it again.
Viator review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide from Yokohama
Our guide, Harry, did an excellent job of showing us around Tokyo. He helped us navigate the train and subway systems. Had an excellent Japanese lunch and stopped at good local shopping venues. Harry also arranged which order we should do things in since I didn’t know how far apart the attractions we wanted to see were from each other. No way we could have navigated on our own, very pleased, highly recommend.
Mar 22, 2025
Lauren_P
We had a great time on…
Viator review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had a great time…
Mar 22, 2025
Lauren_P
We had a great time on…
Viator review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had a great time on this tour. Our guide was excellent. The itinerary he picked out was
perfect. He also help us navigate the area expertly. We had a great time!