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
- 09:45. Meet at the hotel
- 10:00-10:10 Stay at Sounzan
- 10:25-11:00 Owakudani sightseeing
- 11:25-12:05 Lake Ashi cruise
- 12:10-13:10 Hakone Shrine visit
- 13:10-14:30 Lunch
- 14:38-15:15 Bus ride
- 15:15-15:30 Hakone Open-Air Museum, dismissal
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The itinerary covered Stay at Sounzan at 10:00, Owakudani sightseeing at 10:25, Lake Ashi cruise at 11:25, Hakone Shrine visit at 12:10, Bus ride at 14:38 and Hakone Open-Air Museum, dismissal at 15:15.
Public transport for the day came to 5,000JPY per person.
I'm happy to help with the translation and anonymization. Here is the result:
The guests were visitors from Europe with a strong interest in Japan, and they could even manage simple greetings in Japanese. One of the guests had an interest in art. They mentioned that their home region also has many forests, and that there were many similarities to Japan, such as the cedar trees, the mist, and the slightly chilly air of Hakone. They told me that their homeland also has nature deities, similar to Japan's Shinto beliefs. They shared many insights, such as how the coexistence of Buddhism and native beliefs after Buddhism arrived in Japan parallels the way older regional deities were integrated into Christianity in their home region. This time as well, both Sounzan and Owakudani were completely shrouded in mist, but it seems this evoked something of the atmosphere of their hometown.
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 | Free Pass | Gora～Gora | 5,000JPY |
| Total | 5,000JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Stay at Sounzan, Owakudani sightseeing, Lake Ashi cruise, Hakone Shrine visit, Bus ride and Hakone Open-Air Museum, dismissal.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 5,000JPY per person across 1 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?
Kappa 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.
Thank you for your entry in this tour. Nice to meet you in this mail.
Your tour guide Kappa is my nickname. Kappa is a traditional, imaginary creature who came into being in Japan over 300 years ago. She is good at swimming, like me, for I like swimming. I would like to make our tour operated smoothly as Kappa does when she swims in the river or pond. It is my pleasure to introduce many aspects in our tour, especially cooking, for it is my hobby and I went to the professional cooking and SAKE school, respectively. If you have any questions or requests about Japanese cooking, of course our tour, I am very delighted to answer to you anytime!
Jul 30, 2025
Michael_R
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Our guide, Kappa-san, modified the typical Hakone tour…
Jul 30, 2025
Michael_R
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Viator review: Hakone 8 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our guide, Kappa-san, modified the typical Hakone tour to accommodate our interests, and is very helpful and knowledgeable. Since the day was very hot (95°F / 35°C) we favored activities that were more shaded or cool, including a walk on a cedar-lined section of the old Tokaido path.
May 18, 2025
Leigh_M
Kappa, our guide met us…
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Kappa, our guide met us at the train station and took us all over Kamakura. We saw shrines, the big Buddha, gardens, and the Oceanside! Kappa shared a lot of history about Kamakura, and it was nice to have this background when we were exploring these incredible sites! Highly recommend!
May 4, 2025
panderhigs
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Kappa was an amazing guide who created a thorough…
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panderhigs
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Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Kappa was an amazing guide who created a thorough and thoughtful itinerary for us over
the course of 6 hours. We saw SO much in such a short time and would definitely
recommend her!
May 4, 2025
O9621SBscottp
Kappa is a wonderful tour guide
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
My wife and I were treated…
May 4, 2025
O9621SBscottp
Kappa is a wonderful tour guide
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
My wife and I were treated to a wonderful walking tour of Tokyo with Kappa. Kappa was very accommodating in designing a tour specifically tailored to our interests. Kappa is a wealth of knowledge regarding the city history, temples and shrine, and Japanese art history. She is a lovely person too. I highly recommend Kappa if you want to learn about Tokyo