Kanagawa in One Day: Kowakidani Station — Guide Kappa
November, 2024
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.
Tour Itinerary
- 11:15 Meet at Gora Station
- 11:30. To Kowakidani Station
- 12:30–13:00. To Moto-Hakone by bus
- 13:15-15:15. Hakone Shrine and lunch
- 15:15-15:50 Lake Ashi cruise to Togendai
- 16:00-17:00. Togendai→Owakudani→Gora, disband
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Kanagawa began at 11:15, when the guide met the guests at Gora Station, and finished at 16:00. The day ran to 4 hours and 45 minutes from start to finish.
From there the group visited To Kowakidani Station at 11:30, To Moto-Hakone by bus at 12:30, Hakone Shrine and lunch at 13:15 and Lake Ashi cruise to Togendai at 15:15.
Public transport for the day came to 5,000JPY per person.
What Is a Private Hakone Tour Like in Autumn? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting from North America who had been to Japan many times before. The meeting was delayed slightly because one of the guests had left something behind, but otherwise, although the weather was a bit cold and overcast for the tour, the autumn foliage was beautiful and the guests were very satisfied. (It would have been perfect if Mount Fuji had been visible, but it was hidden by clouds.) At Owakudani, the volcanic steam could not be seen due to the fog, which was unfortunate, but the guests bought the famous "black eggs," so I expect they will enjoy eating them at their hotel. It suddenly turned cold, which was surprising, but this actually made the autumn foliage even more beautiful, so in that respect we were lucky.
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
Where does this Kanagawa tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at Gora Station at 11:15, and the tour finished at Togendai→Owakudani→Gora at 16:00.
How long does the tour last?
About 4 hours and 45 minutes in total, from 11:15 to 16:00.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited To Kowakidani Station, To Moto-Hakone by bus, Hakone Shrine and lunch and Lake Ashi cruise to Togendai.
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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Jul 30, 2025
Michael_R
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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.
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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!
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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!
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Kappa is a wonderful tour guide
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May 4, 2025
O9621SBscottp
Kappa is a wonderful tour guide
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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