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
- 9:00 Hotel ー9:12 Kami-Gora Station ー 9:42 Sounzan Station ー10:15 Owakudani ー11:15 Togendai ー
- 12:30 Hakonemachi Port ー12:40 Hakone Checkpoint ー 13:30 Hakone Shrine ー
- 14:00 The Hakone Open-Air Museum ー14:30 Chokoku-no-Mori Station ー15:00 Gora Station ー15:20 Kami-Gora Station ー15:30 Hotel
What's a Private Day Tour of Hakone Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Owakudani, Lake Ashi, and Hakone Shrine
Despite light rain from the morning, the guests from North America thoroughly enjoyed their first sightseeing tour of Hakone. Although heavy crowds had been expected as it was the last Sunday of the spring holidays, the crowds were limited, likely due to an early departure and the rainy forecast. The guests were delighted by the natural scenery of Owakudani, the views from the sightseeing boat on Lake Ashi, the walk from the Hakone Checkpoint to Hakone Shrine (about 50 minutes), and the natural setting of the Hakone Open-Air Museum. The guests, who take care of their health by walking about four miles every day back home, enjoyed the stroll through the deep forest leading to the shrine even in the rain. Our conversations during the tour about Japanese society and religion were lively, and I believe the guests were very satisfied.
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 | Kami-Gora Station～Sounzan Station | 90JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Chokoku-no-Mori Station～Kami-Gora Station | 540JPY |
| Section 3 | Other | Sounzan～Togendai | 1,500JPY |
| Section 4 | Ferry | Togendai Port～Hakonemachi Port | 2,000JPY |
| Total | 4,130JPY | ||
I am Mr. Hotta Kenji from Yokohama. I am pleased to introduce myself as a Government Licensed Guide registered in Kanagawa Prefecture, having an ample exeperience as a English speaking guide in Tokyo, Yokohama, Kamakura, and Hakone areas for last 4 years. I would be happy to introduce Japanese culture, social activities and history, etc. I have had a rich business experience for over 40 years visiting more than 40 countries in Asia, Middle East, USA, Europe and others in the field of business development, international taxation, invester relations, corporate management, etc. I enjoy playing Japanese classical musical instrument (Shakuhachi or bamboo flute) and performing martial art (Aikido) .
I will be happy to share happy moments with our important guests in Japan.
Mar 27, 2026
TinaS196
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Best way to see Tokyo- Kenji
Our tour with Kenji exceeded our…
Mar 27, 2026
TinaS196
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Best way to see Tokyo- Kenji
Our tour with Kenji exceeded our expectations, and we are very thankful that we chose him as our tour guide for our first trip to Japan. His communication and insights were excellent. He took the time to give us in-depth explanations on everything we saw. We experienced and navigated many destinations that we would not have been able to achieve by ourselves, and we obtained a much deeper perspective of Tokyo and the Japanese culture. He was very efficient with our limited time, and efficiently planned our excursions that allowed us to experience a lot.