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
- 10:00 Meet at Odawara Station.
- 10:27 Depart
- 10:41 Hakone Yumoto
- Drop off bags.
- 11:10Depart from Hakone Yumoto
- 11:40 Motohakone,
- 12:00 Hakone Shrine
- 12:45Pirate Ship
- 13:10 Togendai
- 13:30Owakudani Valley
- 14:30Sounzan Station
- 15:00Hakone Open-Air Museum
- 16:01 Leave Open-air musem
- 16:10 Hotel Tenyu
Tour Itinerary in Detail
Over the course of the day the route took in Depart at 10:27, Hakone Yumoto at 10:41, Motohakone, at 11:40, Hakone Shrine at 12:00, Pirate Ship at 12:45, Togendai at 13:10, Owakudani Valley at 13:30, Sounzan Station at 14:30, Hakone Open-Air Museum at 15:00, Leave Open-air musem at 16:01 and Hotel Tenyu at 16:10.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Odawara to Hakone Yumoto by Free Pass (5,000JPY); Hakone Yumoto to Motohakone Port by Free Pass (0JPY); Motohakone Port to Togendai by Free Pass (0JPY); Togendai to Owakudani by Free Pass (0JPY); Owakudani to Sounzan by Free Pass (0JPY); Sounzan to Gora by Free Pass (0JPY); Gora to Hakone Open-Air Museum by Free Pass (0JPY); Hakone Open-Air Museum to Tenyu by Free Pass (0JPY). Across 8 sections the fare came to 5,000JPY per person.
What Is a Private Hakone Day Trip from Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting from North America. Since they were traveling from Tokyo on the same day, we arranged to meet at Odawara Station and to drop off their luggage at a baggage carry service at Hakone-Yumoto Station. When exiting the Shinkansen ticket gate, one of the guests had trouble finding the ticket stored on their smartphone and appeared to have tears in their eyes. When purchasing the Hakone Free Pass at Odawara Station as well, they tried to search for a ticket that might have been on the smartphone, but after calling the agent to confirm, we determined that a new one needed to be purchased, and they did so.
The weather was fine and the crowds were moderate, so I believe the tour itself was wonderful. Although Mount Fuji could not be seen from Lake Ashi, the summit was visible from the sightseeing boat, and the entire mountain could be seen from the ropeway and at Owakudani.
Perhaps because they had bought and eaten snacks at a convenience store before boarding the sightseeing boat, they decided not to have lunch at Owakudani, and we arrived at the Hakone Open-Air Museum about an hour earlier than planned. One of the guests had not slept well the night before and seemed tired, hesitating to enter, but once inside, the group had a wonderful time — playing with shining eyes in the netted play area (though it is actually a facility only for younger children) and giving a high-five to the artwork called the "large hand."
The plan had been for the group to take the bus to their accommodation on their own, but one of the guests said, "don't leave us!", so I rode the bus with them and saw them to the Hotel, ending the tour.
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 | Odawara～Hakone Yumoto | 5,000JPY |
| Section 2 | Free Pass | Hakone Yumoto～Motohakone Port | 0JPY |
| Section 3 | Free Pass | Motohakone Port～Togendai | 0JPY |
| Section 4 | Free Pass | Togendai～Owakudani | 0JPY |
| Section 5 | Free Pass | Owakudani～Sounzan | 0JPY |
| Section 6 | Free Pass | Sounzan～Gora | 0JPY |
| Section 7 | Free Pass | Gora～Hakone Open-Air Museum | 0JPY |
| Section 8 | Free Pass | Hakone Open-Air Museum～Tenyu | 0JPY |
| Total | 5,000JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Depart, Hakone Yumoto, Motohakone,, Hakone Shrine, Pirate Ship, Togendai, Owakudani Valley, Sounzan Station, Hakone Open-Air Museum, Leave Open-air musem and Hotel Tenyu.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 5,000JPY per person across 8 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!