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
- 9:00 Meet at Hakodate Port Terminal
- 9:25 Goryokaku Tower
- 10:30 Hakodate Morning Market
- 11:10 Lunch at Hakodate Donburi Yokocho
- 12:25 Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse
- 13:45 Kitano Area
- 14:30 Return to Hakodate Port Terminal to end the tour
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Hokkaido began at 9:00, when the guide met the guests at Hakodate Port Terminal, and finished at 14:30. The day ran to 5 hours and 30 minutes from start to finish. It included lunch at Hakodate Donburi Yokocho at 11:10.
From there the group visited Goryokaku Tower at 9:25, Hakodate Morning Market at 10:30, Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse at 12:25 and Kitano Area at 13:45.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Hakodate Station Front to Crossroad (210JPY); Suehirocho to Hakodate Station Front (210JPY). Across 2 sections the fare came to 420JPY per person.
What's a Rainy-Day Private Tour of Hakodate Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visiting Japan for the first time from North America. From the morning there was very strong rain and wind, making it impossible to walk with an umbrella. Since the weather was expected to gradually improve from the afternoon, we discussed the situation and spent the morning sightseeing indoors. We had originally planned to take the train, but just walking to the train stop would have left us soaked, so we reluctantly took a taxi to Goryokaku Tower. I had hoped the weather would improve while I was showing them around the tower, but it did not. We gave up on strolling through Goryokaku Park and took a taxi to the Hakodate Morning Market. After showing them around inside the market building, we had an early lunch. During lunch the rain finally eased, so from there we took the streetcar to the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses. After a little shopping, we walked to the Motomachi area and took photos at a spot with a great view. We then took the streetcar again back to the Hakodate Port Terminal, ending the tour. The photo was taken at Hachiman-zaka slope in the Motomachi area. We were not blessed with good weather, but we managed to complete the tour safely.
Click here for more details: Hakodate Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Other | Hakodate Station Front～Crossroad | 210JPY |
| Section 2 | Other | Suehirocho～Hakodate Station Front | 210JPY |
| Total | 420JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Hokkaido tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at Hakodate Port Terminal at 9:00, and the tour finished at Hakodate Port Terminal to end the tour at 14:30.
How long does the tour last?
About 5 hours and 30 minutes in total, from 9:00 to 14:30.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Goryokaku Tower, Hakodate Morning Market, Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse and Kitano Area.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 420JPY per person across 2 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?
Kazu 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 Hokkaido itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
I was born and grew up in Kyoto and now live near Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. I used to be a schoolteacher of English and welcome a lot of students from foreign countries. I really enjoyed showing them around Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Himeji, and Hiroshima. I have been a professional tour guide for about 8 years. I always try to let my guests learn Japanese traditional and modern culture. Since I was born in Kyoto, I know a lot about its culture and people. I myself enjoyed several sports, such as soccer, judo, and marathon when I was young. I’m much interested in baseball and sumo. My motto as a tour guide is to let my guests learn about our tradition and culture precisely and really enjoy themselves. I strongly hope you will enjoy the tour in Japan with me.
Sep 28, 2026
Miguel_E
Amazing Service
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a wonderful time with Kazuo.…
Sep 28, 2026
Miguel_E
Amazing Service
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a wonderful time with Kazuo. He had such insightful knowledge of each area we wanted to visit and had all the best spots to take photos and was very patient with us.
Sep 27, 2026
T
TrailBlazer47194
Kazuo Sumi is a great guide.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Our guide Kazuo Sumi…
Sep 27, 2026
T
TrailBlazer47194
Kazuo Sumi is a great guide.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Our guide Kazuo Sumi was excellent. We had a wonderful time, learned a lot of new things about Japanese culture and history, practiced navigating transport, enjoyed a perfect lunch. Kazuo-San even facilitated a purchase of a UV blocking umbrella, which was much needed on that sunny day.
Sep 1, 2026
Steve6172014
Excellent tour of Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a great tour…
Sep 1, 2026
Steve6172014
Excellent tour of Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a great tour with Kazuo, our guide. Days before arrival he communicated directly with me to set up the tour according to sites we wanted to see and he made good suggestions. Besides listening to his Kyoto detailed knowledge, we enjoyed the local walking of streets, taking buses and trains between sites. Kazuo has excellent English and has travelled himself so being with him for the day was a pleasure. I highly recommend using him as your guide
Aug 7, 2026
Pascale_Q
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Very good private tour of Kyoto with Kazuo
We had…
Aug 7, 2026
Pascale_Q
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Very good private tour of Kyoto with Kazuo
We had a wonderful experience during our Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide. Our guide, Kazuo, was truly outstanding from start to finish. He shared an impressive amount of knowledge about Kyoto’s history, culture, temples, and daily life. You can feel how passionate he is about his city, and he explains everything with the calm, precision and kindness so typical of Japanese guides. His English was clear and easy to follow, which made the whole day even more enjoyable. Kazuo was also extremely friendly, attentive and careful. He always made sure we were comfortable, took the time to answer all our questions, adapted the pace of the tour, and anticipated our needs without us even asking. Travelling by car made the experience smooth and relaxing, allowing us to see more places without rushing. We felt very well taken care of throughout the day, and we learned so much thanks to him. We highly recommend Kazuo to anyone looking for a personalized, insightful and stress‑free discovery of Kyoto.