Kanagawa in One Day: Welcome at Gora Kadan — Guide Harry
December, 2025
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
- 09:30 Welcome at Gora Kadan
- 10:03 Depart Gora Station Cable Car
- 10:20 Depart Sounzan Station Ropeway
- 10:30 Arrive Owakudani
- 11:10 Depart Owakudani Ropeway
- 12:00 Depart Togendai Port Pirate Ship
- 12:40 Arrive Motohakone Port
- 13:00 Hakone Shrine
- 13:30 Lunch at Kohanso Sakura Honjin: sansai udon, smelt tempura, french fries
- 14:15 Motohakone Port Hakone Tozan Bus
- 15:00 The Hakone Open-Air Museum
- 15:30 End at The Hakone Open-Air Museum
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Kanagawa began at 10:03, when the guide met the guests at Gora Station Cable Car, and finished at 15:30. The day ran to 5 hours and 27 minutes from start to finish. It included lunch at Kohanso Sakura Honjin: sansai udon, smelt tempura, french fries at 13:30.
From there the group visited Welcome at Gora Kadan at 09:30, Sounzan Station Ropeway at 10:20, Owakudani at 10:30, Owakudani Ropeway at 11:10, Togendai Port Pirate Ship at 12:00, Motohakone Port at 12:40, Hakone Shrine at 13:00, Motohakone Port Hakone Tozan Bus at 14:15 and The Hakone Open-Air Museum at 15:00.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Gora Station to Sounzan Station by Free Pass (6,000JPY); Sounzan Station to Owakudani Station by Free Pass (0JPY); Owakudani Station to Togendai Station by Free Pass (0JPY); Togendai Port to Motohakone Port by Free Pass (0JPY); Motohakone Port to Ninotaira Entrance (The Hakone Open-Air Museum) by Free Pass (0JPY). Across 5 sections the fare came to 6,000JPY per person.
What Is a Private Day Tour of Hakone Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Owakudani, Lake Ashi, and Hakone Shrine
The guests were a group visiting from North America. They had certain dietary requirements, so for lunch we chose a restaurant where they could enjoy soba and smelt tempura and where we could be seated without waiting in line. It was very cold that day, and there were light flurries of snow at Owakudani, but by the time we got off the pirate ship there were some breaks in the clouds, and with no wind we were able to enjoy the relaxed scenery of Lake Ashi. At that moment, one of the guests said, "I'll come again." Owakudani, the pirate ship, and Hakone Shrine were all very crowded, but the only times we had to wait in line were when boarding the pirate ship and at the entrance to the main hall of Hakone Shrine, so our movements went very smoothly. As a result, we were able to arrive at the Hakone Open-Air Museum earlier than planned, and I was able to enter together with the guests and guide them all the way to the Picasso Pavilion.
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 Station～Sounzan Station | 6,000JPY |
| Section 2 | Free Pass | Sounzan Station～Owakudani Station | 0JPY |
| Section 3 | Free Pass | Owakudani Station～Togendai Station | 0JPY |
| Section 4 | Free Pass | Togendai Port～Motohakone Port | 0JPY |
| Section 5 | Free Pass | Motohakone Port～Ninotaira Entrance (The Hakone Open-Air Museum) | 0JPY |
| Total | 6,000JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Kanagawa tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at Gora Station Cable Car at 10:03, and the tour finished at Hakone Open-Air Museum at 15:30.
How long does the tour last?
About 5 hours and 27 minutes in total, from 10:03 to 15:30.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Welcome at Gora Kadan, Sounzan Station Ropeway, Owakudani, Owakudani Ropeway, Togendai Port Pirate Ship, Motohakone Port, Hakone Shrine, Motohakone Port Hakone Tozan Bus and The Hakone Open-Air Museum.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 6,000JPY per person across 5 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
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Our guide Harry was very knowledgeable. We learned…
Oct 8, 2025
Denise_M
Great tour of Kyoto
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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
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Our four-hour private tour of Kyoto was excellent.…
Jun 30, 2025
Iguana74
Customized Tour of Kyoto
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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.
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Our guide, Harry, did an excellent…
May 12, 2025
Tonya_G
Would do it again.
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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…
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Lauren_P
We had a great time on…
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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!