Hakone Customized Private Tour in 1 Day — Guide Hiro
February, 2026
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
- 8:50 Meet at Tenyu, Meeting, 9:30 By bus to Soun-zan, Ropeway, Owakudani stroll, Ropeway, 10:35 Arrive at Togendai, 10:45 Pirate Ship, 11:25 Motohakone Port, Stroll along Lake Ashi, Visit Hakone Shrine, 13:00 From Motohakone Port by bus to Hakone Checkpoint, 13:10 Donburi Chaya, Lunch, Maruyama Bussan, Hakone Checkpoint, Cedar Avenue Old Highway
- 15:00 By bus from Hakone Branch Office, 15:20 Get off at Yunessun, Accompany to hotel lobby and disband at 15:30
Title: What Is a Private Day Tour of Hakone from Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were very friendly visitors from North America. A perfectly clear view of Mount Fuji greeted us, likely exceeding what they had hoped for, and the ropeway gondola was packed, with everyone inside—including other passengers—sharing in the excitement. Carried by that momentum, the guests finished the black eggs. They decided to save the remaining one for someone joining them the following day, so I reminded them that the eggs are best eaten within two days. We took the boat along the upper deck to Moto-Hakone. We visited Moto-Hakone Shrine, where I explained Shinto, Buddhism, and the legend of the nine-headed dragon. At a donburi shop, the guests sampled soba, and they were amazed by the secret puzzle boxes at a local specialty store, followed by some shopping. At the Hakone Checkpoint, they enjoyed ice cream with Mount Fuji in the background, and along the avenue of cedar trees they reflected on the Edo period and the samurai. Tomorrow they head to Kyoto.
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 Station～Odawara Station | 6,000JPY |
| Section 2 | Bus | Tenyu / Izuhakone Bus～Sounzan Station Entrance / Izuhakone Bus | 220JPY |
| Total | 6,220JPY | ||
I am Hiroki Morikawa :Hiro:, English guide living with my wife ,just a hop skip and jump from Hakone, Kamakura, Tokyo and the Mt. Fuji.
I am a friendly grandfather of 4 grandchildren.
I would love to help you enjoy Japan, using my 3 strong points.
First: I am used to dealing with any kind of matters. I have experienced various situations in the 40 years of my working life.
Second: I am good at making a friendly atmosphere between you and local people to help you enjoy Japan. I was raised in western Japan, studied in northern Japan and now live in central Japan. So I know various local cultures and dialects to communicate with a wide variety of people.
Third: I can explain things from a technical point of view.
For example, how the Great Buddha was constructed, because I am a master of engineering graduated from Hokkaido University.
Please enjoy Japan with me. See you soon!!
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Jun 30, 2026
G2432BLtimothyc
Tripadvisor review: Hakone Full Day Tour with Guide and Vehicle
6 hour tour of Hakone
we had a great experience with…
Jun 30, 2026
G2432BLtimothyc
Tripadvisor review: Hakone Full Day Tour with Guide and Vehicle
6 hour tour of Hakone
we had a great experience with our guide, Hiro. Despite the weather not cooperating (rain),
Hiro was great about making adjustments so that we could see as much as Hakone as
possible.
Jun 25, 2026
T7734IPbrandons
Tripadvisor review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
First time in hakone
Niro was perfect for us. He was…
Jun 25, 2026
T7734IPbrandons
Tripadvisor review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
First time in hakone
Niro was perfect for us. He was flexible for our first time in Hakone and the kids enjoyed it
Jun 8, 2026
JasonB6980
Tripadvisor review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Hiro-san knows Hakone!
Our guide, Hiro-san, did a wonderful job introducing…
Jun 8, 2026
JasonB6980
Tripadvisor review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Hiro-san knows Hakone!
Our guide, Hiro-san, did a wonderful job introducing us to the area of Hakone – leading us on a great tour of several requested destinations. We were lucky to see Mt. Fuji at the top of the ropeway, had a fun ride on a pirate ship on Lake Ashi, enjoyed a fantastic lunch at a local restaurant, and picked up some great souvenirs at a puzzle-box store which have wowed our family and friends. One of the great things that Hiro did throughout the day was to educate and amuse us with numerous pictures, stories, and lessons from his backpack. It felt like Hiro-san was part of our family that day and we can’t imagine having tried to experience Hakone’s great sites without him.
Jun 7, 2026
Tourist31988989961
Tripadvisor review: Kamakura 8 hr Private Walking Tour with Licensed Guide from Tokyo
Great Day and Tour
Kamakura was amazing. Enjoyed…
Jun 7, 2026
Tourist31988989961
Tripadvisor review: Kamakura 8 hr Private Walking Tour with Licensed Guide from Tokyo
Great Day and Tour
Kamakura was amazing. Enjoyed visiting the beautiful gardens and shrines. Hiro was a great guide. Having him guide us made the day stress free and much more enjoyable. It was interesting learning about Japan and the culture. I would definitely recommend this tour and visiting Kamakura.