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 the hotel
- 10:30 Take the cable car to Owakudani via Sounzan
- 12:00 Take the pirate ship from Togendai to Motohakone Port
- 14:00 Hakone Shrine
- 15:40 The Hakone Open-Air Museum
- 16:00 Tour ends
Tour Itinerary in Detail
Meeting at hotel at 10:00, the group explored Kanagawa until the tour ended at 16:00. The day ran to 6 hours from start to finish.
The itinerary covered Take the cable car to Owakudani via Sounzan at 10:30, Take the pirate ship from Togendai to Motohakone Port at 12:00, Hakone Shrine at 14:00 and The Hakone Open-Air Museum at 15:40.
Title: What Is a Private Day Tour of Hakone Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Owakudani, Lake Ashi, and Hakone Shrine
The guests were visitors from North America. They had already visited Tokyo and Kyoto, and Hakone was the final destination of their trip. Since it was a place they had never been to before, they arrived with high expectations.
We were fortunate to have perfectly clear weather, and the view of Mount Fuji from Owakudani was outstanding. The guests were delighted, especially enjoying the local specialty "black eggs." On the pirate ship, they were able to secure a spot at the very front of the upper deck, and they were very satisfied to take in the wonderful views of Lake Ashi.
At Hakone Shrine, I explained the meaning of the shrine, its influence on Japanese culture, and the proper way to pray, and the guests actually offered a prayer themselves.
As it was a weekend with fine weather, every spot was overflowing with large numbers of tourists, but I believe the guests were able to fully enjoy the charm of Hakone.
Click here for more details: Hakone Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Hello and welcome to Tokyo!
I have been working for business with American companies for many years. I have many experiences guiding customers from around the world in Japan and taking Japanese customers to the USA and Europe.
I now have a national license as a guiding interpreter, and I want to introduce the unique gigantic city of Tokyo and the traditional Japanese culture, which is not shown in the guidebooks, to people worldwide who are interested in it. In addition, I want to introduce various Japanese foods you can enjoy only in Japan.
Unique experiences such as the Sumo Training Viewing and Tea Ceremony are optionally available.
Depending on your preference and itinerary, I can guide you in Tokyo, Kamakura, and Hakone so that you can enjoy your time in Japan.
Jul 26, 2026
Kevin_B
Viator review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Tokyo Tour
Highly recommend this tour for first time…
Jul 26, 2026
Kevin_B
Viator review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Tokyo Tour
Highly recommend this tour for first time visit to Tokyo. Our guide Atsushi took great care to acclimate us with navigating through busy train stations efficiently with a group of eight family members. Along the way and at each site he explained various cultural practices and associated histories that made the tour very immersive and enjoyable. We will highly recommend Atsushi and Viator to our family and friends for future tours.
Jun 22, 2026
Ashish_L
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Best Tour for a Short Visit
Atsushi-san was an incredibly well-researched and…
Jun 22, 2026
Ashish_L
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Best Tour for a Short Visit
Atsushi-san was an incredibly well-researched and friendly tour guide. His knowledge allowed us to explore and get to the historical significance of the various locations we visited. His explanations were simple but comprehensive. The six hours flew by and included some off-the-beaten opportunities including coffee at a very austere but memorable location near the fish market. I would highly recommend him as well as this tour for anyone with limited time in Tokyo wanting see as much as possible
May 27, 2026
jackie m
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Walking tour of Tokyo
Our guide was really interesting and had…
May 27, 2026
jackie m
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Walking tour of Tokyo
Our guide was really interesting and had an amazing knowledge of culture and attractions!
We thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon walk! We also navigated through the Shinjuku station
which was no walk in the park! Thank you to Atsushi!
Apr 9, 2026
Lindsey_W
Viator review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our guide, Atsushi, was…
Our guide, Atsushi, was great! He met…
Apr 9, 2026
Lindsey_W
Viator review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our guide, Atsushi, was…
Our guide, Atsushi, was great! He met us at our hotel in Hakone and took us clockwise to tour all the sites. He was informative and taught us a lot. Our group was two adults and a 14 year old. We saw Mt Fuji from the rope way, but unfortunately the pirate ship was canceled because of high wind. We would absolutely use Atsushi again for this tour, or any other tour he provides.