Hokkaido in One Day: Goryokaku Tower — Guide Kazu
October, 2024
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
- 9:00 Hakodate Port Meet
- 9:30 Goryokaku Tower
- 10:30 Hakodate Magistrate's Office
- 12:10 Hakodate Morning Market Lunch
- 13:15 To the summit via Mount Hakodate Ropeway
- 14:30 Shopping at Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse
- 14:40 Tour ends
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Hokkaido began at 9:00, when the guide met the guests at Hakodate Port Meet, and finished at 14:40. The day ran to 5 hours and 40 minutes from start to finish.
From there the group visited Goryokaku Tower at 9:30, Hakodate Magistrate's Office at 10:30, Hakodate Morning Market Lunch at 12:10, To the summit via Mount Hakodate Ropeway at 13:15 and Shopping at Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse at 14:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Hakodate Morning Market to Mount Hakodate Ropeway Station (0JPY). Across 1 sections the fare came to 2,400JPY per person.
What Is a Private Hakodate Day Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting from the Middle East. At the sites they visited, they took many photos and viewed the exhibits with great interest. After lunch, we took a taxi to the entrance of the ropeway. Since there were five of us including myself, I had thought we might need two cars, but fortunately we were able to catch a five-seater taxi. At the summit of Mount Hakodate the weather was fine and the wind was not too strong, so the guests enjoyed the scenery. When we reached the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses for shopping, the guests suggested that they would do the rest of their shopping on their own and return to the ship, and so the tour came to an end. The photo was taken during a break inside Goryokaku Tower.
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 | Train | Hakodate Station～Hakodate Station | 600JPY |
| Section 2 | Other | Hakodate Morning Market～Mount Hakodate Ropeway Station | 0JPY |
| Section 3 | Other | Mount Hakodate Ropeway Entrance～Mount Hakodate Ropeway Entrance | 1,800JPY |
| Total | 2,400JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Hokkaido tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at Hakodate Port Meet at 9:00, and the tour finished at at 14:40.
How long does the tour last?
About 5 hours and 40 minutes in total, from 9:00 to 14:40.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Goryokaku Tower, Hakodate Magistrate's Office, Hakodate Morning Market Lunch, To the summit via Mount Hakodate Ropeway and Shopping at Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 2,400JPY per person across 3 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.
Jul 24, 2026
Trail65429092687
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Kazua Sumi is a very accomplished guide.He has deep…
Jul 24, 2026
Trail65429092687
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
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Kazua Sumi is a very accomplished guide.He has deep knowledge about the history and culture of Japan. He is flexible and accommodates changes if you so desire. He is also very empathetic. I had a sprained back and he ensured we took elevators everywhere. You will be lucky if he is assigned as your guide .
Jul 23, 2026
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My friend and I had a great experience…
Jul 23, 2026
489caelinp
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My friend and I had a great experience on the tour. We travelled all around Kyoto with our guide Kazuo Sumi. He is a sweet older gentleman who had a great depth of knowledge about each place we went to. We told him places we wanted to go and he made the itinerary for us. There is no one better to have as your guide!!
Jul 16, 2026
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Great way to see Kyoto
Wonderful tour and exceptional guide.
Jul 9, 2026
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Kazuo was great and…
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Kazuo was great and provided…
Jul 9, 2026
Sandra_B
Kazuo was great and…
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Kazuo was great and provided some excellent recommendations. There’s a lot of walking so make sure you are prepared.