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 hotel 9:20 At Jinjashita bus stop (Izuhakone) Sounzan 9:40 By ropeway Owakudani 10:15 By ropeway to Togendai 10:45 Pirate ship 11:25 Motohakone Port Hakone Shrine red torii gate By bus 12:30 Sekishoato Lunch at Donburi Chaya Maruyama Bussan Presentation tour and shopping 14:25 Bus from Sekishoato 15:00 Customers get off at Jinjashita End

Title: What Is a Private Hakone Day Tour Like in Bad Weather? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were visitors from North America. Undeterred by the poor weather, they set off in high spirits. From the ropeway, nothing but the ropes themselves could be seen, but even that turned out to be part of the fun. They were eager to try the famous black eggs and enjoyed them thoroughly. The scenery seen from the boat, veiled in mist, was quite unusual, and they took many enthusiastic photos. Incidentally, due to heavy fog the boat was later canceled, so we were fortunate. At the red torii gate, they photographed from various angles (there was no line to wait in). The presentation at Maruyama was delightful, and they enjoyed it with cheerful exclamations. They had a fondness for Japanese food and had been looking forward to the donburi teahouse, where they finished their soba and eel rice bowls completely. Along the way, they listened with great interest to explanations about Shinto, Buddhism, and kanji. A notable stop on the tour was the Hakone ropeway. The Hakone Ropeway connects several stations across the volcanic landscape of the Hakone region and offers sweeping views of the area, including Owakudani, a valley formed by past volcanic activity. On clear days, passengers can even catch glimpses of Mount Fuji in the distance, making it one of the most popular attractions in Hakone.

Transportation cost per person

No.TransportationRouteFare
Section 1Free PassOdawara Station~Odawara Station6,000JPY
Section 2BusJinjashita / Izuhakone Bus~Sounzan Station Entrance / Izuhakone Bus490JPY
Total6,490JPY

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!!
dummy

Aug 24, 2026
Deb_K
Viator review: Hakone Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Well organised tour
Hiro is obviously an experienced guide.…

Aug 6, 2026
Marcus_J
Viator review: Hakone Full-Day Customized Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Had an amazing day with…
Had an amazing day with Hiro.…

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 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…