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
- 9:30 Meeting place: Hakone Suishoen
- 9:30 Depart Kowakien Station
- (Hakone Tozan Bus)
- Kowakidani Station
- (Hakone Tozan Railway)
- 10:00 Arrive Chokoku-no-Mori Station
- Hakone Open-Air Museum Hakone Open-Air Museum
- Break: The Hakone Open-Air Museum Café
- 11:00 Depart Chokoku-no-Mori Station
- (Hakone Tozan Railway)
- Gora Station
- (Hakone Tozan Cable Car)
- 11:30 Arrive Sounzan Station
- Sounzan
- Depart Sounzan Station
- (Hakone Ropeway)
- 12:00 Arrive Owakudani Station
- Owakudani Owakudani
- Kurotamago-kan
- Hakone Geomuseum
- 13:00 Depart Owakudani Station
- (Hakone Ropeway)
- 13:30 Arrive Togendai Station
- Togendai
- 14:00 Depart Togendai Port
- (Hakone Pirate Ship)
- 14:30 Arrive Moto-Hakone Port
- 15:00 Depart Moto-Hakone Station
- (Hakone Tozan Bus)
- Kowakien Station
- (Hakone Tozan Bus)
- Gora Station
- (Hakone Tozan Cable Car)
- 15:15 Arrive Koen-shimo Station
- Gora Gora Park & Hakuun-do Chaen
- 15:40 Depart Koen-shimo Station
- (Hakone Tozan Cable Car)
- 16:00 Gora Station
- (Hakone Tozan Bus)
- 16:20 Arrive Kowakien
- 16:30 Disband: Hakone Suishoen
Title: What Is a Private One-Day Hakone Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting from North America who had also traveled to Japan about ten years earlier. On this trip they were staying in Japan for two weeks in total. After arriving at Narita Airport, they visited Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, and Hiroshima before arriving in Hakone the previous evening. They planned to spend another night in Hakone, then return to Tokyo the next day to stay one night at a hotel in Ginza before flying home the day after. They said they had come because they wanted to soak in the hot springs of Hakone.
It was a tour under clear skies and pleasant weather. Following their wish to make a full loop around Hakone, the tour began by meeting them at their accommodation, the Hotel.
First, we took the Hakone Tozan Bus and the Hakone Tozan Railway to the Hakone Open-Air Museum. One of the guests was a big fan of Henry Moore and Picasso, and commented that it was the best museum they had ever seen. After that, we took the mountain train, the cable car, and the ropeway to Owakudani. The guests asked whether it was an active volcano. They said the main purpose of this trip to Japan was to see Mount Fuji, so they were delighted that Mount Fuji was clearly visible that day, and took many photographs. They had heard about the black eggs beforehand, so they tried them.
We descended by ropeway to Togendai and boarded the pirate ship. The guests commented that Lake Ashi was beautiful and refreshing. Since they had not been able to experience a tea ceremony in Kyoto, they wanted to try one here, so we visited the Hakuun-do Tea Garden. After the experience, I saw them off to their accommodation, the Hotel, via Gora Station, and we parted ways.
The guests also commented that everywhere in Japan the towns were orderly and clean with no litter on the ground, that everyone was polite, that the trains were quiet with no one making a fuss, and they asked why they never saw anyone homeless. They also said that Kyoto had been the most impressive place of all.
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 | Bus | Kowakien Station～Kowakidani Station | 5,000JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Kowakidani Station～Chokoku-no-Mori Station | 0JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Chokoku-no-Mori Station～Gora Station | 0JPY |
| Section 4 | Other | Gora Station～Owakudani Station | 0JPY |
| Section 5 | Other | Owakudani Station～Togendai Station | 0JPY |
| Section 6 | Other | Togendai Port～Moto-Hakone Port | 0JPY |
| Section 7 | Bus | Moto-Hakone Port～Gora Station | 0JPY |
| Section 8 | Other | Gora Station～Koen-shimo Station | 0JPY |
| Section 9 | Other | Koen-shimo Station～Gora Station | 0JPY |
| Section 10 | Bus | Gora Station～Kowakien Station | 0JPY |
| Total | 5,000JPY | ||
Guiding career:
Guide work started in July 2022. A guide focused on FIT compliance.
FY2022 results: 17 cases, FY2023 results: 97
Destinations: Various places in Tokyo, Hakone, Kamakura and Nikko
As a recent group travel record, in October 2023, we have a track record of guiding a group of 33 people from Singapore to Narita Airport transfer plus sightseeing in Tokyo.
Self-introduction:
In the past, I was stationed in Canada, the United States, and Mexico as an expatriate of a Japanese bank for over 11 years.
Since I have been mainly involved in the financing business in the United States for a long time, I think I am able to provide interpretation and translation services related to business and finance.
I am a certified CPA in the United States.
In addition, for three years from April 2016, I will be engaged in Japanese-English translation work (part-time), and I can also handle translation work.
Although I don’t have a qualification in Spanish, but I think I can handle day to day conversation in Spanish without any problems.
My hobby is trekking and from time to time, take a walk around mountains near Tokyo like Mt. Takao, Tanzawa, etc. I think it is possible to provide tourist information here as well.
Since April 2015, I have been working as a Tokyo Metropolitan Tourism Volunteer and Tokyo Metropolitan Disaster Prevention Volunteer.
One more, I have a separate house near Asuka Village, Nara prefecture, and I stay there for a total of about 30 days every year and have been enjoying sightseeing personally in the vicinity. Therefore, I think in the Kansai region, especially in Nara, Asuka, Yoshino, Koyasan, Kumano Kodo, etc., where I think I will be able to tour guide with confidence.
Jul 21, 2026
Christelle_G
Viator review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Excellent tour guide
Masa san is extremely knowledgeable and…
Jul 21, 2026
Christelle_G
Viator review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Excellent tour guide
Masa san is extremely knowledgeable and lovely company. My 13-yr-old daughter and I had a great day walking around the sites we had picked with him. He tooks his time to explain all the history and then kindly walked us to the spot of our next booking as it was quite confusing. I would very highly recommend him. Of all the tours we did in Tokyo Masa Sam was my favourite tour guide.
Jul 1, 2026
97TexAg
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Amazing day in Tokyo
Masa was our tour guide. Masa was an…
Jul 1, 2026
97TexAg
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Amazing day in Tokyo
Masa was our tour guide. Masa was an amazing tour guide that communicated extremely well ahead of time about the sites we would like to see in Tokyo, picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel, was very friendly and well prepared and finally but most importantly made our day in Tokyo very memorable.
We went to the Buddhist temple in Asakusa, Meiji Shinto Temple, imperial Palace, Shinjuku Gyoen National Gatden, and Shibuya Crossing. All were great and amazing suggestions by Masa.
Would highly recommend this tour as it was a private tour guide for a full day and provided discretion on which 5-6 sites you want to see. Also highly recommend our tour guide Masa who was a wealth of knowledge and very friendly and charming.
15/10 would do again.
Jun 2, 2026
Tagare S
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great tour and guide!
This is a great tour, and our…
Jun 2, 2026
Tagare S
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great tour and guide!
This is a great tour, and our guide, Masa was really great. Although it was raining, he had no
hesitations in completing his tour and showing us great places around Tokyo. If you are still
on the fence about this, please don’t, you won’t regret it. Thank you, Masa!
Jun 1, 2026
Lisa_A
Viator review: Private Tokyo Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Adler Family Tour
Our tour with Masa was…
Jun 1, 2026
Lisa_A
Viator review: Private Tokyo Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Adler Family Tour
Our tour with Masa was incredible and filled with interesting facts and history, he gave us incredible insight on each location. We loved that we were able to choose 3-4 sites from a large selection and really spend enough time at each spot. Masa was kind and knowledgable and even helped us with a restaurant reservation for later in the evening when were unable to find one.