Hakone Full-Day Customized Private Tour — Guide Hiro
October, 2025
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
- 8:00 Meet. Route proposal due to rain. Odawara Castle. With agreement, 8:50 Yunessun. Bus. Hakoneguchi 9:35. Odawara Castle. Costume rental and ninja shuriken experience.
- 10:55 Depart Hakoneguchi. 12:15 Hakone Checkpoint ruins. Maruyama Bussan. Light lunch at Hakonemachi Port. Hakonemachi Port 13:45. Pirate ship. 14:25 Togendai Port. Hakone Ropeway. Owakudani. By ropeway to Sounzan. By cable car to Gora, arrive 16:10. Guide to bus stop for Hotel Kowakien direction. Disband 16:20
What Is a Rainy-Day Private Tour of Odawara and Hakone Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
Although the guests had been concerned about the itinerary due to the rain, we set off after they agreed to my suggestion of trying on samurai and princess costumes at Odawara Castle. The result was a great success, and everyone had a wonderful time dressed in the costumes, thoroughly enjoying themselves. We then made our way back to the checkpoint area, where the guests were delighted by a presentation of yosegi marquetry woodwork at a local shop and did a lot of shopping. The pirate ship and the ropeway offered scenery quite different from their home region in Oceania, and the guests enjoyed the experience. They seemed to really like the black eggs and bought them again, with each member of the group eating two, ending the tour on a high note. Seeing everyone eat two each was a first-time experience even for me.
Click here for more details: Hakone Full-Day Customized Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Free Pass | Odawara Station～Odawara Station | 6,000JPY |
| Total | 6,000JPY | ||
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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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 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. He answered any question we asked. He was well organised in dealing with our preferences and was able to taylor our itinerary to our interests. Overall a very enjoyable day. Would definitely recommend.
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.…
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. He gave us very comprehensive tour of Hakone. Did great explanation of history and explained a lot about culture of Japan. Very comprehensive.
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