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 Meet at the hotel
- 10:00 Gora Park
- 11:00 Owakudani
- 11:30 Guided entry to Owakudani
- 13:55 Take the pirate ship from Togendai to Hakonemachi Port
- 14:00 Yosegi Marquetry Shop
- 15:20 Tour ends at the hotel
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The tour started at 9:30 at hotel and ended at 15:20. The day ran to 5 hours and 50 minutes from start to finish.
Over the course of the day the route took in Gora Park at 10:00, Owakudani at 11:00, Guided entry to Owakudani at 11:30, Take the pirate ship from Togendai to Hakonemachi Port at 13:55 and Yosegi Marquetry Shop at 14:00.
Public transport for the day came to 6,000JPY per person.
Title: What Is a Private Hakone Day Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Gora Park, Owakudani, and Lake Ashi
The guests were a group visiting Japan, some from Asia and some from North America. Before the Hakone portion, they had stayed a few nights in Okinawa so that some of the guests could study karate, and they then planned to sightsee in Hakone and Tokyo.
We started at Gora Park, near the Hotel. In the park, where many kinds of flowers were in bloom, they enjoyed taking numerous photos, and at the Craft House they purchased some favorite accessories. They said they love this kind of craft art.
At Owakudani, after learning about how the Hakone volcano was formed at the Geo Museum, we took a guided visit to the site where the "black eggs" are made. Everyone was very curious, and after the tour the whole group promptly bought and ate them.
Next, they enjoyed the pirate ship, and we had planned to visit Hakone Shrine, but partway through the sky suddenly turned bad and a heavy thunderstorm began, so we quickly changed plans and headed to a marquetry (yosegi) craft shop. Here too they purchased many favorite pieces.
Unfortunately, the sky was cloudy and we were unable to see Mount Fuji, but the guests said it was a very meaningful tour, as they came to learn about many charms of Hakone that they had not known about before coming here.
Click here for more details: Hakone in 1 Day by Private Car with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Free Pass | Odawara Station～Odawara Station | 6,000JPY |
| Total | 6,000JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Kanagawa tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at hotel at 9:30, and the tour finished at Tour ends at the hotel at 15:20.
How long does the tour last?
About 5 hours and 50 minutes in total, from 9:30 to 15:20.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Gora Park, Owakudani, Guided entry to Owakudani, Take the pirate ship from Togendai to Hakonemachi Port and Yosegi Marquetry Shop.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 6,000JPY per person across 1 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?
Atsushi 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 Kanagawa itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
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
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Highly recommend this tour for first time…
Jul 26, 2026
Kevin_B
Viator review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
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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.