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
- 6:30 Meet at the hotel
- Ticket issuing at Shinjuku Station, shopping at convenience store
- 7:30 Board the Fuji Excursion
- 9:15 Get off at Shimo-Yoshida Station and go to Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine
- 10:30 To Kawaguchiko Station
- 11:20 By bus to Narusawa Ice Cave
- 11:50 Narusawa Ice Cave
- 12:15 By taxi to the restaurant
- 13:30 Restaurant
- 14:20 To Lake Kawaguchi
- 14:45 Lake Kawaguchi
- 15:00 Board the Fuji Excursion from Kawaguchiko Station
- 17:00 Arrive at Shinjuku Station, go to pick up luggage at the hotel
- 17:30 Ticket issuing at Tokyo Station, go to a cafe
- 19:20 Enter Tokyo Station
- 19:30 See off the Shinkansen boarding and disband
Title: What's a Private Day Trip from Tokyo to Mount Fuji Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group of four visiting from North America. They said they usually walk a lot, about 25,000 steps every day, so walking around the Mount Fuji area was no problem for them. I had been prepared for a very long line at Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine, but it was more crowded than lined up, with no real queue forming, so the guests were able to take photos and come back down quickly.
Since this took less time than expected, we decided on the spot to visit Narusawa Ice Cave, which had been one of their requests. Some of the guests were quite large, so I imagine the narrow passages felt even tighter for them, but they were very excited.
We took a taxi to a restaurant and enjoyed roast beef, a wagyu beef sandwich, and strawberry shaved ice. We then passed Kawaguchiko Station to visit Lake Kawaguchi before heading back and boarding the Fuji Excursion train for the return trip. After arriving at Shinjuku Station, we picked up their luggage at a hotel near the station and tried to issue their tickets to Kyoto, but the guests had forgotten their password and were becoming anxious. I looked into various options in Japanese and found that at the JR Central counter (Tokyo Station), tickets could be issued with a signature even without the password. On the train from Shinjuku Station to Tokyo Station, they seemed to remember their password, and we tried the ticket machine at Tokyo Station, but it displayed "Please inquire at the counter." In the end, it turned out that having taken a screenshot of the ticketing QR code was the problem (it apparently expires within a few dozen minutes), so at the counter they showed the updated QR code, received the tickets with a signature, and I was able to see them safely onto the Shinkansen.
Click here for more details: Mt. Fuji Day Trip from Tokyo in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Shinjuku～Kawaguchiko | 8,060JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Shimo-Yoshida～Kawaguchiko | 305JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Kawaguchiko～Ice Cave | 740JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Shinjuku～Tokyo | 360JPY |
| Total | 9,465JPY | ||
Hi, I’m Sam.
I am happy to welcome you all to Japan.
Since I was a child, my parents welcomed many international students into our home and I had many opportunities to interact with them. My mother is a translator, and I have always seen her guiding foreigners around Japan, so it was natural for me to start doing the same.
I am good at guiding people to popular places such as Shibuya, Harajuku, Shinjuku, and Asakusa, as well as photogenic spots in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Since I was a child, I’ve watched anime like Pokémon and played Nintendo games, and I still buy around 100 manga comic books a month. I love shopping in Akihabara! I currently live in Urayasu City, Chiba, so close that I can see fireworks from Disneyland from my house every night.
Please feel free to ask me anything!
Jul 10, 2026
Brooke_J
Viator review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Tokyo History Modernized!
This tour was a wonderful experience.…
Jul 10, 2026
Brooke_J
Viator review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Tokyo History Modernized!
This tour was a wonderful experience. Sayumi-San (Sam) was an absolutely amazing tour guide. She met me at my hotel and was a complete professional from the word ‘go.’ We did a good amount of walking to the sights/sites and rode the train to some places that were farther away from each other. Sam was very knowledgeable about the history of Japan and the places we visited. She was very respectful of my interests and curated a tour that fit well with what I wanted to see. I can’t say enough wonderful things about her and the tour.
The six hour tour included lunch. I recommend bringing water, though, while walking around and bringing a hat or small umbrella because the sun can be brutal. Finally, wear comfortable shoes.
Jun 19, 2026
Catherine_S
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great experience!
We had a wonderful time with Sam, who took our…
Jun 19, 2026
Catherine_S
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great experience!
We had a wonderful time with Sam, who took our requests and made them into a
manageable itinerary. She was wonderful with our daughter, too! Highly recommended.
Jun 7, 2026
Elena_Q
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Fun visit to Tokyo!
Wonderful customized tour of Tokyo with Sam. She…
Jun 7, 2026
Elena_Q
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Fun visit to Tokyo!
Wonderful customized tour of Tokyo with Sam. She meticulously coordinated our itinerary based on our preferences and included great local places to eat that were reasonably priced and delicious. Her insights and own personal experiences made the visit extra special.
May 12, 2026
Leonard B
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Awesome experience with a very knowledgeable friendly guide.
We had an…
May 12, 2026
Leonard B
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Awesome experience with a very knowledgeable friendly guide.
We had an amazing time in our tour. Our guide was knowledgeable, professional and friendly. We hit all of the main sites in Tokyo. Each stop our guide walked us through the experience and we felt immersed in the local culture. Would highly recommend this tour guide.