Hakone 8 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Recommended by 97% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Hakone, Japan
- 8 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Experience the highlights of Hakone by foot in a private walking tour. Skip the crowded group tours and tailor the experience to your preferences. You’ll only see the local attractions that you’re interested in, whether you want to try the area’s famous black boiled eggs, ride the Hakone Ropeway, visit an art museum, or hike across Hakone’s volcanic landscapes.
- Customize your tour of Hakone and visit your choice of 4 to 5 sites
- Get local recommendations from your private guide
- Choose from multiple morning start times for flexibility
- Explore Hakone at your preferred pace and ask your guide questions
What's Included
- Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
- Customizable Tour of your choice of ４ to 5 sites from 'What to expect' list
- Meet up with guide on foot within designated area of Hakone
- Transportation fees, Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
- Private Vehicle : This is a walking tour. No Vehicle is included.
- You cannot combine multiple tour groups.
- Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under What to Expect.
- Hakone Freepass
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
This private tour is a walking day tour with meet up in Hakone. A private vehicle is not included. Public transportation or local taxis maybe used to transfer between sites. Exact transportation costs can be discussed with the guide after a reservation is finalized. Please have Japanese Yen on hand for your transportation costs. If you wish to arrange for a private vehicle, please contact us directly. All Private vehicles must be booked 5 days in advance. Maximum number of passengers: 7.
Itinerary
1
Lake Ashinoko
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Hakone Shrine
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Owaku-dani Valley
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
4
Hakone Museum of Art
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
5
Sengokuhara
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
6
Hakone Ropeway
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
7
Choanji Temple
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
8
The Hakone Open-Air Museum
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
9
Hakone Shisseikaen
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
10
Okada Museum of Art
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
11
Hakone Venetian Glass Museum
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
12
Pola Museum of Art
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
13
Gora Park
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
14
Narukawa Art Museum
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
15
Dollhouse Museum Hakone
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
16
Owakudani Nature Research Trail
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Stroller accessible
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a walking tour. Pick up is on foot.
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 65 reviews
Shane_D, Nov 2025
Ryuta was an excellent guide who was very knowledgeable. An excellent tour if you have limited time in Hakone and can also be customised as per your requirements and interests. Would recommend to anyone staying in Hakone
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you for your kind words.
I really enjoyed our conversations during the tour.
I look forward to the day you visit Japan again!
Stephen_M, Oct 2025
Mr Akey showed me an amazing time in Hakone. He planned out a very detailed itinerary based completely on my interests. The hot spring onsen was just what I needed to relax after long travel and a day of walking around the day before. I was hesitant to do the ropeway due to my fear of heights, but am so glad I went. The views were absolutely breathtaking, and I was lucky enough to have a clear enough day to get some incredible views of Mt Fuji. Highly recommend.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
I am pleased to hear that you have enjoyed your tour to Hakone with me. Hakone Open- air Museum was very interesting, relaxation at the open-air bath was wonderful, and we were lucky to see Mt. Fuji. Please come back to Japan with your kids and visit Kyoto and Nara next time.
Best regards,
Akey.
Pamela_O, Oct 2025
Our guide was Dragon (Ryuta-San), and he was absolutely wonderful! He is so knowledgeable and experienced. We had wet weather and he really took into consideration the weather and the most strategic ways to enjoy Hakone with the crowds and traffic. He came prepared with maps, brochures, current weather forecasts, and took the time to explain the history and culture of the places we visited. He also chose the best place for lunch. And we ate the black eggs from Owakudani at midnight to live long lives (🙏). We highly recommend Dragon as a tour guide. He is the best.! We look forward to visiting Japan again and hope to have Dragon as our tour guide again. Thank you, Dragon-San!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for your kind comments.
For me too, the tour with you was incredibly enjoyable. I hope you return to your home place with wonderful memories of Japan.
Please visit Japan again!
Best wishes
Ryuta
Ashland_B, Sep 2025
Great guide, Yoshi! He customized our day in Hakone and lunch was also great. Very experienced guide.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
How are you doing today ? I hope both of you are well.
I think that you are enjoying your stay in Hakone.
It's not bad to just relax in your room on rainy day.
Thanks for your message to viator review about the tour in Hakone.
I'm very happy to hear that.
I hope you have a lot of memories in Japan
and I look forward to seeing both of you again in Tokyo.
Please make sure you stay hydrated during your stay in Japan.
It is 1 of the most important issues in this season.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Sincerely yours,
Yoshihiro "Yoshi" Shimizu
Michael_R, Jul 2025
Our guide, Kappa-san, modified the typical Hakone tour to accommodate our interests, and is very helpful and knowledgeable. Since the day was very hot (95°F / 35°C) we favored activities that were more shaded or cool, including a walk on a cedar-lined section of the old Tokaido path.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you very much for your wonderful comments In this walking ? tour.
This is also the unforgettalble tour for me, for my approach to Hakone broadened thanks to your fresh idea. And also I could meet a considerate King-like explorer and enjoy the tour full of natural beauty.
Please keep up communicating with the Japanese who might meet in your tour in Japan.
In your fluent Japanese (Honto desu.) and with your warm personality!
Kappa
Tania_R, Jul 2025
We had a fantastic full-day tour of Hakone with our guide, Hiro—a kind and knowledgeable grandfather who kept us on track throughout a jam-packed day. He made sure we experienced the very best of Hakone, from stunning views to cultural highlights, all while keeping the pace smooth and enjoyable. But be prepared to walk a lot! Hiro was especially wonderful with kids—patient, friendly, and engaging, which made the day even more memorable for our family. Highly recommend Hiro to anyone looking to get the most out of their visit to Hakone!
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you very much for your heartful review comment. I also could have a wonderful day with your wonderful family and your cute child, just like my grandchildren. I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip in Japan. Please come again, we Japan and Hakone would like to welcome your family next with perfect Mt Fuji if possible.
Hiro
Dayle_B, Jun 2025
We had a great day with Atsushi! He knew how to time the day perfectly and shared tons of knowledge along the way! He’s clearly a very educated man and his explanations drew our attention!
linda_G, May 2025
Fumiko was very organized and planned a great day that we had discussed ahead of time , but was flexible to accommodate changes the day of. She spoke great English and shared lots of Japanese history along the well. We would use her again to help us in the future.
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you very much for your wonderful review❗️
I am really glad to hear that both of you enjoyed the tour. I also enjoyed being with you. I hope you will enjoy the rest of your stay in Japan. and stay healthy and happy❣️
Best regards,
Fumiko
Sameera_M, Dec 2024
Yoshi was a fabulous guide. I appreciate that he answered our may questions about culture and history and social norms. He also helped us get to a pharmacy and very kindly picked us up and dropped us off. Hakone was a treat with his expert guidance!
Response from Host, Dec 2024
How are you doing today ? I hope all of you are well. I think that you are enjoying your stay in Tokyo as your last destination.
Thanks for your message to Viator review. I'm very happy to hear that.
How was your stay in Japan such as Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and Hirosihma ?
I hope you have a lot of memories in Japan and I look forward to seeing all of you again in Tokyo.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Sincerely yours,
Yoshihiro "Yoshi" Shimizu
sharadha_G, Oct 2024
Trip was excellent. The guide was very helpful, explained everything very clearly. Took us to all the places as the itinerary was done. Reached on time to all the places. Yoshi was amazing guide.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you very much for your heartful comment, which will absolutely encourage me for welcoming more tourists to Japan hereafter and taking them to various spots.
You can enjoy Japan in different seasons and from different angles. Please come here again and explore, experience and enjoy various Japan. If I could be of your helf again, it would be my great delight! See you soon!
Yoshi
Jackson_T, Aug 2024
My family and I had the most amazing experience with Hide at our Hakone 8 hour private tour. The adventure began by taking the cable carts at Gora leading us to the gondola to see the beautiful greenery of Hakone mountains and then the contrast of the volcanic side. Prior to our departure at the gondola, my two daughters were able to send off postcards from one of the gift shops. Once we arrived at the volcanic side, Hide took us to taste the Hakone black eggs which supposedly give a person seven more years of life. We enjoyed this very much! After learning the chemistry of these volcanic eggs, we then headed towards Lake Aishi on the pirate boat. It was a beautiful day where we got to go up on the deck to see the scenic views of the lake and green backdrop. What we appreciated most with Hide is his attention for detail. He was very accommodating and flexible if we wanted to stop, slow the pace, and most importantly helped my mother in law get a table at a coffee shop while the rest of my family went on a small walk up to the temple. Additionally, he took us to the most delicious restaurant that served such good food and even experienced grating fresh wasabi. We ended the tour by tasting the best matcha shaved ice at the 400 year old tea house. The final tour ended with a peaceful cable cart train ride up while viewing the beautiful greenery of Hakone mountains. It felt as if we were part of nature. Heidi was so polite, friendly, and hospitable. A memory that will last forever. Thank you Hide!
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Great to hear that you all enjoyed Hakone 8-hour tour with me!
It was also a very enjoyable experience for me to travel around beautiful Hakone with all of your family.
I sincerely hope that you bring back many good memories in Japan and visit again in the near future.
Next time, let me show you around Yokohama and Kamakura, though there's no eggs but Cup Noodles!!
Hide
James_R, Jun 2024
Seky was an amazing guide for us. He did a fantastic job customizing and accommodating our group of 8. He went out of his way to make sure everything was timed and was accommodating to our restaurant request for lunch as well. We had a great time and would recommend Seky to anyone.
Response from Host, Jun 2024
I’m more than happy to read your kind comment on our tour. I’m also relieved that you could see Mt. Fuji from Hakone, though it was only a limited time and dim.
Please continue a wonderful trip in Japan and do come back again.
Seky
Keegan_M, Apr 2024
The guide was great his name was Mackie. He was super knowledgeable and was able to plan out the whole tour. We got to see so much it was great.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
I was so impressed your genuine attitude to everything while guiding. The merit of tour is to expand your knowledge fields. The more experience to take, the wider you will enlarge your world in the future. Hope your good luck!
Mackie Shima…⌘
Thomas_W, Mar 2024
Masa-san was well prepared
informative and a congenial tour guide. He adjusted the tour when confronted with an extremely rainy and cold day to include an art museum to let the weather clear up before proceeding. Great day in Hakone
Christy_y, Oct 2023
Perfect guide, Yoshi! With only one full day in Hakone we were so fortunate to have a licensed government tour guide as we were able to see so much! Amazing sites to see in Hakone! Thanks to Yoshi it was an Amazing day!
Response from Host, Oct 2023
I am so happy to hear that you were able to fully enjoy Hakone private tour, exceeding your expectations. It is a great pleasure for me that you admired deeply not only the fantastic scenery but also the historical and cultural background of each sights in Hakone through our adventure. I also have to thank the shy Mt. Fuji for showing you her magnificent shape right in front of us at Lake Ashi.
We have become friends and I look forward to welcoming you again in another season to Japan, a country full of charm, rich history, unique culture, beautiful landscapes and delicious cuisine.
Always with your heart!
Yoshi
Tiffany_S, Oct 2023
Yukie was a wonderful guide! She met us in Hakone at our ryokan and tailored our experience both to our interests, and to the time we had. She was thoughtful, helpful, and really informative. She guided us to a great place for lunch and helped us work through the local menu. It was a gift to have her guide us around the Hakone area. After the tour, she not only ensured we retrieved our bags and made our way back to catch our train, but escorted us to the station personally. I would not hesitate to recommend Yukie as your guide if you're ever in the area. Thank you so much Yukie for all your kindnesses and making our time in Hakone memorable.
Response from Host, Oct 2023
Thank you for the tour in Hakone and giving me a heartwarming comment in the review. I had wonderful time staying with you and your family. Also, glad to know you enjoyed Japanese food as well as some spots on the day. I wish you and your family happiness all the time and hope to see you again someday!
Yukie
Boris_N, Jul 2023
Overall, we had a pretty good tour with Kozee. The cable car, the ropeway and the boat on Lake Ashi were good. Unfortunately, the weather was not great and we did not get a single view of Mt. Fuji. The tori gate on Lake Ashi was nice, but the 30 min wait in line to take the picture was not enjoyable. Kozee was very nice, but his English was a bit difficult to understand and he ran pretty far ahead of us at times. Still, this tour is a great half-day way to see the key sights in Hakone (more interesting than the full day tour we took the next day).
Response from Host, Jul 2023
We thank you for choosing our experience and taking your time to leave us the honest feedback. We are so sorry to hear that you could not enjoy the tour with our guide. We are constantly striving to further improve our service and apologize for not being able to provide you with the experience you expected this time. Please let us know if there is anything further we can do for you. Japan Guide Agency
Amir_R, May 2023
Our tour guide Shuji, is excellent at what he does.
Communicated extremely well in English, very organized and helpful, provided useful and interesting background about the History of Japan
Extremely polite and courteous, a pleasure to spend time with.
Highly recommend.
Response from Host, May 2023
Thank you so much for your high evaluation of my guide. I am very happy to know you have enjoyed Hakone Tour even in rainy weather and without Mt. Fuji.
I also had a wonderful time with you. I think I now display more vitality because I had two Black Eggs.
I hope you could see Mt. Fuji from Shinkansen and enjoyed staying in Kyoto.
Please convey my best regards to your wife.
Thank you！
Shuji
Patricia_S, May 2023
Yoko was a wonderful and informative tour guide describing the importance of Hakone and it’s rich history.
There was a lot to take in and she was very informative and knowledgeable!
Definitely worth it especially if you are not familiar about Hot Springs and onsen.
Mt. Fuji did not cooperate but maybe next time.
My husband enjoyed the Black Eggs.
julie_c, Apr 2023
Ami was a wonderful guide and we all had a wonderful day. A real highlight of our Japan trip.
It was a great trip and never rushed.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
I'm really happy to hear that you,your friend,and boys enjoyed a lot in Hakone. Please come to Japan again.
Ami
Dafni_L, Apr 2023
Coco was absolutely amazing, very helpful and accommodating as to our interests etc. Would definitely recommend.
Response from Host, May 2023
Dafni, thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve you. It was my pleasure to have you two in Hakone. The sky was clear and the day was beautiful, but your smile was the highlight of the tour infinitely!
Coco
Shanay_J, Apr 2023
Mayako Ito was giving a tour of Hakone for the first time, unfortunately she did not know much about the area and couldn’t really give us much insight. She did plan out our entire day with us before hand and I’m sure she would be a great guide for a place she knows well.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
We will share this information with the guide! We are glad the guide was able to safely guide you in Hakone and did plan the trip for you. We will make sure that they share more of their knowledge regarding areas when they are on tours. We hope that you had a safe trip and enjoyed Japan!
AMY_L, Mar 2023
While our guide, Coco, was lovely and sweet, and able to keep up a conversation, we spent most of our time in lines at various transit spots. The guide didn't have much information to add about hakone and frankly, it didn't end up being a good use of a half day. Admittedly, I set the itinerary but would have appreciated feedback that maybe we should have started earlier in the day or that my adult children and my husband and I would not get much out of the pirate ship ride, etc. In fact, it all seemed pretty hawkish and left us a pretty negative impression of hakone. We were left at the far end of the lake in a giant line for the bus back which took us hours to get through.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
We appreciate for choosing our experience and taking your time to leave us the honest feedback. We are so sorry to hear that you could not enjoy the tour with our guide. We are constantly striving to further improve our service and apologize for not being able to provide you with an experience you expected this time. We look forward to your next visit to Japan in the near future. Japan Guide Agency
Sarah_S, Mar 2023
Hiro was an excellent guide. We had a great time. She always got us to the front of the line it held a spot for us on our many forms of transportation. Everything was well planned and executed. Excellent tour, we highly recommend!
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Thank you very much for your review. I am very glad to know that you enjoyed your tour. I also had a good time with you. Thank you so much. Please visit Japan again and explore more.
Brian_D, Mar 2023
Great day. Very flexible guide brought us everywhere we wanted to see and arrived at our accommodation on time. He got us on to the right buses, boats, cable cars as well taxis to speed up our day and see everything we can possibly see.
Randolph_L, Dec 2022
The sights, sounds and joy of multiple modes of transportation utilized ie boat, ropeway, cable car and train coupled with the narration by Toshio Aria our expert English speaking guide made for a marvelous adventure. Loved every minute!
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Thank you so much for your excellent review. I also enjoyed your company and learned many valuable lessons from your experience.
Toshio
YEHUDA_S, Nov 2022
We went to the major spots in beautiful Hakone (including a few places that I specifically requested) and had a good time. The guide came prepared, was very knowledgeable and spoke English well. Recommended!
Response from Host, Jan 2023
We appreciate your kind feedback and our guides do too! We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour with your guide. We look forward to your next visit to Japan. Japan Guide Agency
Leila_R, Aug 2024
Cada punto del recorrido fue especial, gracias a las explicaciones de nuestro guía Hiro. La máxima puntuación para todo
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Thank you very much for your nice comment.
I also could have a wonderful day with your wonderful family. Please come again .next we would like to wait for you with wonderful Mt.Fuji.
Hiro
Franois_P, Nov 2023
Nous avons passé un excellent moment avec Hide qui nous a guidé à Hakone. Hide a su adapter la visite en fonction de nos intérêts et ceux de nos enfants.
Merci Hide pour cette excellente journée ! Nous gardons un très bon souvenir de nos discussions et regardons les photos avec grand plaisir !
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