Hakone Private Day Tour with English Driver: Lake, Shrine & Art

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Up to 3 per bookingFrom 9 Oct 2027

Up to 5 per bookingFrom 9 Oct 2027

Up to 6 per booking07:00, 08:00 and 09:00

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Up to 9 per booking07:00, 08:00 and 09:00

Up to 6 per booking07:00, 08:00 and 09:00

Up to 9 per booking07:00, 08:00 and 09:00

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Discover a fully tailored day exploring Hakone’s iconic sights without the planning hassle.

A private day tour of Hakone with an English-speaking driver who picks you up at your hotel and adjusts every stop to match what you want to see. You ride the Motohakone Pirate Ship across Lake Ashi, take the Hakone Cable Car up the mountainside, walk the grounds of Hakone Shrine with its famous red torii gate, explore the Hakone Open-Air Museum's sculpture gardens, and taste Owakudani's black eggs boiled in volcanic hot spring water. The tour runs 10 hours in a private vehicle. You choose the van size at checkout, and the driver provides commentary as you move between sites. Entry fees to museums and attractions are separate from the tour price.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Hakone Ropeway30m
2. Hakone Open-Air Museum1h

Full day private Hakone sightseeing tour

• Hotel pickup in Hakone
• Cruise Motohakone Pirate Ship on Lake Ashi
• Visit Hakone Shrine and torii gate
• Ride Hakone Cable Car to Sounzan
• Try Owakudani black eggs
• Explore Hakone Open-Air Museum
• Relax at Gora Park
• Visit Hakone Glass Museum
• Optional walk on Mishima Skywalk
• Optional shopping at Gotemba Premium Outlets
• Hotel drop-off in Hakone

The Experience

The day starts at your hotel door with pickup in a private vehicle sized for your group: a sedan for three, a standard car for five, or vans holding up to nine passengers. Your English-speaking driver handles the route, the driving and the logistics while you sit back in an air-conditioned vehicle with bottled water and WiFi on board. The pace is yours: if a stop deserves more time, you stay. If something doesn't appeal, you skip it and move on to the next site.

The route itself strings together Hakone's signature stops. You cruise the Motohakone Pirate Ship across Lake Ashi: a short, scenic journey with views of Mount Fuji on clear days and the forested shoreline in any weather. From there, the Hakone Cable Car climbs the mountainside through seasonal landscapes, connecting you to the higher attractions. Owakudani, the volcanic valley, is where you try the black eggs boiled in sulfur-rich hot spring water. Local legend says one egg adds seven years to your life, and they're fresh and perfectly safe. Hakone Shrine sits on the lake shore surrounded by cedar forest, its red torii gate rising from the water: one of the most photographed views in the region. The Hakone Open-Air Museum spreads across landscaped gardens with large-scale sculptures, a Picasso Pavilion, and a foot bath fed by natural hot spring water. If time and interest allow, you can add the Hakone Glass Museum with its Venetian glass collection, Gora Park's French-style gardens, or the Mishima Skywalk, a 400-meter suspension bridge with views across the valley toward Mount Fuji and Suruga Bay.

The driver provides insights and context as you move between sites, though a dedicated walking guide is not included. You're in control of the day's rhythm and composition, so every hour spent is on something you actually came to see. The 10-hour window gives you room to linger at the places that matter most without feeling rushed through a fixed itinerary.

What’s included

• Private vehicle sized to your group (sedan, standard car, or van seating three to nine passengers).
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• English-speaking driver for the full 10 hours.
• air-conditioned vehicle with bottled water and WiFi on board.
• customizable stops and pace adjusted to your interests.
• driver commentary and introductory information at each site.

Days and timesDaily · 3 departure times, from 07:00 to 09:00

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Sakura Tokyo

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to see Hakone's highlights without renting a car or navigating public transport between sites. The private vehicle and English-speaking driver mean you move at your own pace and skip anything that doesn't appeal, which matters when you're spending a full day in the mountains and want to linger at the places that matter most to you.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24h before the start.

Can I pick which attractions to visit, or is the itinerary set?

The tour is fully customizable. Your driver adjusts the stops and the pace to match your interests, so you visit what appeals to you and skip what doesn't. The pirate ship cruise, cable car, Hakone Shrine and Owakudani's black eggs are the core highlights most travelers include, but the museum visits, Gora Park and the Mishima Skywalk are optional add-ons you choose at the time.

What's included in the tour price, and what costs extra?

The tour includes the private vehicle, driver, hotel pickup and drop-off, bottled water and WiFi. Entry fees to attractions are separate: the pirate ship cruise runs 10–15 USD per person, the Hakone Cable Car 8–15 USD, and the museums and parks charge their own admission. Your driver can help you pay on-site or answer questions about each one.

How does the van size work if I'm booking for a group?

You choose the vehicle at checkout based on your group size: a sedan for up to three people, a standard car for up to five, a premium van for up to six, or spacious vans for up to nine passengers. All vehicles are air-conditioned and private to your group, so you're not sharing with other travelers.

Will the driver speak English the whole time?

Yes, your driver is English-speaking and provides commentary and insights throughout the day. A dedicated walking guide is not included, but the driver offers introductory information at each stop and can answer questions about what you're seeing.

Is this tour suitable for seniors or people who move slowly?

The tour is designed to be comfortable and senior-friendly. You travel in a modern air-conditioned van, and the stops themselves (the shrine, the museums, the cable car) don't require strenuous hiking. You can move at your own pace at each site, and the driver can adjust timing if you need extra rest. It's not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health, but it suits all other fitness levels.

What's the black egg experience actually like at Owakudani?

Owakudani is a volcanic valley where eggs are boiled in natural hot spring water rich in sulfur and iron, which turns their shells black. They're freshly prepared on-site, perfectly safe to eat, and taste like regular hard-boiled eggs. The local tradition says eating one adds seven years to your life. It's a fun, memorable stop with dramatic volcanic scenery around you.