Hakone Private Tour: Lake Ashi, Owakudani & Mt. Fuji Views
Stop when you want, see what matters to you, skip what doesn't fit your day
A full-day private tour from Tokyo to Hakone with an English-speaking driver and your choice of vehicle (sedan, minivan or van) includes hotel pickup, air-conditioned transport, water and parking. You visit Lake Ashi with its famous torii gate photo spot, ride the Hakone Ropeway over the mountains, taste sulphur-boiled black eggs at Owakudani volcanic valley, and see the Hakone Open-Air Museum's 120+ sculptures: stopping as long as you want at each site, with Gotemba Premium Outlets available if time remains.
Options for this experience
4 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Explore Mount Fuji and Hakone area
- Pickup from Tokyo hotel
- Drive to Hakone (1.5-2 hours)
- Visit Hakone torii gate at Lake Ashi
- Explore Lake Ashi
- Take Lake Ashi Pirate Cruise
- Ride Hakone Ropeway
- Try sulphur boiled black eggs at Owakudani
- Visit Hakone Open-Air Museum
- Optional shopping at Gotemba Premium Outlets
What’s included
- Private transportation in your choice of vehicle.
- hotel pickup from central Tokyo.
- English-speaking driver for the full day.
- air-conditioned vehicle.
- bottled water.
- parking fees and fuel surcharge.
- access to Lake Ashi, the Hakone Ropeway, Owakudani volcanic valley and the Hakone Open-Air Museum.
- optional stop at Gotemba Premium Outlets with over 200 stores.
- Every day 06:30 07:00 08:00
Information
Private tour from Tokyo to Hakone with English-speaking driver picks you up from your hotel, takes you to Lake Ashi.
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The experience
Your driver arrives at your Tokyo hotel and the drive to Hakone takes around 1.5 to 2 hours depending on traffic. The route opens onto Lake Ashi, where the torii gate at the water's edge is the most photographed spot in the area: the gate frames Mount Fuji on clear days, and you can stay as long as you need to get the shot. A pirate cruise across the lake is an option if you want to linger on the water.
From the lake, the Hakone Ropeway carries you over the mountains in an aerial cabin with views across the crater landscape below. Owakudani volcanic valley comes next: the sulfur vents release steam constantly, and the local specialty is black eggs boiled in the hot springs, which you can buy and eat there. The Hakone Open-Air Museum sits in a forest setting with over 120 sculptures and Picasso works scattered through the gardens, so you move at your own pace through the grounds instead of following a group schedule.
If the day still has room, Gotemba Premium Outlets sits at the base of Mount Fuji with over 200 stores and a 3-hour window to shop, eat or simply stand in the mountain views. The driver knows the route and the timing, so you don't build the day yourself. You just decide where to spend an extra hour and where to move on. The vehicle is air-conditioned, equipped with free internet if available, and the driver speaks English throughout.
Top questions
How long does the drive from Tokyo to Hakone take?
The drive from your Tokyo hotel to Hakone takes around 1.5 to 2 hours depending on traffic, so you arrive mid-morning and have most of the day at the attractions.
What is the torii gate at Lake Ashi that everyone photographs?
Lake Ashi's torii gate is a Shinto shrine gate standing in the water at the edge of the lake. It's the most famous photo spot in Hakone because on clear days it frames Mount Fuji directly behind it across the water.
What can I do at Owakudani?
Owakudani is a volcanic valley where sulfur vents release steam from the ground. The main activity is buying and eating black eggs boiled in the hot springs, which are a local specialty and said to add years to your life.
Is lunch included in the tour?
Lunch is not included, so you choose where and what to eat. The driver can recommend spots, and Gotemba Outlets has restaurants and cafes if you visit there.
Can I pick a smaller vehicle if it's just two of us?
Yes, you choose your vehicle at checkout: a 4-seater sedan, 6-seater minivan, 10-seater van or 14-seater van, so you pay only for the size you need.
Does the tour stop at the Hakone Open-Air Museum?
The Hakone Open-Air Museum is included in the itinerary. It's a forest setting with over 120 sculptures and Picasso works, and you spend as much time there as you want instead of moving with a group schedule.
Operated by BANZAI. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated 2 days ago
Hakone Private Tour: Lake Ashi, Owakudani & Mt. Fuji Views
8h–10h · EN · at your hotel
from JP¥ 58,000 per group
≈ US$ 371 in your currency
Next, you choose your date and number of travelers and see the final price.