Gogoday Travel · Tokyo Station or Shinjuku
A coach from Tokyo Station or Shinjuku covers Hakone Shrine, the Hakone Ropeway over Owakudani, Lake Yamanaka and the spring ponds of Oshino Hakkai. Pick it for the price, and go in knowing what it leaves out: no 5th Station, the Lake Ashi cruise costs extra, and weekend returns can run past 8 pm.
The guides hold a yellow "Gogoday Travel" flag, and the night before (around 9 pm) the company emails the guide's name, phone number and the coach's plate. Viator hides your email from them, so send it after booking or you won't get that message. You meet under the BEAMS sign at the Shin-Marunouchi Building opposite Tokyo Station at 7:30, or at the Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower in Nishi-Shinjuku at 8:00. Groups are mixed nationalities, and the guide may switch between English, Japanese and Chinese.
Guests describe the day in this order. Hakone Shrine first, about 1.5 hours out (40 minutes there). Then Togendai, where you can buy the pirate-ship cruise across Lake Ashi or wait. The ropeway up to Owakudani is included (30 minutes on the ropeway, 40 at the valley). After that the coach crosses toward Fuji: 15 minutes at Lake Yamanaka, a late lunch stop and souvenir shop, then 40 minutes in Oshino Hakkai, with Fuji above the village on a clear day.
Now the fine print. The cruise costs 1,700 yen one way and lunch is extra too; several guests found the lunch stop poor and late (2:30 to 3 pm), so pack food. If the ropeway is suspended, you email the company for a 1,000 yen refund. And the listing itself warns that weekend and holiday traffic can push the return past 8 pm; one guest got back at 8:30 after a 12-hour day. For $78 that's a fair deal if you know it going in. For $5 more, the Local Guide Stars day includes the cruise.
Under the BEAMS sign, Shin-Marunouchi Building, 1-5-1 Marunouchi (7:30), or Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower, 1-7-3 Nishi-Shinjuku (8:00). Come 15 minutes early and give the guide your booking name and phone number.
The guide explains how to approach and pray at a shrine, then you have time for the torii by the lake.
The pirate-ship cruise on Lake Ashi is optional and paid on the spot. Most of the group usually goes.
30 minutes on the Hakone Ropeway, then 40 at the Owakudani volcanic valley: steam vents, black eggs, and a view of Fuji when it's clear.
A short lakeside stop by the swan boats, followed by a lunch break at a restaurant and shop (food at your cost).
Spring ponds and thatched roofs under Fuji, then about two to three hours back to Tokyo, depending on traffic.
★★★★★Messaged the night before to confirm, spoke great english so we could understand the instructions for the day. [...] The best part was the pirate boat cruise and the cable car can get a nice view of mount fuji on a clear day. At the top of cable car you can get a chocolate muffin with dry ice so it looks like the hot springs!
★★★★★He made a possibly very sad rainy cloudy day (on the south side of Mt Fuji) into a beautiful sunny bright day on the North side!
★★★★★Due to weather issues we were unable to ride the ferry and cable car, so those fees were reimbursed. We also arrived back in Tokyo later than I had anticipated so I had to cancel another evening booking I had.
★★★★★Five spots on the itinerary, pick up from Tokyo Station, this tour remains on time! Captain Jack gives great commentary on the history and takes the best scenic photos.
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No. The listing excludes the "Hakone Pirate Ship" and says you pay for it yourself. The one-way fare from Togendai is 1,700 yen per adult (japan-guide). The ropeway is included.
Wind and volcanic gas levels sometimes stop it. The listing says to email the company for a refund of 1,000 yen per person, which a guest confirmed received in October 2026. The guide replaces the stop with something nearby when possible.
No. Fuji is seen from Lake Yamanaka and Oshino Hakkai, both near its northern foot. For the 5th Station, see the flagship tour or our 5th Station guide.
The tour is sold as about ten hours, so around 6 pm on a good weekday. The listing warns that weekend and holiday traffic can delay the return past 8 pm, and one October guest arrived at 8:30 pm. The operator pays the crew's overtime; you just lose the evening.
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The lowest price for a Fuji and Hakone day: Lake Yamanaka, Oshino Hakkai and the Hakone Ropeway.
Hakone Cruise & Ropeway Day Trip with Fuji ViewsHakone without the rush: shrine, Lake Ashi cruise, ropeway to Owakudani and Fuji from a peace park. No 5th Station.★ 4.9 · 10 hours · from $83
Mt Fuji & Hakone Day Tour, Bus Both WaysThe flagship day without the Shinkansen ticket. Weekdays end in Shinjuku; weekends and holidays end at Odawara.★ 4.6 · 11 hours · from $133
Fuji & Hakone Day Trip, Train or Bus BackChoose your way home when you book: Shinkansen, coach to Shinjuku, or a drop at Odawara. 5th Station, Owakudani, cruise.★ 4.2 · 11 hours · from $120