Private 2-Day Tour: Mt Fuji Hakone & Kamakura + Onsen Ryokan

The best part of this two-day private tour is the range: one trip takes you from Mount Fuji viewpoints and quiet shrines to volcanic vents, a hot spring inn, a samurai castle, and Kamakura’s Great Buddha. You cover a lot, but a private van keeps the schedule more comfortable than a large coach tour.

I like the overnight ryokan stay, since it gives you time for an onsen and a proper kaiseki dinner rather than a rushed hot spring stop. I also like the flexibility of having a driver such as Keith, who can answer questions and give you time at each site. The drawback is simple: this is a packed two days, and Fuji views depend on weather.

Key points to know before booking

• Mount Fuji appears from several angles: Lake Kawaguchi, Arakura Sengen Shrine, Oshino Hakkai, and Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine each offer a different setting.
• The ryokan night is the heart of the tour: You get a traditional Japanese dinner, breakfast, and onsen time instead of returning to Tokyo after a long day.
• Lake Ashi and Owakudani are paired well: The 45-minute boat ride leads into Hakone’s volcanic valley and its sulfur vents.
• A private van matters here: You travel in a Toyota Alphard or Hiace, with pickup and drop-off at hotels or Airbnbs within Tokyo’s 23 wards.
• The pace is active: Expect long sightseeing days, walking, changing weather, and traffic that can affect the order or length of stops.
• The price covers the main expenses: At $838 per person, transportation, entrance fees, lodging, meals listed in the plan, and the Lake Ashi boat ride are included.

Why the ryokan night makes this more than a day trip

Many Mount Fuji outings from Tokyo are all about checking off viewpoints before returning to the city. This one gives you a pause in Hakone. After the first day’s shrines, lake views, and spring-fed ponds, you check into a traditional ryokan for an onsen and a multi-course kaiseki dinner.

That change of pace is important. A ryokan is not simply a hotel with Japanese decoration. The point is the rhythm: remove your shoes, settle into a quieter setting, bathe in hot spring water, and eat a meal built around seasonal ingredients and seafood. The included dinner gives you a genuine taste of that custom without requiring you to research a restaurant after a tiring day.

The next morning begins with a Japanese breakfast of fish, rice, pickles, and miso soup. It is a filling start before a second day that includes a boat ride, volcanic valley, castle, Great Buddha, and possibly Yokohama.

The listed accommodation is Tōnosawa Ichinoyu Honkan in Hakone. The experience includes an onsen stay, and the tour information also describes a private onsen experience. Confirm the exact bathing arrangement when you book if privacy is especially important to you.

Day one: Lake Kawaguchi and Mount Fuji viewpoints

Pickup is at your hotel, Airbnb, or another requested location inside Tokyo’s 23 wards. The drive to the Mount Fuji area takes about two hours in a comfortable Toyota Alphard or Hiace. A private vehicle is useful on this route because you can keep your belongings with you and avoid changing trains or buses between widely scattered sights.

The first stop is Oishi Park beside Lake Kawaguchi. You have about 30 minutes for a stroll and photographs. On a clear day, this is an easy, attractive introduction to Fuji, with open water and a broad view toward the mountain. The stop is short, so treat it as a chance to get your bearings rather than a long park visit.

Next comes Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine, one of the most recognizable Fuji viewpoints in the region. Its five-story pagoda, known as Chureito Pagoda, is set above the town with Mount Fuji behind it when conditions cooperate. The one-hour stop allows time for the walk and photographs, though you should expect steps and a climb.

This is one of the tour’s most rewarding photo stops, but it is also one of the places where weather matters most. Clouds can cover Fuji even when the shrine and pagoda are perfectly visible. Your driver can adjust the order or suggest another scenic stop, but no private tour can guarantee a clear mountain.

Shrines, springs, and a taste of Yamanashi

Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine gives the day a different feel. Rather than another broad viewpoint, you visit a historically important shrine connected with pilgrimage routes to Mount Fuji. The surroundings are calm, and the half-hour stop is a chance to see a more spiritual side of the Fuji area.

You then stop in Yamanashi Prefecture for lunch, with Houtou included. This regional noodle dish is known for broad noodles and a hearty preparation, making it a sensible meal on a cool day. Lunch lasts about 50 minutes. The tour does not include lunch on day two, so this is one of the meals already covered in the price.

Oshino Hakkai follows. The area is known for clear spring water, small ponds, views toward Fuji, walking paths, and shops. The schedule gives you about an hour. You can slow down beside the water, take photos, and browse for local items, though the area can feel more commercial than the shrine stops.

I like the contrast between these first-day stops. Lake Kawaguchi gives you open scenery, Arakura gives you the classic pagoda image, Kitaguchi Hongu gives you a shrine visit, and Oshino Hakkai brings the focus down to springs and village life. You are not seeing the same Fuji view four times.

Hakone check-in, hot spring time, and kaiseki dinner

After sightseeing in the Fuji area, you travel to your Hakone ryokan. The timing allows several hours for the onsen, which is a major advantage over a quick visit to a public bathing facility. Bring a change of clothes, as requested, and comfortable clothing for relaxing after the first day.

The ryokan dinner is included and features a traditional multi-course kaiseki meal. Menus change with the season, but the plan specifies seasonal ingredients and fresh seafood. You should expect smaller courses served over time rather than one large plate. This is a meal to enjoy slowly, not squeeze between two attractions.

Keep in mind that Japanese bathing customs may be unfamiliar if this is your first onsen. Follow the facility’s instructions, and remember that the bathing area is for washing and soaking, not for wearing regular clothing. The tour information prohibits smoking indoors and in the vehicle.

Day two: Lake Ashi by boat

After breakfast, you head to Lake Ashi for a scenic cruise. The boat departs at 9:30 AM, takes about 45 minutes, and finishes at Togendai Port. From the water, you can see the lake, surrounding hills, and Mount Fuji if the air is clear.

This is a pleasant way to experience Hakone because you are not simply looking at the lake from a roadside viewpoint. The boat gives you time to sit, watch the shore pass, and take photographs without walking the entire time. Still, it is a scheduled departure, so the second morning has less flexibility than the first day.

The cruise is included in the tour price. That matters because transport around Hakone can otherwise become a series of separate fares and connections. Your private vehicle handles the road portions, while the boat supplies the scenic link across the lake.

Owakudani’s sulfur vents and black eggs

Owakudani is a volcanic valley formed by past volcanic activity. You will see sulfur vents, steaming ground, and a stark geological setting that feels very different from the peaceful shrine gardens. The stop lasts about 45 minutes and includes time for photos, walking, and shopping.

The famous local food is the black egg, boiled in the sulfuric hot springs. The egg is a small but memorable part of the visit. On clear days, Owakudani also offers another view toward Mount Fuji.

Conditions can change here. Weather, volcanic activity, and local safety rules may affect access, so the itinerary can be adjusted. If you have breathing sensitivities, ask the driver about current conditions before spending time near the sulfur vents.

Odawara Castle and the road to Kamakura

Odawara Castle gives the second day a historical stop after the natural sights of Hakone. You have about 45 minutes to walk around the grounds, visit the museum, and take in the view from the castle area. The castle is associated with Japan’s samurai period, and the museum adds context that a quick exterior photograph cannot provide.

The time is enough for a focused visit, not a long museum study. If you enjoy detailed historical exhibits, you may wish you had more time. On the other hand, the short stop helps keep the larger route moving.

From Odawara, the tour continues to Kamakura for the Great Buddha, or Kamakura Daibutsu. The bronze statue is more than 13 meters tall and is one of Japan’s best-known Buddhist landmarks. The planned stop is about 30 minutes, enough to see the statue and take photographs, but not enough for a broad tour of Kamakura’s temples.

That distinction matters. This is a highlights tour, not a full Kamakura day. You get the city’s most famous image, then continue toward Tokyo.

Yokohama Chinatown if the clock allows

The final sightseeing option is a quick stop in Yokohama Chinatown. The plan allows about 30 minutes for photos, walking, and shopping if time remains. It is a useful bonus, but you should not treat it as guaranteed.

Traffic is the main reason. The route already includes several distant areas, and the tour can be affected by road conditions or delays at earlier stops. If Yokohama is important to you, ask about the timing before departure. If it is simply an extra stop, let the driver decide based on the road and your return time.

The van then returns you to Ginza or another central Tokyo location. Pickup and drop-off are included within Tokyo’s 23 wards, but the exact timing will depend on traffic.

What $838 per person covers

At $838 per person, this is not a budget outing. The value comes from combining several costly and inconvenient pieces into one private trip: transportation for two days, hotel pickup and return, entrance fees, a ryokan night, onsen access, day-one lunch, kaiseki dinner, breakfast, and the Lake Ashi cruise.

You also avoid arranging separate transport between Fuji, Hakone, Odawara, Kamakura, Yokohama, and Tokyo. That route would take planning even for an experienced Japan visitor. A private driver can also give you more breathing room than a fixed large-group coach.

The price makes less sense if you only want Mount Fuji and one Hakone stop. You can find cheaper day trips, especially if you are happy with public transport or a shared bus. The price is easier to justify if you value the ryokan stay, want several regions in one booking, or are traveling with family or friends who can share a private vehicle.

Day-two lunch is not included, and personal expenses are extra. Plan for that meal and any shopping at Oshino Hakkai, Owakudani, or Yokohama Chinatown.

The guide and private-tour advantage

The driver speaks English or Chinese, and customization is possible for pickup points, sightseeing stops, and meal arrangements. Keith is specifically associated with this experience, and his role includes answering questions, offering information and tips, and giving you time to explore.

That flexibility is one of the strongest reasons to choose this trip. You can ask for a little more time at a favorite stop, within the limits of the day’s route. You are also not waiting for strangers to finish at every photo point.

There are limits. Private does not mean leisurely when the plan covers this much territory. You still have a 10-hour sightseeing day, a fixed Lake Ashi departure, and long drives between regions. Tell the operator in advance if you want to remove a stop rather than simply adding more.

Weather, walking, and what to bring

Bring your passport or ID, warm clothing, comfortable walking shoes, and a change of clothes. Mount Fuji and Hakone can feel different from Tokyo, and conditions can shift during the day.

You will walk at shrines, around springs, through the Owakudani area, at Odawara Castle, and around the Great Buddha. Arakura Sengen Shrine includes an uphill approach, so shoes with good support are more useful than fashionable but flimsy footwear.

The tour runs in rain unless conditions are extreme. Fuji visibility is never guaranteed. If the mountain is hidden, the shrines, springs, volcanic valley, castle, and ryokan still provide a full trip, but anyone booking mainly for the famous pagoda-and-Fuji photograph should keep expectations realistic.

Who should book this two-day route

I would recommend it to first-time visitors who want a broad introduction to the Fuji and Hakone region without managing several train routes. It also fits families and small private groups that value door-to-door transport, though the packed schedule may tire very young children.

It is a good match for anyone who wants a first ryokan and onsen experience, especially with dinner and breakfast included. The private format also suits people who prefer to ask questions freely and adjust the pace where possible.

I would hesitate if you prefer slow travel, long museum visits, or a full day in one town. Kamakura receives only a brief stop, Yokohama is optional, and several Fuji viewpoints are short visits. You will see a lot, but you will not explore every place deeply.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want maximum variety with minimum transport planning, and if the ryokan night is as important to you as the mountain views. The strongest features are the private van, the helpful guide service associated with Keith, the included hot spring stay, and the chance to see Fuji from several settings.

Skip it if your budget is tight or if you want a slow, focused visit to Hakone or Kamakura. For most people who have only two free days from Tokyo, though, the combination of Fuji, onsen, kaiseki, Lake Ashi, Owakudani, Odawara, and Kamakura gives the price a reasonable purpose.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The experience lasts two days and includes one overnight stay at a traditional ryokan in Hakone.

Where does pickup take place?

Pickup is available from hotels, Airbnbs, or other requested locations within Tokyo’s 23 wards.

What type of vehicle is used?

Transportation is provided in a comfortable Toyota Alphard or Hiace.

Which languages does the driver speak?

The driver service is available in English and Chinese.

Is the ryokan stay included?

Yes. The package includes an overnight stay at a traditional Japanese ryokan with an onsen experience.

Are meals included?

Day-one Houtou lunch, the traditional Japanese dinner at the ryokan, and a traditional Japanese breakfast are included. Lunch on day two and personal expenses are not included.

Is the Lake Ashi boat ride included?

Yes. The Lake Ashi sightseeing cruise is included and takes about 45 minutes, departing at 9:30 AM and ending at Togendai Port.