Visiting the Izu peninsula? See the best of it on a private Izu tour with a friendly and experienced ToursByLocals guide!

Find the perfect itinerary below, or customize your own tour and see and do exactly what you want, at your own pace.

If you want to visit a mountain area where you can see Mt. Fuji, this tour is perfect for you!

I'm an experienced national government licensed guide familiar with the mountain area, Hakone.

Hakone is a popular destination for a day trip from Tokyo and Yokohama, located approximately 60 miles or 100 kilometers southwest of the cities. The beauties of nature - steep forested mountains, gorges, volcanic activities, and a crater lake - feature Hakone.
We'll go around Hakone, using various means of transportation to explore the mountainous area, dropping in at must-see spots.

Weather permitting, we'll enjoy magnificent views of Mt. Fuji from those areas. Even if we can not see Mt. Fuji, we will enjoy the grand views of nature.

This tour can be customized according to your requests. I will offer you a tailor-made itinerary. Please let me know your ideas in advance.

I'm looking forward to touring with you!

Explore a popular natural park where you can see Mt. Fuji!

One-Day Hakone Highlights Tour

1-day tour around the Mt. Fuji area (in Fuji five lakes area near Kawaguchiko, not Hakone)

Mt. Fuji is one of the most popular destinations in Japan. There are a lot of places worth visiting such as beautiful forests, lava caves and lakes with magnificent views of Mt. Fuji spread.

I can take my guests to not only the places well-known and famous but also the spots are known only by the local people like the one who has grown up here.

It is also worth to see the specific culture here. Mt. Fuji was registered as a world heritage in 2013. It is worth noting that it was designated a "cultural" rather than "natural" site and registered under the title, "Mt. Fuji: Object of Worship, Wellspring of Art. "

Culture, custom, major industry, local food…all the things which describe this district have been produced with the history of Mt. Fuji and I can show you a part of it by providing a one-day tour customized just for you.

I'm sure that Mt. Fuji and the surroundings attract you and all the tourists around the world.

Explore the town grown with Mt.Fuji

Hakone is famous in all over the world because of nice view of Mt. Fuji and lake Ashi. But Hakone has much more aspects to enjoy and relief your tension in your daily life. By knowing deep part of Hakone, you will be captivated by its fascination.

In this tour you will visit a place to see volcanic activity and beautiful Mt. Fuji, Lake Ashi cruise, historical site and amazing Hakone Yosegi- traditional wood craft manufacture's place. At the first part, you will see big scale of nature in Hakone followed by deepen your understanding of Japanese history. And at end, you will appreciate Japanese traditional technique to make one product.

The itinerary of this tour is just an example and can not cover whole part of Hakone. I will customize the tour based upon your requests.

This is a box of Hakone Yosegi. The color of this box is from wood itself

Torii gate of Hakone shrine standing in Lake Ashi

Cider tree road of Old road. You can enjoy short trekking and feel travelers of old days

Let's enjoy fascinating Hakone; one of the most popular place to enjoy holidays in nature

Explore the wonderful world of Hakone

Discover Kamakura, Kyoto of Eastern Japan, on a tour with locals

One day tour which covers best parts of Kamakura with your personal guide who will give you neutral advice and information. Kamakura can be reached from Tokyo in one hour by JR train.

For All seasons, starting from JR Kamakura station, you can visit four locations;

1. Great Bronze Buddha,
2. Hasedera Temple,
3. Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine, and
4. Komachi dori shopping street

During the month of JUNE when the weather is good, in stead of standard Kamakura tour which includes Great Bronze Buddha above, you may wish to walk from JR Kita-Kamakura station to Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine.
Along the way, you can visit the following large zen sect temple and smaller but quieter temples with flowers;

1. Engakuji temple (large zen sect temple)
2. Meigetsu-in (also known as Hydrangea Temple),
3. Toukeiji temple,
4. Jyochiji temple,
5. Kencyoji temple, and
6. Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

- Hasedera Temple: established in 8th century is within walking distance from Great Buddha, also famous for housing a 9.18 mete tall 11-faced Kannon statue.

The grounds of the Hasedera temple are home to Jizō statues, guardian of small children who died at infancy.

- Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine: founded in 1063, and enlarged and moved to its current site in 1180 by Minamoto Yoritomo, the founder and first shogun of the Kamakura government. The shrine is dedicated to Hachiman, the patron god of the Minamoto family and of the samurai in general. The shrine is reached via a long, wide approach that leads from Kamakura's seafront through the entire city center, with multiple torii gates along the way.

-Engakuji Temple Main Gate: Head of a branch school of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism. the temple was founded in 1282 for the repose of the souls (Japanese, Korean and Mongolian) of those killed in the attempted invasions of Japan by Mongolian Kublai Khan, which took place on Kyushu in 1274 and 1281. The Upper floor of the Main Gate enshrines Eleven-Faced Kannon, Twelve Heavenly Generals, and Sixteen Lakan , where every year on June 18th, a ceremony to confess to Kannon is held.

Bamboo garden at Hokokuji temple of Zen Rinzai sect which was established in 1334.

kenchoji Temple Bell Tower built in 1255. The Temple rings this Bell a total of 108 times at midnight of the last day of the year. Every bell sound gets rid of our 108 desires so that we can start the New Year in refreshed feeling.

HOJO of Engakuji Temple was originally intended as the small dwelling for the abbot but gradually expanded. HOJO is now used for numerous functions, for example of Buddhist memorial services, Sunday Preach meetings, Zen Meetings, Summer Session. You can enter tatami room and view the garden from terrace.

Full day tour to ancient de-fact capital Kamakura to explore Great Buddha, tall 11-faced Kannon and 1,000 year-old Shrine

Undiscovered Mt.Fuji area private tour (not Hakone)

"Textile" is one of the most necessary things for a living. You may say it must be made all by machines nowadays, but it is actually not.

Textiles are the products of the combined efforts of numerous craftsmen and you can see its technology and tradition in the region called "Gunnai" which expands out from the northern foot of Mt. Fuji.

This area has flourished in the textile industry since more than a thousand years ago by getting the pure spring water from Mt. Fuji. Each factory has its own role (dyeing, warping, weaving, etc). They cooperate with each other and have made up the textile town together.

By meeting the craftsmen and touching the material, you can get to know the textile-making process and its uniqueness. You must be surprised by the detailed works by Japanese craftsmen.

I strongly recommend you join this tour to actually see the deep Japanese culture which you cannot find in well-known sightseeing spots.

Witness a millennium-long tradition and technique of textile industry

Fabulous Viewing of Mt. Fuji and its Surrounding Areas!

As you know, Mt. Fuji is one of the World Heritages Sites but what mesmerizes all the visitors around the world is the elegant and peaceful presence with the height of 3, 776m. The sacred mountain is changing Its figure day by day. Even though we cannot see it, we can "feel" it at the foot of the mountain under the cloudy sky.

The nearby towns and cities along the lakes are also enchanting us with a lot of scenery as well as hospitality. That is why Mt. Fuji was registered not as the Natural Heritage Site but as the Cultural Heritage Site. You will be surely amazed not only by the beautiful natural scenery or artificial handy crafts but by the local people's warm-hearted treatments there.

This tour is conducted in a chartered taxi, so you can customize it as you like it.

Enjoy visiting the World Heritage Sites on a chartered taxi

Seasonal Tour! Teapicking with a great view of Mt. Fuji, closest tea field from Tokyo

This is very unique seasonal tour in the highest tea producing area in Shizuoka.
The idea of this tour is to spend relaxing and enjoyable time in Izu, by experiencing what you can do only here for a limited time.
Giving you a bit of break, stopping here on your way to Tokyo or Kansai areas, enjoying in a green tea field in Nirayama (only 1. 5 hours from Tokyo), experiencing tea picking and learning how to make delicious green tea at home, with a great view of Mt. Fuji if the weather is good, and delicious local food.
Not only the tea picking , but also there are many enjoyable and exciting activities such as wearing a traditional tea picking kimono, explore a bamboo bath in nature and the Japanese green tea tasting served by 93 years old lady! She is really amazing with 85 years experience in making green tea. The tea served by her has unforgettably deep aroma.
Please enjoy this special experience. If you have any special requests, please do not hesitate to ask me! I am happy to create your ideal tour.

Beautiful view of Mt.Fuji from the tea field.

Home made craft beer at the tea field shop.

Relaxing at day hot spring in Izu Nagaoka city (optional)

Hakone tours

Explore with 7 tours and 6 guides.

Akio T.

$ 490 (USD)

Aya K.

$ 210 (USD)

Hiroshi Y.

$ 392 (USD)

Yoshiro T.

$ 385 (USD)

Aya K.

$ 196 (USD)

Yasuhiro M.

$ 560 (USD)

Hiroko I.

$ 245 (USD)

Meet your local guides in Hakone

Customize your tour