Arakurayama, Oshino Hakkai and Owakudani tour review
My verdict: the best-rated product on this site and, oddly, the cheapest guided day of the lot. That combination usually means a catch, and here it is an honest one: this is a Mt. Fuji viewpoints day that calls at Hakone, not a Hakone day. The pagoda, the spring-fed ponds and the park above Fujiyoshida are the point; Owakudani, the lake and the ropeway are the morning. The guide gets named in review after review. Read the stop lengths before you book, because several of them are fifteen minutes.
The stop list, which is the whole review
Lake Ashi fifteen minutes. The cruise thirty. The ropeway thirty. Owakudani thirty. Oshino Hakkai forty-five. Arakurayama Sengen Park thirty. Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine fifteen. Chureito Pagoda fifteen.
Add that up and the Fuji side gets more of your day than Hakone does, and the two Hakone-side stops people care about most, Owakudani and the ropeway, get half an hour each. The most-booked tour on this site gives Owakudani fifty minutes. That is not a criticism so much as a description: this is a day of viewpoints, moved through briskly, and the 4.9 says people enjoy it enormously.
What is included
An air-conditioned vehicle, an English-speaking guide with Chinese also offered, all tolls and taxes, and a free Hakone Ropeway ticket which the operator describes as a limited-time inclusion. Check it is still listed on the day you book, because that wording is the operator’s, not mine. Admission to the Lake Ashi cruise is an optional extra fee. Meals are not included. The operator advertises skipping the ticket line.
Usually included
- A/C vehicle, all tolls and taxes
- English guide, Chinese also offered
- Hakone Ropeway ticket, described as a limited-time inclusion
- Owakudani, Oshino Hakkai, Chureito Pagoda and Arakurayama Sengen Park
Not included
- Lake Ashi cruise admission, an optional extra fee
- Meals
- Hotel pickup — you meet at Tokyo Station or Shinjuku
- Any promise the mountain will be out
What 336 reviewers say
One name recurs so often it is effectively part of the product.
- “Belle is exceptionally organised and made sure that everyone knew exactly what was happening, regardless the language spoken.” — Denise, 5★
- “covered a lot of different activities, from a ship cruise, to cable cars and hiking in mountains.” — Wing Yen Shona, 5★
- “Even though the thick fog meant we couldn’t see Mt. Fuji, this tour was still a fantastic and memorable experience.” — Kristina, 5★
Kristina’s review is the useful one. She did not see the mountain and still rated the day five stars, which tells you the itinerary carries itself. On a tour built around viewpoints that is not a small thing.
Fog is not the only thing that closes this day down. The ropeway suspends in high wind and the cruise changes route or stops in heavy fog, so check live status at hakonenavi.jp the night before.
What works
- 4.9 from 336 reviews, the best score on this site
- The cheapest guided day here at ¥7,800
- Ropeway ticket included, per the operator
- Belle, and the guiding generally, praised again and again
- Chureito Pagoda and Oshino Hakkai, which no other tour here reaches
Worth knowing
- More a Fuji day than a Hakone day
- Owakudani gets thirty minutes; Lake Ashi gets fifteen
- The cruise costs extra on the day
- Meals not included
- The ropeway inclusion is flagged as limited-time by the operator
Who should book it
Book it if what you actually want is Mount Fuji photographed from several angles, with Hakone as a good morning on the way. It is the highest-rated and the cheapest guided option here, and those two things almost never coincide.
Do not book it if Hakone itself is the destination. Half an hour at Owakudani is a walk to the vents and back. The most-booked tour gives it fifty minutes, and doing it yourself gives it as long as you like. What there is to see is on things to do in Hakone, and whether one day covers it at all is on is one day enough. Everything else is on all tours.
If you want more Hakone in your day
Most bookedRopeway one-way includedTokyo: Mt. Fuji Tour, Hakone Ropeway, Owakudani, Lake Ashi
Do it yourselfHakone: Train Pass with Unlimited Rides & Activity Discounts
Cheapest way inHakone: Hakone Ropeway One-Way / Round-Trip E-Ticket
Frequently asked questions
Is this the best-rated Hakone tour?
It is the best-rated of the eight products on this site, at 4.9 from 336 reviews, and at ¥7,800 it is also the cheapest guided day. The trade-off is that most of the itinerary is on the Fuji side; the alternatives are ranked on the reviews hub.
Is the Hakone Ropeway ticket included?
Yes. The operator lists a free Hakone Ropeway ticket as a limited-time inclusion, so confirm it is still shown when you book. Bought separately the adult fare is ¥2,000 one way and ¥3,000 round trip, as set out on the ropeway page.
Is the Lake Ashi cruise included?
No. Cruise admission is an optional extra fee, and the itinerary allows thirty minutes for it. The adult one-way sailing is ¥1,700 at the published fare.
How much time does the tour spend in Hakone?
Fifteen minutes at Lake Ashi, thirty on the cruise, thirty on the ropeway and thirty at Owakudani, with the rest of the ten hours on the Fuji side and on the road. If you want longer in Hakone, do it yourself on the Freepass or take the most-booked tour instead.