Things to do in Japan

Fantastic Mount Fuji and Hakone

I don’t just take guests to the best viewpoint to snap Mount Fuji but to the lakes, gardens and hot springs that pepper its foothills…

By Ken Yoshioka

Tokyo Tour Guide

You don’t have to climb Japan’s most iconic landscape to appreciate its spiritual significance and natural wonder. Even from a distance you can see the impact this mighty volcano had on its surrounding environment.

When I guide a full day tour of the Mount Fuji region I don’t just take guests to the best viewpoints to snap the awe-inspiring peak but to the lakes, gardens and hot springs that pepper its foothills.

We start at Fuji Sabaru Line 5th station on the northern slope’s Yoshida Trail and the furthest visitors can reach by road, 2300 meters above sea level. The views of Fujiyoshida City and Lake Yamanaka are superb and Komitake Shrine that sits behind the visitor centre has long been a sacred site for mountain worship.

We then head to Oshino Shinobi no Sato a fun stop-off in the centre of the fertile Yamanashi forest where many guests turn into big kids as they try out their best Ninja skills in the trick house and maze and discover the history of these Japanese assassins.

After a traditional Japanese buffet we move onto Owakudani Valley in Hakone national park. This active volcanic valley nicknamed ‘Valley of Hell’ still spews out sulphurous fumes and trying ‘Kuro Tamago’ is a must. The shells of these eggs cooked in the hot springs are blackened by the sulphur and are said to prolong your life.

If you’re not scared of heights I recommend everyone takes in a birds eye view of the valley on the Hakone Ropeway, a comfortable gondola type experience that takes around 30 minutes to traverse the hot springs below.

The next stop for the group is a cruise on the beautiful Lake Ashi, a caldera lake formed after the last eruption of Mount Hakone over 3000 years ago. The trip is full of great photo opportunities with Mount Fuji rising up behind the lake in the distance and the famous red torii gate of the Hakone Shrine sitting on the water’s edge.

Available in these itineraries…

Small Group

Highlights of Japan Tour
by Malcolm Holcroft

Length14 Days

Price range£5,165 - £5,910pp

Alfred & Ken Yoshioka

Ken has been a tour guide in Tokyo for nine years. He grew up in the city and joined one of the country’s leading banks after graduating from university. During his time there, he worked in Australia, the US and Germany and travelled to more than 50 countries. After leaving the bank, he decided to become a tour guide to share his knowledge of Tokyo with visitors.

Plan your holiday withAlfred&

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Richard, who's travelled extensively in Japan. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember - the tea devotee who'll introduce you to the ceremony surrounding Japan's national drink, the noodle guru who'll teach you how to make the perfect bowl of soba and the ryokan owner who'll tutor you in the relaxing art of the onsen.

Richard Pearson

Travel Expert for Alfred&

The term ‘well-travelled’ is an understatement when describing Richard. They've been swept up in the cultural portals of Japan and China and fallen in love with Vietnam’s historical melting pot and romantic karsts of Halong Bay. Their mantra is ‘expect the unexpected,’ which is why they find India so attractive; its manic city streets, stunning yet seldom-visited temples and off-road safaris in the wildest tiger reserves.
Takeaki Shibuya

Experience coordinator for Destination Asia, Alfred&'s partners in Japan

After 14 years of experience travelling in more than 70 countries as a tour conductor and planner, Takeaki has come home to Japan, which he truly believes is the most unique place in the world to explore. His unusual experiences are a source of creation which draws out the esoteric and the hidden of Japan.
Ms Makishima

Nakai-san at Gion Yoshi-Ima

A long-time employee at Gion Yoshi-Ima and resident of Kyoto, Ms Makishima embodies the Japanese spirit of hospitality: a welcoming character, dedication to her work, and joy in the everyday. Care and devotion is given to her guests and she is always on hand to attend to needs or offer advice to adventurous travellers.
Fabien Fleury

Wine educator, oenophile and guide

Tokyo-based Fabien was born in Saintes, near Cognac, in the south-west of France. As a boy, he used to help his grandfather take care of his vineyard, which instilled in him a love of the whole process of wine-making. Fabien has been giving tasting seminars to wine lovers between Europe and Japan for 10 years and enjoys sharing his expertise on tours of Japan’s wine-making Yamanashi area outside Tokyo.
Ms Akira

Member of the hospitality team at Oyado Koto no Yume

Ms Akira is part of the hospitality team at Koto no Yume, a ryokan in the traditional town of Takayama. Living in a city steeped in culture, she enjoys helping guests to get to know a little more of the traditional arts and crafts, as well as the beautiful sites of Takayama.
Satoshi Inuki

Japanese literature enthusiast & one of Alfred&’s guides in Japan

Satoshi is originally from a small town in Hyogo prefecture. In his early 20s he lived in Edinburgh where he met many people from all over the world who asked him questions about Japan. This prompted him to study more about his own country’s culture, history and traditions. He moved to Kyoto around 10 years ago and became a licensed guide in 2011, since when he has come to know every inch of both his new home town and destinations such as Hiroshima, Okayama and Naoshima to the west.