Onsen Delights - The reason this tour was so great came down to the incredible attitude and character of my guide Elie. Do do do request him. Elie was so fun to be with as he had a great balance of informative facts and comedic injections that I was learning and laughing most of the day. The drive to Hakone is about 1.5 hours and the scenic backroads are spectacular even if you aren’t there at peak cherry blossom season! The Temples and vistas are tingling and I enjoyed them all. However the real treat begins at the arrival to the Hakone Onsen! What an amazing experience. Note - Japan culture is nude when it comes to the baths, so know that going in. But once you head to the either Women or Men’s areas that pretty much becomes redundant and you just act like a local and carry on. Beware - do not drop of droop you towel (you will need to bring two or pay to rent them - one small hand one large body towel are required.) At the Onsen, I recommend the following order. 1. Arrive 2. Head to the Restaurant and put you name on the Shabu Shabu list. The food is to die for. 3. Before you sit down, go to the massage area located in the bottom floor courtyard, and book a 30 or 60 minute Japanese massage. You will thank me later. 4. Eat you meal. 5. Take a short nap in the rest rooms. Lying down on the floor is very calming next to the babbling brook. 6. After a short twenty minute rest, head to the baths and take in the Onsen healing wells. You will sleep like a baby that night. I got there at around 12pm and left at around 4pm. Which was plenty of time to execute the above schedule - and believe me when I tell you that this order of play is bonafide the best. After that, Elie picked me up and we drove back to Tokyo. It is worth considering a two night stay in Hakone if time permits as there is more to enjoy for sure.

Unique tour - Great fun day with Elie - unique tour, missing the crowds. The onsen visit was very special. Highly recommend

Great experience - Excelente experience; Elie was great and so experienced; we will highly recommend doing this trip with him

Best Private Tour with A Cultured Experienced Tour Guide from France in Tokyo - Should a solo traveler book a private tour in Tokyo? Absolutely! Especially if you get a guide who is French, speaks Japanese, English and other languages, artsy, courteous and a thinker like Elie! Even though the day of my tour was rainy, Elie was abale to customize an itinerary that still optimize the trip to “see” Mt. Fuji, in-depth tour of Hakone and a couple of surprise stops to enhance the day! He is both professional and humorous, and can carry a conversation on a variety of topics, which makes long drives really entertaining and enlightening. It is definitely worth your while to experience a tour Elie offers. Great to have this point of contact the next time I visit Japan.

Awesome host - Elie was a fantastic guide! He was very knowledgeable about the best spots to view Mt Fuji. Although we didn't go to the famous station at Mt Fuji, which was ok because it was probably packed, he took us to a great viewing area through a private toll-road. Side note, if you're a car enthusiast, Elie is very knowledgeable about cars and will be a delight to talk to about that. Also the private road he will take you to the viewing area will see a lot of enthusiast JDM cars. Elie's onsen recommendation was great! It was very relaxing and he's very accommodating on what you'd like to spend most of your time on. If you're interested in onsen recommendations, ASK Elie! He says most of his guests book his trip at the end of their travel itinerary -- we did the same thing. But Elie has many recommendations and referrals and can cater to your specific requirements if you'd like a specific experience. So I would at least chat with Elie first!

Much Better than my previous experience - We had a very beautiful and memorable day with Elie on Mount Fuji. Elie showed us streets and roads hidden from the large influx of tourists with stunning views of the beauty of these places and complemented this with his story with deep knowledge of the history of Japan. I highly recommend this guide. Elie is an interesting and well-read professional in his profession. I left Japan with great impressions thanks to him!

Wonderful clear day - Had a great day will Elie. Saw Mt. Fuji from a different place where there isn't a lot of crowds. Didn't get close to the Mt but still able to have a clear beautiful view. Had an excellent dinner, a Japanese massage and went into the onsen for about an hour. We didn't have much time to visit the museum but the onsen was worth it. Good trip to take when it gets crowded and want to see different views of the city. I recommend it.

A local experience - This tour was such a treat! We saw so many cool things as well as enjoyed some good food and company. The onsen was so relaxing after a long flight. A really great experience if you want to see some sides of the city that we would not have found on our own. A true local experience.

A great introduction to Japan - Tour was great. Elie was very friendly and accommodating. Love the Onsen he took us to. Onsen was so relaxing. Lots of info about Japan

Relaxing and unique experience with a great guide - Elie was the best guide! He was super knowledgeable, accommodating, insightful and easy going. He will take you off the beaten path to see sights that are not overcrowded by tourists. He also gives great recommendations for restaurants or activities to do after the excursion, so make sure to ask! The onsen experience is a MUST— and Elie brings you to a really immersive one.