Chuzenji Lake

Thanks to our tour guide Diffany for reminding us of the importance of punctuality, which allowed everyone to have a smooth and enjoyable weekend.

Our tour guide Zoe has been great. She has provided us with a very informative traveling experience. She is willing to take up extra responsibilities even helping the restaurant to serve us the dishes we ordered so that we can all leave the restaurant on time. All in all, I think she is great plus a very experienced driver who gave us a very safe and comfortable drive through the famous 48 curves.

Long queues already formed starting at 9 AM, saving you time on ticket purchases. If you have a travel pass, you get a 10% discount if you buy tickets on-site! But you still have to queue! The cable car is small, so it moves slowly!

Our tour guide, Niu, and driver were friendly, considerate, and full of energy. Although a traffic accident on the highway made the journey longer than expected, and the tour guide had to slightly shorten the time spent at each attraction, we still managed to visit all the sites and have a brief look around. While a bit rushed, this tour offered a high degree of relaxation and freedom, making it ideal for tourists who enjoy tranquility and foliage viewing in the mountains.

Overall, the itinerary was well-planned, but the vehicle was incredibly small! Seventeen people were crammed into a minibus, with knees practically touching the seats in front. The 2.5-hour journey, including mountain roads, was extremely painful, and I was one of the shorter travelers! Also, the onsen facilities were rather old. The tour leader was excellent, communicating diligently with everyone and even helping with photos. (Itinerary for October 22, 2025: Nikko Shrine had no autumn leaves yet, Lake Chuzenji had autumn leaves, and Kegon Falls was slightly red.)