Private day trip · Day trip from Tokyo
Oze Marsh Boardwalk Hike - Private Day Tour from Tokyo
Japan's most loved wetland - a high marsh of boardwalks, ponds, skunk cabbage and day lilies ringed by mountains, by private van and mountain shuttle. Late May to October only. One fixed price.
Private · your group only◆13 hours◆Up to 6 guests◆Pickup included
Road-day snapshot
This is your private day, so the route is flexible: tell us if you want to skip a stop, stay longer somewhere or add a place nearby.
The experience
A private journey, thoughtfully paced
Every Japanese person knows the song about Oze – the marsh at 1,400 metres where the water lilies float and the summer comes late. It is a national park the size of a city, with no roads inside it: you walk on wooden boardwalks laid across the wetland between the ponds, with Mount Hiuchi and Mount Shibutsu on either side. Foreign visitors almost never come because getting there without a car is a full day in itself.
We collect you at your Tokyo hotel very early and drive three hours north through Numata to the Oze trailhead at Hatomachi Pass, changing to the park shuttle for the last stretch when the road is closed to private cars. From the pass a trail drops for an hour through beech forest to Yamanohana, and the marsh opens out in front of you.
Your guide walks you the great loop of the Ozegahara boardwalk: the ponds with their floating leaves, the meadows that are white with skunk cabbage in late May and June, orange with day lilies in July, and gold with grasses in October, and the mountain huts at Ryugu and Ushikubi where you can buy coffee and use the toilets. Lunch is a packed bento eaten on a boardwalk bench. The full loop is about 12 kilometres on flat boardwalk plus the forest climb back to the pass; shorter versions are easy to arrange.
We are back at the van by late afternoon, stop at a hot spring in Katashina for a bath if you want one, and drive back to Tokyo in the evening.
What you pay is what you pay
The price is one fixed amount for your whole group: the private van, fuel, tolls, parking and your driver-guide for the day. There are no per-person supplements and no booking fees. The park shuttle bus is included for everyone in your group. Your bento lunch and any hot spring bath are optional and paid by each guest on the day. Park entry is free.
Good to know
This is a real hike: 5-6 hours of walking including a 200-metre climb back to the pass. Good shoes, rain jacket and warm layers are essential; the marsh is cold even in July. The route is open from about 20 May to late October; we do not run it outside those dates.
Choose with confidence
Is this the right journey for your group?
Excellent fit if
- Ozegahara - a high marsh of boardwalks, ponds and mountains at 1,400 metres
- Skunk cabbage in June, day lilies in July, gold grasses in October
- Beech forest trail from Hatomachi Pass with a driver-guide who has done it
- Optional hot spring bath in Katashina on the way home
- Private van from your Tokyo hotel - no 5am bus connections
Said plainly
The Oze boardwalk season runs roughly 20 May to late October. If the park is closed on your date we will tell you before the tour and you can choose a substitute mountain-and-onsen day of the same length or a full refund of your booking, guaranteed. Expect 5-6 hours of walking on boardwalks and a forest trail with a 200-metre climb; a shorter loop is possible on request. Bring hiking shoes, a rain jacket, warm layers, sun protection and cash for the huts. Very early start from Tokyo (about 6:00). The Oze park shuttle bus is included in the price; lunch and the optional bath are paid by you on the day. Travelling with small children? Write their ages in the booking notes and a child seat will be ready in the van on the day.
Your day
Suggested itinerary
Times are approximate. Your driver-guide adjusts the order for traffic, weather, opening hours and the best light.
Ozegahara - a high marsh of boardwalks, ponds and mountains at 1,400 metres
Skunk cabbage in June, day lilies in July, gold grasses in October
Beech forest trail from Hatomachi Pass with a driver-guide who has done it
Optional hot spring bath in Katashina on the way home
Private van from your Tokyo hotel - no 5am bus connections
What is covered
What you see is what you pay
Ours — included
- Private air-conditioned van for your group only
- English, Hindi or Urdu speaking driver-guide who walks the trail with you
- Hotel pickup and drop-off within Tokyo's 23 wards
- Oze park shuttle bus tickets (both ways) for everyone in your group
- Fuel, expressway tolls and parking
- Bottled water
- One fixed price for the whole group - no hidden charges and no per-person supplements
Yours — paid on the day
- Food and drinks (optional - bring your own bento or buy at the mountain huts)
- Hot spring bath in Katashina, optional (about 800 yen per adult, paid at the bath)
- Gratuities (never expected)
Good to know
Before you book
Languages
English, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi
Pickup
Pickup and drop-off at your Tokyo hotel or accommodation (23 wards).
Group and vehicle
Private for up to 6 guests. Enter adults, children, infants and child seats separately at booking.
Dietary and mobility needs
Halal, vegetarian, allergy, walking or other practical requests go in your booking notes and are planned before the day.
Questions
Frequently asked
Can we change the route on the day?
Yes. It is a private tour in our own van, so your driver-guide can skip, extend or add stops where time allows.
Is the price per person?
No. The price is for your whole group of up to 6 people, including the van, fuel, tolls, parking and your driver-guide.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for an automatic full refund to the original payment method. Within 24 hours, contact us directly so we can help.
Somewhere else in mind?
Any destination in Japan
If this route is not exactly what you need, tell us the destination, dates and group. We confirm the plan and the exact price before any payment is taken.
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From¥91,000
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