Dear Frances and Daria, Thank you so much for your kind cooperation and such a generous review of my guiding. I’m truly grateful for the wonderful opportunity to share and appreciate the beauty of Hakone, its delicious cuisine, and the joy of our friendly conversations. My wife placed your gift of sweets on our family’s Buddhist altar and offered thanks for your kindness as well. Wishing you a safe and pleasant journey ahead. With warmest regards, Takao Mizushima

Dear Owen and Sarah. Your constant smiles moved me although it rained everywhere we went and nothing was visible from the ship, ropeway nor cable car. The Hakone Shrine deity surely thanked you for visiting in the rain. Have a nice trip! Best regards, Takao Mizushima

Sorry, Paola. We lost about 90 minutes yesterday because the strong wind forced the ropeway to stop, and we had to return to our starting point. I chose that route because: 1. I wanted you to experience a cable car ride. 2. I wanted to minimize the use of buses that don’t accept the Hakone Freepass. The bus ride from the cable car terminal to the highest point of Owakudani Valley is the shortest option. 3. The only buses that reach the volcanic valley when the ropeway is stopped are the ones that don’t accept the pass. 4. There were so many people in line ahead of us that I couldn’t predict how many buses we’d have to wait for. 5. We called all the taxi companies, but none were available due to high demand. Despite this setback, we still managed to experience three out of the four attractions you considered a “must”—the ropeway, pirate ship, cable car, and open-air museum. Mt. Fuji wasn’t visible, and the ropeway was stopped, so we missed out on the great view from it. Unfortunately, that meant we lost two of the main highlights of the tour, and I didn’t have many opportunities to explain the scenery. Still, I did my best to make the tour worthwhile by sharing whatever thoughts came to mind. I truly enjoyed our conversations! I use AI to refine my written English, but I don’t rely on it for speaking. Improving my English is something I truly care about. I sincerely appreciate your understanding. Thank you. Best regards, Takao