Japan is an easy country to navigate around, and you'd want too as well. From the capital city, Tokyo, you can fly direct on domestic flights to over 20 other city airports. When planning a Japan itinerary, those airports come in useful traveling between Japan's most popular holiday destinations.
But let's say you don't have a long stay in Tokyo, what then? You've got two days at most and that's it, you're on a flight out. For example, you're on a business trip or delayed waiting on a connecting flight. If either scenario rings a bell, then a day trip is the best way to use up those hours remaining. This travel guide looks at the best day trips from Tokyo you can enjoy on any short trip or vacation break.
Continue to read on and discover where you could go on your spare day outside Tokyo. Let's assume you have visited Tokyo before. Because we don't want to distract you with those things to see and do in Tokyo City. Show casing Tokyo's best attractions isn't for this travel guide. If you've never traveled to Tokyo before, this guide will serve you well.
Each destination in the list offers you the widest choice for variety and interest. Japan has many different landscapes, natural beauty and local peculiarities. There is something to pique the interest of most travelers and tourists. The country is about far more than temples and castles and the samurai.
Read Also: The Best Attractions in Kobe, Japan That Feel Amazing
Traveling in Japan you want to be moving around a lot, and not be too long in the same place. That's because, there is so much to see and do and without having to travel far. The benefit of this behavior of course is you get to try a more varied Japanese diet. For some of the most popular street food found in Japan see our food guide, link below.
Soon, you develop a love for steamed rice, Sushi and Tempura. If you are never sure of a menu you can feel confident and safe by asking for Sushi or Tempura. Both dishes come with rice. Our two favorites are Yakitori Chicken and Yakisoba. For more ideas of what to expect on Japan's streets, read our travel food guide:
Read Also: Authentic Japan Street Food Guide
The city is a top destination for food lovers. By that we mean the city is "top heavy" on its restaurants. This is the day trip you may have dreamt about if you have an appetite for Japanese seafood cuisine. The city is all about leisure and pleasure, as you will see first-hand were you to visit this seaside city. Located at the foot of Mount Fuji, Atami City is a top destination for the hot springs.
Being near to the Fuji Five Lakes area has created a plethora of hot springs in many locations. The waters of the Atami hot springs have a high salt content, the waters are super beneficial for the skin and body. What's important to know is not all hot springs are equal, comparable to elsewhere in Asia. When you tire of the hot springs and want to explore the city, here are our best suggestions for you:
The city has a feeling of living in the past, specifically in the 1980's. That's evident with the attractions as much as the architecture you can see. Although you won't have the luxury of time to stay a night in the city, we'll share this with you. Many of the city's hotels and resorts have their own private hot spring, for paying guests. Choose a hotel or resort that's close to the beaches, because it is common for a hotel to be perched on a hill.
Terrain surrounding the city is hilly and mountainous. Great for trekking and outdoor pursuits (which the city is great for), but not so if you want to relax and lounge.
An historic city in Japan with plenty of interesting temples, shrines and monuments. But there's far more to the city other than for cultural reasons to visit on a day trip from Tokyo. It's a small city but don't let that deceive you. You can get to the city from Tokyo in less than an hour by train. There are many stations in Tokyo City, pick one that's closest for you in relation to your hotel.
Because they all have a route going to Kamakura City, and the journey times are more or less an hour. You should expect to pay less than US$10 for a train ticket going to Kamakura City one way.
The shopping is on par with any Japanese city. You only need to begin your shopping frenzy on Komachi Street to get a sense of what we mean. The street is buzzing with activity, with all kinds of shops for you. Don't expect any modern, monolithic malls though. The bulk of the shops are boutiques, stuck in between the varied cafes, restaurants and bars.
Give yourself plenty of time on this street. It's one of the top places to spend a morning, picking your way through the crowds. All along the street, you can buy authentic Japanese gifts and toys for friends and family. Not in the mood for shopping? No worries. There are two main beaches in the city, with a third a little way out of the city.
The two beaches that should interest you are Yuigahama Beach and Zaimokuza Beach. Locals descend on the beaches from Tokyo and surrounding cities most weekends. Normally crowded, during July and August you may want to go elsewhere. The other beach isn't so strained to breakpoint point. You must leave the city, so grab a taxi south along the coast towards Hayama Isshiki Beach.
Pro Tip #1: When you travel to Japan (or South Korea) book a hotel that's within a 10-minute walk of a train station. If you must pay a little more, do so because the convenience is worth it.
If you are within the vicinity of Hayama Isshiki Beach then you could be close enough to Enoshima Island. It's off the coast, south of Kamakura City. So close in fact, it's less than 10km for you to travel. What we propose is you could do:
You get the best of both worlds. At least time on the beaches compensate you for less time on the Island. Is Enoshima Island worth visiting? Yes, most definitely. But in our experience, it's a half day excursion only, not a full day. The Island isn't large by any stretch of the imagination. Meaning you could see the best attractions within a 5-hour window, what you'd want to visit anyway.
So, split your day out between the Island and the neighboring city of Kamakura are our thoughts. Getting to the Island couldn't be simpler. There is a main rail link from the capital direct to the Enoshima Town. You hire a taxi from the train station to the Island for a few US dollars.
Apparently, you can see Mount Fuji from the Island on a "clear day" but we didn't have a chance to. The famous volcanic mountain lies south to southeast of the Island. We had cloud cover on our day which may explain why. It didn't faze us though; we had already visited the landmark on another occasion. On the Island you can indulge yourself:
There are a few places on the Island you can relax, and a spa combined with hot springs is one. Another way of boosting your mindfulness is to visit the botanical garden and Sea Candle. The "sea candle" is a lighthouse with helpful viewpoints. The lighthouse has two decks you can enjoy panoramic sights from. The top one is smaller with less room to maneuver. We spent more time in the gardens for relaxation, than at the lighthouse.
One slight off putting thing when visiting Japan are the crowds. Japan has a huge population squeezed into a small space. What compounds the problem are tourists from China and South Korea, and elsewhere. If the crowds get too much for you, the nearest botanical garden is an easy refuge to seek. On leaving the gardens, we moved onto another famous location we heard about. Traffic is two ways on Benten Nakamise Dori Street.
People are heading to the sea candle and coming from the sea candle to the street. During peak season summer months, you are weaving in and out of crowds. It's another street Japan is famous for, when shopping is in your thoughts. We did our shopping here before leaving for Kamakura City. Whether you come to the Island is up to yourself. Choosing a visit to either destination results in a great one-off day out from Tokyo.
Japan's second largest city, and it's as vibrant and interesting as Tokyo City can be. Visiting the city's Chinatown is a reminder for us of our visit to Kaula Lumpur's Chinatown. Both, like for like cover a large area within the city. That resulted in us spending hours mired in there, and we loved it. Less than an hour from Tokyo, it's reason enough to make you curious, doesn't it?
Here are our favorite things to see and do in Yokohama:
As you can see, Yokohama is worth visiting for on a day trip from Tokyo. One of the first things we had planned was a city bus tour around the Yokohama Bay area. The tour takes you around on a sightseeing trip of the city's best towers. That's to begin with at least and the trip ending on a high with a diving and swimming session. The tour is the perfect introduction to the city, we felt.
Every major city has a Chinatown, they're two a penny, aren't they? They are but Yokohama's Chinatown, as we said earlier, is remarkable. That's our thoughts anyway we had an amazing time in the town on our visit. The streets are clean and boisterous. The cuisine is top notch food in quality and authenticity. And Yokohama's Chinatown has a large number of gates too, those you cross under to enter Chinatown.
You see those gates with every Chinatown though. Aside from frequenting the cafes and restaurants you could also visit the temples. One of the notable temples to visit is Masobyo Temple. Several festivals a year circle around this temple, the Chinese Lunar New Year for one. There's also the Mazu Festival held in March and one in July too. During these festivities, you have the impression the temple has even more appeal.
The great attraction of Nikko City is the Nikko National Park and the UNESCO listed temple sites. There are three separate sites you could want to visit. The one we visited was Rinnoji Temple site via the Shinkyo Bridge. It's our suggestion you visit any of the temple sites with a guided tour. The fact you need to buy different tickets for the various parts of the site is confusing.
If it wasn't for our guide who'd already arranged for us our tickets we'd be lost. The site covers a stretch of land you must get around on foot, no other way about it. A lot of our enjoyment of the UNESCO listed site was in thanks to our guide. Were we to have visited without one we could have wasted a lot of time finding our way around. So, if you do decide on visiting Nikko City on a day trip for the temples best to book with a tour operator.
Part of the national park is Lake Chuzenji. At one end of the lakeside is a small town with hot springs. We relaxed in town for an hour before our group split in two. One group went on a cruise of the lake whilst the second group went for a trek. We opted for the trek. The great thing about going with a guided tour is the flexibility an operator can offer you. You have one- and two-day itineraries to choose from.
Each itinerary covers different attractions, almost all include the city's famous temples.
Kawagoe is the day trip in our list that's closest to Tokyo City. It's also the only one with the best "old town" charm in thanks to the buildings. It's a timepiece that takes you back in time, the perfect ambience of centuries old Japan. Sure, there are temples: there isn't anywhere in Japan that doesn't have temples though.
The best way of seeing the town is on foot. You'll spend most of your day exploring for historic interests. Getting to the town couldn't be easier. Arrive at the Ikebukuro Station first of all. From there board a train for Kawagoe Station to complete your journey 30 minutes later. A one-way ticket is about US$6 per person.
As soon as we were clear of the station, we found Kurazukuri Street. It's the main destination for shoppers. The best place for sightseeing the characterful old buildings of the Edo period. That's early 16th century Japan through until the late 18th century. It's the best time in Japanese history in our opinion, the beginnings of Japan's rise.
It's best to do any shopping first, and not leave it until the last-minute rush as a lot of the shops close early. A lot of the shops you'll go in and look around but not buy anything, because the choice in gifts is so varied you can't decide on the spot. You return for a second look in those shops more to your liking.
Visiting the picturesque Hikawa Shrine is a must. Passing through the tall torii gate, you meet locals wearing a Kimono dress. Seeing people wearing this apparel increases your sense of the "real Japan". It adds to the authenticity of your Japan experience. Yes, you do see people wearing the dress in Tokyo City too, but in a small town it's feels more special, or has more meaning. Close to the temple is a small river which is ideal for walking along under the fruit trees.
You can imagine what a wonderful place this would be during spring when the flowers blossom. Buy some street food snacks and head there to find a quiet spot. Feelings of blissfulness overcome you. Other places to visit on the day include:
A lot of the day we spent walking. Wandering around and when not doing that, eating and enjoying a relaxing break in a cafe. That's pretty much what you can do because aside from the old town authenticity there's not much else. Do you need a guided tour? No, not at all. There are bus services of course you could use to get around town. But we didn't feel a need to use them, the town isn't huge.
Do wear a pair of comfortable shoes in any case.
Is Kawagoe worth visiting? Yes, if the time you have in the Tokyo area permits you to relax around centuries old Japanese culture. The pull for us was the touch and feel that has been preserved from the past, in this old town. You must enjoy strolling around to get the most from your visit to be honest. If strolling around in a random manner isn't for you then think twice about visiting. Or at least, not spend an entire day there.
If you have a half day you want to "use up", Kawagoe Town may suffice in that respect. Because of being near to Tokyo City, not spending all day there is more convenient and doable.
Pro TIp #2: If you are in Japan longer than a day or two it makes sense to buy a Japan Rail Pass online, to save you money. You must buy in advance and not on the day of use.
The manmade lake is 90 minutes west of Tokyo City and the perfect location for relaxation. You can get to the lake from the metro. Ask at your hotel's reception to arrange for a taxi to take you to Otemachi Station. Sayama City is yet one more place tucked away, a hidden jewel you'd be best please to discover.
The lake was brought to our attention by another couple we met on a previous trip to Tokyo. We couldn't visit on that occasion, having to wait for the next opportunity. How did we like it? We found it to be very peaceful. The landscape is what motivates you to leave Tokyo for a day to be beside yourself. If you care to pamper your body with a spa massage, that's a beautiful experience. But also, a beautiful experience, is pampering your soul.
It's as important to feel good inside as well as outside. Bring yourself to travel to the lake and the natural world surrounding it.
Part of the Sayama Nature Park and Sayama Hills, there's the twin lake, Tama Lake to walk towards as well. Both are close together it's possible to experience both on the same day. It's Sayama Lake that got most of our attention, but. We took our time walking in the nature park to come across a few shrines and a theme park. The theme park was a tad busy to say the least. The park has the settings for romance for sure.
There are lots of restaurants you can enjoy a meal at, within easy reach of the lakeside. Dwell outside, lingering after your meal to enjoy the sun setting on the horizon. What more could you want? If you do have a few days in Tokyo, you could want to stay a night in Sayama City. It's a great place to hang out for couples and families.
That explains why it's so popular with the residents of Tokyo. On a good day with little haze, you can even glimpse sights of Mount Fuji.
As you have discovered from our list of day trips outside Tokyo, you can easily reach another city in no time at all. Before boarding your flight to Tokyo, be sure to buy a Japan Rail Pass online as that will save you time and money. Once you have your pass you can travel anywhere in Japan more easily, stress free.
Do note that the pass is only valid on Japan Rail services, and not services provided by other rail companies.
What's amazing about Japan is this. A large population on three land masses, the cities are closer together. Every city has several neighbors in other words, in what appears to be only moments away from one another. What makes those cities gel so well is the integrated rail system developed over decades.
Where the train system doesn't serve a purpose, there are the domestic airports. Must you base your holiday around the capital? No. You can create wonderful day trips, especially from Kyoto City and Osaka City. A few times we've been on holiday and had a tour cancelled on us, stuck for something to do. Immediately we roll out an emergency backup plan.
Holidaying in Japan, you're never stuck for something to do, for reasons stated.
Pro Tip #3: Always opt for the express line in Japan as there are fewer stops along the route. It's something to be aware of when buying tickets.
Three things are constant you find when traveling in Japan. Each one of course, essential to your overall pleasure and memorable experience:
A holiday or even a city break isn't worth talking about if one or more of those essential things is missing. Often, when abroad the thought of a poor or shoddy shopping experience is the culprit. Not so in Japan, those other things take precedence. With our thoughts put on the table for you, in our experience of Japan what matters is location.
By that, the city you're holidaying in and those cities you could visit on a journey an hour away at most. And when you think about other Asian countries, what cities can you visit on a day trip an hour away? Few other countries, South Korea being an exception.
