Best Day Trips from Tokyo: 15 Convenient Gems Near the Capital

On a Tokyo to Mount Fuji day trip, Kawaguchiko emerges as a canvas of serenity, with the iconic Fujisan mirrored in its calm waters.

Wander the shores of the best of Fuji Five Lakes and capture the elusive Fujisan as a backdrop of floral extravaganzas from pink moss phlox to lavender.

Head there on a weekend trip from Tokyo to experience Ryokan inns, onsens and even the annual Fuji Shibazakura Festival, typically held from mid-April to late May or early June.

@twosometravellers MT. FUJI DAY TRIP from Tokyo! Everything you need to know 🗻 🙌🏼 #mtfuji #japanthingstodo #tokyotravel #japantok #japantravel #mountfuji #kawaguchiko ♬ Golden Hour: Piano Version – Andy Morris

Travel Duration: From Shinjuku, 1 hour and 52 minutes by train or 1 hour and 45 minutes by Fujikyuko bus to Kawaguchiko Station. (map)

Navigational Tips: Transfer to Fujikyu Line at Otsuki Station, unless travelling by the direct Fuji Excursion train.

Cost: ¥4060 (Fuji Excursion train), ¥2000+ (Fujikyuko bus

A Hakone day trip transports you to an otherworldly hot spring town.

Soak away your cares in the mineral-rich onsen waters, witness the mysterious dances of steam rising from hidden volcanic vents and savour onsen tamago, eggs slow-cooked in onsen water, and kuro-tamago, the black eggs of Owakudani that get its distinguishing colour from being boiled in water containing sulphur.

@amplifywithalpha Try this the next time you go to Hakone! #japantravel #owakudani #kurotamago #hakone #fypシ ♬ Baddie – IVE

The Hakone Open-Air Museum adds a touch of artistry. On a clear day, Mt. Fuji graces you with its view while traversing Lake Ashi on a pirate ship.

Travel Duration: From Shinjuku, 90 minutes by Romancecar Express train to Hakone Yumoto Station (map) or 2 hours and 20 minutes by Odakyu Hakone Highway Bus to Shirayuridai bus stop (map).

Navigational Tips: Transfer trains at Odawara Station, unless travelling by direct Romancecar.

Cost:  ¥2000+ (Romancecar or bus).

Nikko’s World Heritage shrines stand like graceful sentinels against dense forests and mountains.

The Toshogu Shrine dazzles with its ornate wood and gold carvings and the wisdom of the three wise monkeys.

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Traverse through torii gates, cross the scarlet Shinkyo Bridge, walk the hiking trails, especially when covered in autumn foliage and let the natural and spiritual ambience soothe your soul.

Travel Duration: From Asakusa Station, 1 hour and 48 minutes by Tobu Nikko Express to Tobu-Nikko Station. (map)

Navigational Tips: Transfer from JR Tohoku Shinkansen to JR Nikko Line at Utsunomiya Station, unless travelling by the direct Tobu Nikko Express.

Cost:  ¥3000+ (Nikko Express), ¥3000+ (JR Trains).

Mito’s Kairakuen Garden is an ever-changing canvas of colours, where plumes of sakura and plum blossoms intertwine in a harmonious spring dance.

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A daimyō, or feudal lord of the Mito clan, Tokugawa Nariaki, designed this garden in 1842.

Once meant only for samurais, you no longer need military training to stroll and find solace within its fragrant embrace.

While there, be sure to check out the Hitachi Seaside Park.

Travel Duration: From Ueno Station, 70 minutes by Hitachi Limited Express to Mito Station. (map)

Navigational Tips: Direct trains.

Cost:  ¥3800+ (Hitachi Limited Express), ¥2310 (local trains).

Surrender to the ryokans of Kusatsu, one of Japan’s top onsen resort towns, and let the bubbling onsen waters serenade and rejuvenate you.

Stroll through Yubatake, a hot water field that cools the boiling spring water from Mount Kusatsu-Shirane.

@hadleygolucky Visit Kusatsu, a town in Gunma prefecture known for its onsen (hot springs)! Explore the historic city center known as Yubatake. Relax in an onsen such as Sai-no-kawara Outdoor Baths. There is co-ed bathing on Fridays if you bring your swimsuit. It’s magical to go in the morning during the winter to see the hot spring mist swirling on top of the water. Experience yumomi (湯もみ), the traditional cooling process of the onsen water, at the Netsunoyu building. Meet a capybara enjoying a warm bath at Osayu (おさ湯). Eat amazing sweets from Kusatsu Onsen Purin, Kusatsu Tamago Farms, and many more traditional sweets like mitarashi dango. #Kusatsu #kusatsuonsen #kusatsu_japan #japantiktok #japantravel #japanthings ♬ Aesthetic Girl – Yusei

Or watch the traditional, manual method of cooling called yumomi at Kusatsu Onsen Netsunoyu.

You can also visit the nearby Jigokudani Monkey Park on a day trip from Tokyo in winter.

Travel Duration: From Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal, 3 hours and 45 minutes by the direct Joshu Yumeguri-go buses to Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal (map). From Ueno, 2.5 hours by JR Limited Express Kusatsu train to Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station (map).

Navigational Tips: At Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station, transfer to connecting JR Buses for Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal (25 minutes).

Cost:  ¥3500+ (bus), ¥5700 (trains).

Chichibu’s rolling landscapes are an escape into nature’s playground.

Hike through the Mitsumine Shrine’s cedar-lined paths, or undertake a part of the historic Chichibu 34 Kannon pilgrimage.

In autumn, Nagatoro’s riverbank transforms into shades of amber, while in spring, the meadows of Hitsujiyama Park blush pink during the Shibazakura Festival from mid-April to early May.

For a peek into history, visit the Meisenkan Museum to see the original looms of the Japanese Meisen silk.

Travel Duration: From Ikebukuro Station, 1 hour and 20 minutes by the direct Red Arrow Limited Express to Chichibu Station. (map)

Navigational Tips: Transfer at Kumagaya Station to Chichibu Railway, if travelling by Shinkansen.

Cost:  ¥1700 (Red Arrow), ¥4380 (Shinkansen+Chichibu Railway).

Kawagoe, often nicknamed Little Edo, whisks you to the Edo period with its well-preserved townhouses on Kurazukuri Street.

These clay-walled warehouses with tiled roofs now house traditional restaurants and quaint shops.

@chougaki join me in kawagoe ! this might be my first time doing a full on voiceover for a vlog, i hope it’s alright with you guys ^^ #chougaki #chouvlogs #japanvlog #minivlogs #dailyvlog #foodvlog #japanesefood #kawagoe #dango #travelvlog ♬ You – Vietra

Savour treats at Candy Alley, dedicated to sweets or stroll the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine in summer to experience the wind chime festival. The bell tolls at Toki no Kane, marking time in a town where history intertwines with the present.

Travel Duration: From Ikebukuro Station, 30 minutes by Tobu’s direct Rapid-Liner Ogawamachi train to Kawagoe Station (map). From Shinjuku Station, 45 minutes by Seibu limited express trains to Hon-Kawagoe Station (map).

Navigational Tips: For Karazukuri Street, ride another 11 minutes in Kawagoe 01 bus from Kawagoe Station or walk 14 minutes from Hon-Kawagoe Station.

Cost:  ¥490 (Tobu), ¥520 (Seibu Express), ¥1120 (Seibu Limited Express).

An Okutama day trip offers a quick escape into untamed wilderness, where rivers carve through forests and mountains stand as silent sentinels.

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Hike along the Tama River and cross the Shidakura and Dodokoro suspension bridges, especially when surrounded by picturesque autumn colours.

If you want to experience a rush of adrenaline, enter the Nippara Limestone Cave, one of the two largest caves in the Kanto region, measuring a length of 1270 metres.

Travel Duration: From Shinjuku Station, 1 hour and 40 minutes on the JR Chuo Line.

Navigational Tips: Change at Tachikawa or Ome to the Ome Line.

Cost:  ¥1200+.

Mount Takao is a hiker’s sanctuary, inviting you to ascend its forested trails.

Trail 1 to the summit passes by the Mount Takao Monkey Park & Wildflower Garden, home to 40 Japanese macaques.

Halfway through the trail, stop to pray to the mountain gods at the Yakuoin Temple.

The panorama from the top rewards your efforts with Tokyo’s skyline, a reminder that serenity is just a train ride away.

Travel Duration: From Shinjuku Station, 53 minutes by JR Chuo Line and Keio Line to Takaosanguchi Station. (map)

Navigational Tips: Transfer to Keio Line at Takao Station.

Cost:  ¥390.

Like a Kyoto day trip from Tokyo, a trip from Tokyo to Kamakura is a journey through time where ancient temples guard the secrets of the past.

@s.1991.w Kamakura 1 day #เที่ยวญี่ปุ่นด้วยตัวเอง #เที่ยวญี่ปุ่น #kamakurakokomaestation @save ♬ original sound – save – เซฟเซฟ

At Kamakura, the Kyoto of Eastern Japan, the Great Buddha’s benevolent gaze welcomes you, while the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine invites introspection amid rows of torii gates, towering trees and serene ponds.

Visit the Hokokuji temple for its peaceful vibe and a bamboo grove that leads to a teahouse.

Travel Duration: From Tokyo Station, 57 minutes by the direct JR Yokosuka Line and from Shinjuku Station, 60 minutes by JR Shonan Shinjuku Line to Kamakura Station. (map)

Navigational Tips: Some Shinjuku Line trains may require a transfer at Ofuna Station.

Cost:  ¥940.

Enoshima, one of the most popular islands near Tokyo, is a place of coastal magic. Walk across the Enoshima Benten Bridge, letting the sea breeze tousle your hair.

Explore the lush Samuel Cocking Garden and the observation deck of the Sea Candle lighthouse.

@pepperioni63 📍enoshima island, japan #江ノ島 #enoshima #japantok #home #whatdoyoudreamabout ♬ original sound – Katie

The hilly island on the Kanagawa coast also features quaint cafes and the Enoshima Iwaya Cave. To delve into the island’s spiritual essence, do not forget to visit the Enoshima Shrine.

Travel Duration: From Shinjuku station, 70 minutes by JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line or 65 minutes by Odakyu Romancecar. From Tokyo or Shinagawa station, 60 minutes by JR line.

Navigational Tips: Transfer at Fujisawa to the Odakyu Enoshima line for Katase-Enoshima Station (map), or the Enoden Line for Enoshima Station (map).

Cost:  ¥1100+.

Yokohama’s cosmopolitan allure offers numerous experiences, from the gastronomical delights of Chinatown, Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum and the Cup Noodles Museum to panoramic views of the waterfront from the Landmark Tower and Cosmo Clock 21.

You can shop at the historic Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse or retreat from the bustle at the lush Sankei-en Gardens.

After sunset, head to Minato Mirai’s Kishamichi Promenade to see it dazzle at night.

Travel Duration: From Tokyo Station, 25 minutes by JR Tokaido Line or 30 minutes by Yokosuka Line, from Shibuya Station, 30 minutes by Toyoko Line, and from Shinjuku, 30 minutes by Shonan Shinjuku Line to Yokohama Station. (map)

Navigational Tips: Direct trains.

Cost:  ¥490+.

Step into the fantasy realm on a short trip from Tokyo to Tokyo Disneyland.

As Mickey and Minnie take you into their world of wonder, let your inner child meet your beloved characters in matching costumes and immerse yourself in the enchantment that knows no bounds.

Apart from enjoying Tokyo Disneyland’s rides, venture into DisneySea, featuring seven themed ports of call inspired by the legends and myths of the sea.

Travel Duration: From Tokyo Station, 15 minutes by JR Keiyo or Musashino Line to Maihama Station. (map)

Navigational Tips: Direct trains.

Cost:  ¥400+.

Chiba City, one of the nearest one-day trips from Tokyo, offers something to everyone. Lover of museums?

Head to the castle-style Chiba City Folk Museum to explore the city’s history, the Chiba City Museum of Art to see centuries-old Ukiyo-e art or the Hoki Museum for realist paintings.

@jupiterishida Chiba shrine is located in central of Chiba city where is 1 hour away from Tokyo. This shine has long time history and several Gods inside this area. And near here one thing very famous Chiba monorail is like a floating train. If you want to see this train, go there and see this amazing train for free😎 #japantrip2023 #japantravelguide #japantraveltips #japanhiddengem #wisatajepang ♬ すずめ feat.十明 – RADWIMPS

For architectural wonders, ascend the Chiba Port Tower or ride the suspended monorail.

Don’t miss out on Chiba Shrine and the Chiba Zoological Park.

Travel Duration: From Tokyo Station, 55 minutes by JR Keiyo Line to Chiba-Minato Station. (map)

Navigational Tips: Direct trains.

Cost:  ¥690 (Keiyo Line).

 

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Realise your wine country dreams of grape-laden vines on an unusual day trip from Tokyo to Katsunuma.

Besides sake, Japan has been successfully producing wine since the Meiji Period in the 1800s, and despite the humidity, they are no less delectable!

Unveil the country’s wine-making heritage as you savour local vintages at tasting sessions, wander through vineyards and enjoy the hospitality and traditions of wineries like Budo no Oka.

Travel Duration: From Shinjuku Station, 2 hours by JR Chuo Line Limited Express to Katsunumabudokyo Station. (map)

Navigational Tips: Transfer at Otsuki Station.

Cost:  ¥2500+ (train).