Best Day Trips from Tokyo

Yokohama is the second largest city in Japan and has many great sightseeing spots to offer. The city is easy accessible from Tokyo within an 30 to 45min train ride. The Chinatown, Port of Yokohama and Minato Mirai are my must-see recommendations for you.

Mount Takao is one of Tokyo’s most popular day-trip destinations, offering beautiful nature, cultural sites, and panoramic views of Mt. Fuji and the city. Visitors can choose from six hiking trails or take a cable car or chair lift to the 599-meter summit. Along the way, sights like Yakuoin Temple, a monkey park, and peaceful forest paths make the climb especially rewarding.

A 2 hrs bus ride from Tokyo Shinjuku Station will bring you to the most popular national park in Japan. The beautiful scenery with lake Ashi and Mt. Fuji makes it my number 1 hiking area near Tokyo. Do not miss the scenic boat tour from Togendai to Hakonemachi or Moto-Hakone.

Kamakura, the former capital of Japan, has a more laid back atmosphere. Enjoy the great beach, numerous shrines and temples. A 1hr train ride from Tokyo will bring you to Kamakura. Appr. 19 million visitors a year enjoy this beautiful city.

Not many places in Japan offer the chance to experience the old-town atmosphere of the Edo period. Within the old Warehouse District (Kurazukuri) in Kawagoe, visitors can explore traditional Japanese architecture. These distinctive fireproof storehouses were once built only by wealthy merchants.

The prefecture is also known as Tokyo’s Secret Backyard and covers an area of more than 5156 square kilometers. One of its highlights is Mount Nokogiri, which rises to 329 meters. It is one of the three most famous mountains of Chiba, also called the Three Mountains of Boso.

Utsunomiya is the largest city in the northern Kanto area. It is also called - Gyoza Town - because it has more than 200 gyoza (pan-fried dumpling) restaurants throughout the city. This culinary fame has become a major tourist attraction and is one of the reasons many visitors come here.

Lake Kawaguchi is one of the Fuji Five Lakes in Yamanashi Prefecture. It is the second largest of the group, with a circumference of 21 kilometers and a maximum depth of 14.6 meters. The area sits 830 meters above sea level and is a very popular tourist destination with excellent infrastructure.

Mount Takao is one of Tokyo’s most popular day-trip destinations, offering beautiful nature, cultural sites, and panoramic views of Mt. Fuji and the city. Visitors can choose from six hiking trails or take a cable car or chair lift to the 599-meter summit. Along the way, sights like Yakuoin Temple, a monkey park, and peaceful forest paths make the climb especially rewarding.

Jogashima Island, just off the Miura Peninsula in Kanagawa Prefecture, is a small volcanic island known for its dramatic cliffs, ocean views, and fresh seafood. Visitors can enjoy stunning vistas of Mount Fuji, Sagami Bay, and the Izu Peninsula while exploring the two-hour coastal hiking trail. With its daffodil fields, observatories, and famous tuna markets, Jogashima is a perfect day-trip escape from Tokyo.