Tokyo presents something of a contradiction. On one hand, it’s the world’s largest city; you wouldn’t be wrong to state that you could spend a month here and still not see everything, or even close to it.
On the other hand, Tokyo is adjacent to some of the best day trip destinations in all of Japan. I often tell travelers to evenly divide their time between central Tokyo and the cities and towns just outside it. For example, with four days in Tokyo, you’ll only spend two exploring areas like Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza and Asakusa.
Which is not to say that day trips from Tokyo are a one-size-fits-all topic. In fact, while most travelers will want to visit Nikko, Kamakura or Mt. Fuji, options beyond this are as endless as the Tokyo skyline.
The Paradox of Tokyo Day Trips
No matter which Tokyo day trips appeal most to you, taking them will feel strange. After all, how on earth can you leave the world’s largest city behind, even for a day? This cognitive dissonance will be especially acute if it’s your first trip to Japan, and even worse if you’ve just landed in the country. You will have a visceral feeling that you might be missing out on something—do your best to ignore this.
Or rather, to re-frame it: The real FOMO is the fact that if you don’t get out of the city, you’re ceding one of the biggest benefits of traveling in Tokyo. Namely, that the wide variety of cities and towns accessible in just a day from the capital mean that it is multiple destinations in one. Only travelers who are bold enough to explore these satellite locations can understand Tokyo in its full context.
The Best Day Trips from Tokyo
Nikko
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Nikko is a top day trip from Tokyo, what with its 400-year old shrine and ancient cedars. However, one thing I learned a couple of falls ago is that Nikko is also a great overnight destination, whether you give yourself extra time to explore Tosho-gu, or instead to go “up” to Oku-Nikko for outdoor activities.
Kamakura
Another one of the most popular day trips from Tokyo is coastal Kamakura. One of Japan’s former capitals, this city is especially beautiful in June, when ajisai (hydrangeas) bloom at temples such as Meigetsu-in and Hase-dera, as well as for evergreen attractions like the Kotoku-in “Big Buddha.” Conveniently, Kamakura Station is just one hour from Tokyo Station.
TIP: If you visit Kamakura, there are lots of add-on trips including eclectic Enoshima island, vibrant Yokohama city and Zushi, which is home to Fujisan-facing Shin-Nase Beach.
Mt. Fuji
Speaking of Mt. Fuji, it makes a great day trip from Tokyo. In most cases, this entails visiting the Fuji Five Lakes region (and, more specifically, either Lakes Kawaguchi or Yamanaka) but could also entail the hot springs hub of Hakone, the Izu Peninsula, Miho-no-matsubara beach in Shimizu or Shizuoka city’s Nihondaira viewpoint. You can even visit Obuchi Sasaba, a tea plantation with views of the mountain.
Chiba
All of the most underrated day trips from Tokyo are to Chiba prefecture, which you probably only know (if you know it at all) from arriving at or departing from Narita Airport. Some of my favorite options (many of which can be visited in the same day if you rent a car) are Mt. Nokogiri, Tateyama Castle and City, the Edo-era canal town of Sawara, coastal Choshi and of course, Chiba City.
Kawagoe
Speaking of Edo, one last (but not final) Tokyo day trip is Kawagoe. Located in Saitama prefecture north of Tokyo, and accessible from Ikebukuro Station, Kawagoe is the least-exciting day trip from Tokyo, but also the easiest to execute on account of its small size. You can spice this option up if you visit in early December, and are able to watch the Chichibu Yomatsuri “night festival” as it unfolds.
How to Properly Proportion Your Tokyo Itinerary
As I referenced earlier in this post, I think a 1-to-1 ratio is perfect for a Tokyo trip. Meaning, that for every full day you spend in Tokyo, you can afford to spend a day outside of Tokyo. If you have five nights (but four full days) in Tokyo, you can take day trips to two destinations, in addition to having 48 full (but not necessarily contiguous) hours in the city center.
As far as how to think of day trips from Tokyo if you have an odd number of days? Well, this might surprise you, but I’d recommend erring on the side of less, not more. Meaning that if you have three days in Tokyo, it’s better just to take a single day trip. The alternative is spending more time outside Tokyo’s city limits than within them, which is a lopsided ration that I simply don’t think works very well.
Other FAQ About Tokyo Day Trips
Can I do a day trip to Tokyo from Mt. Fuji?
You can do a day trip from Tokyo to a vantage point for Mt. Fuji, be that in the Fuji Five Lakes region, Hakone or elsewhere in prefectures like Kanagawa, Shizuoka or Yamanashi. What I don’t advise is attempting to climb Mt. Fuji on a day trip from Tokyo, which can range from reckless to downright dangerous.
What city to combine with Tokyo?
Many travelers pick small cities and towns, such as Nikko, Kamakura or Kawagoe, to pair with Tokyo as a day trip destination. However, I also recommend thinking far outside the box, whether in purely rural destinations like Shin-Nase Beach in Zushi, Kanagawa, or in the sprawling, diverse prefecture of Chiba just to the east of central Tokyo.
Is Hakone a day trip from Tokyo?
You can absolutely see Hakone on a day trip from Tokyo. However, given that Hakone is known as a hot spring destination, you may instead want to stay overnight so that you can experience an onsen-ryokan, which is only partially enjoyable to day-trippers.
The Bottom Line
Not all of the best day trips from Tokyo are the most obvious ones. Some of them are, of course. Many travelers, for example, will want to visit Nikko or Kamakura, even if they don’t have time for both. On the other hand, there are almost countless options beyond this. An obvious one is to go somewhere with a fantastic view of Mt. Fuji; a less typical one is to explore Chiba prefecture, which most travelers visit only when arriving at or departing from Narita Airport. Want personalized help balancing out urban exploration in Tokyo with adventurous day trips? Consider commissioning a custom Japan itinerary!
