7 best day trips from Tokyo

Day trips compared

The day trips

50 km · About 1 hour by train

1.Kamakura

The seaside former capital has the 13-metre bronze Great Buddha at Kotoku-in, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine and dozens of Zen temples in wooded hills. In summer Yuigahama beach is a short walk from town, and the Enoden railway continues along the coast to Enoshima island.

Getting there

JR Yokosuka line from Tokyo Station or Shinagawa

Best for

Culture, Beach, Families

90 km · About 1 hour 30 minutes by train

2.Hakone

A mountain resort of hot springs, ryokan inns and lake views of Mount Fuji. A loop by mountain railway, cable car, ropeway over the volcanic Owakudani valley (when volcanic activity allows) and sightseeing boat across Lake Ashi fills a day, though an overnight ryokan stay is better.

Getting there

Odakyu Romancecar from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto

Best for

Couples, Culture, Quiet stays

125 km · About 2 hours by train

3.Nikko

The richly carved and gilded Toshogu shrine, mausoleum of the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, stands among giant cedars in a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The red Shinkyo bridge, Kegon Falls and Lake Chuzenji in the mountains above make a long day or an overnight trip.

Getting there

Tobu limited express from Asakusa, or shinkansen and JR via Utsunomiya

Best for

Culture, First-timers, Quiet stays

100 km · About 2 hours by bus or train

4.Lake Kawaguchiko and Mount Fuji

The main town of the Fuji Five Lakes has classic views of Mount Fuji across the water and, nearby, the Chureito Pagoda with Fuji rising behind it. The mountain is often hidden by cloud, especially in summer, so check the forecast before you go.

Getting there

Express bus from Shinjuku, or train via Otsuki on the Fuji Kyuko line

Best for

First-timers, Couples, Quiet stays

30 km · About 30 minutes by train

5.Yokohama

Japan's second-largest city has the country's largest Chinatown, the Minato Mirai waterfront with the Cup Noodles Museum, the red-brick warehouses on the harbour and the traditional Sankeien garden.

Getting there

JR lines from Tokyo Station, or the Tokyu Toyoko line from Shibuya

Best for

Families, Food lovers

40 km · About 30–60 minutes by train

6.Kawagoe

Nicknamed 'Little Edo', Kawagoe has a street of clay-walled kurazukuri merchant houses, the wooden Toki no Kane bell tower and Kashiya Yokocho, a lane of old-fashioned sweet shops.

Getting there

Tobu Tojo line from Ikebukuro, or Seibu line from Seibu-Shinjuku

Best for

Culture, Families, Quiet stays

15 km · About 15 minutes by train from Tokyo Station

7.Tokyo Disney Resort

Two parks, Tokyo Disneyland and the nautical-themed Tokyo DisneySea, sit on the bay in Urayasu. DisneySea's Fantasy Springs area opened in 2024, and both parks are busiest at weekends and in Japanese school holidays.

Getting there

JR Keiyo line to Maihama

Best for

Families

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Check the exit number before you surface; at big stations the wrong exit can add 10 minutes on foot.
• Buses fill the gaps between rail lines; in central Tokyo most Toei buses charge a flat fare, paid with your IC card when boarding at the front.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask