Best Day Trips from Tokyo

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Researched guide · Checked on Oct 22, 2026

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Mountains, hot springs, the sea and old towns are all within about two hours of Tokyo by train. Here are the best day trips from Tokyo, with how to get there and how long it takes, so you can pick the right one for your trip. Each one links to our full guide.

Day trips from Tokyo at a glance

Day trip	Good for	Getting there	Time needed
Kamakura	Great Buddha, temples, the sea	JR Yokosuka Line from Tokyo Station, about 1 hour	Full day
Hakone	Mountains, hot springs, Lake Ashi	Odakyu Romancecar from Shinjuku, or the Shinkansen to Odawara	Full day
Mt. Fuji (Lake Kawaguchi)	Mt. Fuji views, Chureito Pagoda	Fuji Excursion from Shinjuku, about 2 hours, or a highway bus	Full day
Nikko	World Heritage shrines and temples	Tobu limited express from Asakusa, about 2 hours	Full day
Yokohama	Chinatown, waterfront, food	Tokyu Toyoko Line from Shibuya, about 35 minutes by limited express	Half to full day
Kawagoe	Old merchant streets, snacks	Tobu Tojo Line from Ikebukuro, about 30 minutes by express	Half to full day
Enoshima	Island, shrines, sea views	Odakyu Line from Shinjuku to Katase-Enoshima	Half to full day
Mt. Takao	Easy hiking, Yakuoin Temple	Keio Line from Shinjuku to Takaosanguchi	Half to full day
Atami	Hot springs, seaside town	Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo Station, about 50 minutes	Full day
Karuizawa	Cool highlands, shopping	Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station, about 1 hour 10 minutes	Full day
Chichibu	Mountains, flowers, festivals	Seibu Laview from Ikebukuro, about 77 minutes	Full day

Times are the fastest usual train from the station named. Check the timetable for your date before you go.

Best for history: Kamakura and Nikko

Kamakura was once Japan’s capital. The JR Yokosuka Line runs from Tokyo Station to Kamakura in about an hour with no change. See the Great Buddha, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu and Hase-dera, and add Enoshima by the small Enoden train.

Nikko is a mountain town north of Tokyo, famous for the richly decorated shrines and temples that are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tobu limited express trains such as the SPACIA X run from Asakusa to Tobu-Nikko in about two hours, with reserved seats. Leave early.

Best for Mt. Fuji: Lake Kawaguchi and Hakone

For the classic view of Mt. Fuji, go to Lake Kawaguchi. The Fuji Excursion limited express runs directly from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko Station in about two hours. All seats are reserved and it sells out on busy days, so book early. Highway buses also run from Shinjuku.

Hakone has mountains, hot springs and Lake Ashi. A loop by mountain train, cable car, ropeway and boat fits in one long day. Take the Odakyu Romancecar from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto, or the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Odawara.

Can’t decide between the two? See Kamakura vs Hakone for a side-by-side comparison.

Mt. Fuji is often hidden by clouds. Clear mornings and the colder months give the best chance to see it.

Prefer a guided tour? A bus tour is the easiest way to see Mt. Fuji in a day without planning trains. The most-booked Mt. Fuji day tour on Klook when we checked meets at Tokyo Station or Shinjuku in the morning and visits Chureito Pagoda, Oshino Hakkai and Lake Kawaguchi. We compare five tours in Mt. Fuji day tours from Tokyo.

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Best short trips: Yokohama, Kawagoe and Mt. Takao

• Yokohama: Chinatown, the harbor and Minato Mirai. A limited express on the Tokyu Toyoko Line from Shibuya takes about 35 minutes to Motomachi-Chukagai.
• Kawagoe: old merchant streets, a bell tower and a candy alley. About 30 minutes from Ikebukuro by express on the Tobu Tojo Line.
• Mt. Takao: an easy mountain with trails to the summit past Yakuoin Temple. Take the Keio Line from Shinjuku to Takaosanguchi, then walk or ride the cable car.

Best for hot springs: Atami, Hakone and more

Atami is a seaside hot spring town about 50 minutes from Tokyo Station by Shinkansen. Hakone also has many hot springs. For more onsen towns, see Kusatsu, Kinugawa and Ikaho, and read our onsen etiquette guide before you go.

Choosing between hot spring towns? We compare seven of them, from Atami to Kusatsu, in onsen towns near Tokyo.

Tips for day trips from Tokyo

• Leave early. Popular places get busy by late morning, and you get more daylight.
• Book reserved seats. The Fuji Excursion, Romancecar and Tobu limited express trains can sell out on weekends and holidays.
• Check passes. Area passes such as the Hakone Freepass can save money. See our Japan Rail Pass and transport pass guides.
• Prefer a tour? Guided tours handle the transport for you, which helps for Mt. Fuji and Nikko.

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