Day Trips From Tokyo

Aug 6th, 2009 | By | Category: Travel

I’m off to Kamakura in Kanagawa prefecture today – it’s just one of a few great day trips that can be made using Tokyo as a base.  Many of these places can be explored in a day but if you have time you may want to consider staying the night at a hotel or ryokan (traditional Japanese accommodations) and exploring at a slower pace over two days.

Kamakura is home to a number of beautiful temples and shrines with histories that date back centuries as well as beautiful beaches and a giant Buddha Statue know as Daibutsu.

Kamakura Great Buddha Daibutsu

Yokohama is also located in Kanagawa Prefecture and is home to one of the world’s largest Chinatown’s and a thoroughly modern port area, Minato Mirai, where you can shop, eat and get a great view of Yokohama Bay from the Ferris wheel or the Landmark Tower.

Mt. Fuji From Yokohama

Nikko is home to one of Japan’s UNESCO World heritage sites and is approximately a two hour train ride from Tokyo in Tochigi Prefecture.  See the elaborate carvings on the ancient shrines and escape the heat of a a Tokyo summer in the mountains of this stunning landlocked area.

Nikko Japan Toshogu Shrine

Kawagoe is located in Saitama Prefecture and is nicknamed “Little Edo”.  This town is famous for it’s traditional Japanese warehouses and a quaint old fashioned atmosphere.  You will find over 500 statues of Buddha on the grounds of the Kitain Temple and a candy lane where you can peruse and sample all sorts of Japanese candy.

kura warehouses Kawagoe Japan

If you want to be further afield be sure to peruse our regional Japan travel series for inspiration.  From north to south, Hokkaido to Okinawa, you will find great sights to add to your itinerary and events to plan your trip around – if you sample the foods of each area as you travel about hungry our companion regional foods of Japan will help you do just that!

Image Credit:  Flickr, Japan0105.15, Nikko – Toshogu, Mt. Fuji from Yokohama & Kura in Kawagoe

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3 comments
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  1. I have neve been to Kamakura but I hope to. I stayed at the Pan Pacific hotel in Yokohama once. That is the moon shaped building and it was amazing. I love nikko and go there every time I visit Japan. Everybody visiting Japan should make a trip there. I also enjoyed Kawagoe the one time a visited. I really liked the old wood buildings.

  2. […] still getting out and about - in the last few weeks I’ve visited Kamakura, one of many great day trips from Tokyo, shopped my way through Nippori and strolled through the Yanaka cemetery searching for an elusive […]

  3. Stunning pictures!

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