Best Day Trips from Tokyo: Nikko, Kamakura, Hakone and Yokohama
The Great Buddha of Kamakura was never meant to sit outside. When it was cast in the 1250s, the 13-meter bronze statue lived inside a wooden hall. Storms damaged that hall more than once, and after a tsunami in 1498 it was never rebuilt. The Buddha has been sitting in the open air for more than five centuries, and that is probably why it looks so good in photos.
That is the kind of thing you find an hour or two from Tokyo. Four classic day trips compete for the same free day on your itinerary: Nikko, Kamakura, Hakone and Yokohama. They are very different, and picking the wrong one can turn a great day into a long train ride. Here is how to choose, how to get there and what to skip.
Quick Comparison
| Destination | From Tokyo | Round trip (approx.) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nikko | 1 h 50 min to 2 h | 3,000 to 6,000 yen | Ornate shrines, forests, waterfalls |
| Kamakura | About 1 h | Under 2,000 yen | Temples, the Great Buddha, beach town vibe |
| Hakone | About 1 h 30 min | 8,000 to 10,000 yen with pass | Mount Fuji views, volcanic valley, onsen |
| Yokohama | 25 to 35 min | Under 1,000 yen | Easy half day, Chinatown, waterfront |
Prices are rough estimates for 2026. Fares in Japan change, so check before you buy.
Nikko: Gold, Carvings and Mountain Air
There is an old Japanese saying: "Don't say kekko (magnificent) until you have seen Nikko." The reason is Toshogu, the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the shogun who unified Japan in 1603. His grandson rebuilt it in the 1630s with gold leaf, lacquer and thousands of carvings, including the famous three wise monkeys and the sleeping cat that guards the path to Ieyasu's tomb.
Getting there: The easiest route is the Tobu limited express (Spacia X or Revaty) from Asakusa to Tobu-Nikko, about 1 hour 50 minutes. With a Japan Rail Pass, take the Tohoku Shinkansen to Utsunomiya and change to the JR Nikko Line (about 2 hours in total). Tobu also sells NIKKO PASS tickets that bundle the train and local buses; compare the price with a simple round trip before buying.
On the ground: From the station it is a 30 to 40 minute walk (or a short bus ride) to the Shinkyo Bridge and the shrine area. Toshogu admission is around 1,300 yen for adults, with the inner area around Ieyasu's tomb included. Add Rinnoji and Futarasan Shrine next door. If you have energy left, a bus climbs the 48 hairpin bends of the Irohazaka road to Kegon Falls and Lake Chuzenji, about 45 minutes each way.
Tips: Nikko is the farthest of the four, so leave Tokyo by 8 a.m. Autumn leaves (mid-October at the lake, early November in town) bring heavy traffic on the mountain road. It is also several degrees colder than Tokyo.
Trevurs has a free audio tour here: "Nikko: the Mausoleum That Turned a Shogun Into a God".
Kamakura: The Samurai Capital by the Sea
From 1192 to 1333, Kamakura was the seat of Japan's first shogunate, the moment the samurai took real power away from the imperial court in Kyoto. Today it is a relaxed seaside town packed with temples, and the easiest of these day trips for first-timers.
Getting there: The JR Yokosuka Line runs direct from Tokyo Station to Kamakura in about an hour, for under 1,000 yen each way. From Shinjuku, the Shonan-Shinjuku Line takes a similar time. Odakyu sells an Enoshima-Kamakura Freepass (around 1,640 yen from Shinjuku) that includes the round trip and unlimited rides on the Enoden line.
Suggested route: Get off one stop early at Kita-Kamakura for the Zen temples of Engaku-ji and Kencho-ji, then walk 20 minutes to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, the shrine at the heart of the old capital. Grab lunch on Komachi-dori, then ride the little Enoden train three stops to Hase. The Great Buddha (Kotoku-in) costs about 300 yen, plus around 50 yen to step inside the hollow statue. Nearby Hase-dera (around 400 yen) has views over the bay. The Enoden one-day pass costs about 800 yen and pays off if you continue to Enoshima.
Tips: Weekends and the June hydrangea season get very crowded; Komachi-dori can feel like a rush-hour platform. Go on a weekday and start early.
Before you go, download "Kamakura: the City Where the Samurai Took Power From the Emperor" on Trevurs.
Hakone: Mount Fuji, Volcanoes and Hot Springs
Hakone is less about one site and more about a loop: train, cable car, ropeway, boat and bus, all with a volcano in the middle and, if you are lucky, Mount Fuji on the horizon.
Getting there: Odakyu's Romancecar goes from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto in about 85 minutes. The Hakone Freepass covers the round trip from Shinjuku plus almost every local transport. Since Odakyu's October 2025 fare change it costs about 7,100 yen for 2 days (there is no 1-day version), and the Romancecar seat is an extra supplement of around 1,200 yen each way.
The classic loop: Hakone Tozan Railway (it climbs the mountain with switchbacks) to Gora, cable car to Sounzan, then the Hakone Ropeway over Owakudani, a steaming volcanic valley where eggs boiled in the hot springs turn black. Legend says each one adds seven years to your life. Continue to Lake Ashi and cross it on the replica pirate ship to Hakone-machi or Moto-Hakone. From there walk to the Hakone Checkpoint, where Edo-period guards inspected every traveler on the Tokaido road, and the cedar avenue next to it.
Tips: Fuji is most visible on clear mornings from November to February; in summer it often hides behind clouds all day. The ropeway sometimes closes when volcanic gas levels rise, so check its status that morning. Hakone works as a day trip, but it is much better with one night in a ryokan with an onsen.
The Trevurs tour "Hakone: Mount Fuji, the Tokaido and the Barrier That Watched the Shogun's Travellers" covers the checkpoint and the old road.
Yokohama: The Easy Win
Yokohama was a small fishing village until 1859, when Japan, pressured by Commodore Perry's black ships, opened it to foreign trade. It quickly became the country's window to the West, and that history is still visible in its waterfront and its Chinatown.
Getting there: The Tokyu Toyoko Line from Shibuya runs straight through to the Minatomirai Line, reaching Motomachi-Chukagai in about 35 minutes. JR trains from Tokyo Station reach Yokohama or Sakuragicho in around 30 minutes. A Suica or Pasmo card is all you need.
What to do: Walk Chinatown (the largest in Japan), Yamashita Park and the ocean liner Hikawa Maru, the Red Brick Warehouse and Minato Mirai. For a quieter side, visit Sankeien Garden.
Tips: Yokohama needs only half a day and looks best at dusk, when the waterfront lights up. Because the JR Yokosuka Line passes through it, you can even pair it with Kamakura on the way back.
Trevurs has "Yokohama: the Fishing Village Japan Handed to the West", a walk through the port that opened Japan.
Which One Should You Choose?
- One day, first trip to Japan: Kamakura. Short ride, lots of variety, low cost.
- You love architecture and history: Nikko. Nothing in Tokyo looks like Toshogu.
- You want Fuji and nature: Hakone, ideally with a night in an onsen town.
- Jet-lagged or short on time: Yokohama, as an afternoon and evening plan.
Do You Need a Japan Rail Pass?
Almost certainly not for these trips alone. The 7-day JR Pass costs 50,000 yen, far more than any combination of these round trips. Hakone and Kamakura are cheaper with Odakyu passes, Nikko is faster on Tobu, and Yokohama costs a few hundred yen with an IC card. The JR Pass only makes sense if you are also traveling to Kyoto, Osaka or beyond.
Explore Tokyo's Day Trips with Trevurs
Each of these places has a free, self-guided audio tour in the Trevurs app: "Nikko: the Mausoleum That Turned a Shogun Into a God", "Kamakura: the City Where the Samurai Took Power From the Emperor", "Hakone: Mount Fuji, the Tokaido and the Barrier That Watched the Shogun's Travellers" and "Yokohama: the Fishing Village Japan Handed to the West". Download them on Tokyo Wi-Fi before you leave; they work offline, so you will have the full story even in the mountains.
