The best day trips from Tokyo for those on a budget
Get out of Tokyo for 1 day to 7 GORGEOUS nearby attractions
worth a side trip – Nature/culture/architecture!
Tokyo is great, I know. The majority of people who visit would agree as well, but have you ever tried exploring places outside of the city?
You might wonder what the best day trips from Tokyo are, well, there are plenty of attractions that are absolutely worth visiting near Tokyo.
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How about chilling at the beaches down south in Enoshima, or relaxing in a pleasurable onsen at Kusatsu?
Suppose you’re not a city person and don’t want to stay locked in your Tokyo Airbnb. Why not head to Hakone or Nikko to enjoy the beautiful nature and the local Japanese culture in an authentic rural town, with its beautiful shrines and an authentic-looking town?
There are many affordable destinations on the outskirts of Tokyo, and here, we’ll introduce some of our favorite spots!
This article is contributed by our friend Danny Kang! Danny moved to Tokyo in 2017 and has been living there ever since. While maintaining his full-time job, he has traveled all over Japan, from the winter island of Hokkaido to the tropical
beaches in Okinawa.
Cheap Day Trips from Tokyo in a Nutshell
- Kusatsu Onsen Village – [Great Onsen/Hot Spring near Tokyo]
- Yokohama – [Best Day Trip from Tokyo for Modern Architecture]
- Kawasaki – [Cool place near Tokyo for Vintage Videogame Fans]
- Hakone – [Simply the Best Day Trip from Tokyo – Great Views of Mt.Fuji]
- Kamakura – [Best for Traditional Houses and Buddhist Temples]
- Enoshima – [Top 1-Day Gateway to the Beach from Tokyo]
- Kawagoe – [Cheap Day Trip from Tokyo for Cultural Heritage]
- Tokorozawa – [Best Day Out of Tokyo for Miyazaki Anime Fans, Totoro]
- Nikko – [Best Tokyo Day Trip for Nature Lovers]
Kusatsu Onsen Village
[Great Onsen/Hot Spring near Tokyo]
3 hours (ÂĄ5,600) Takasaki Line (2 transfer) Akagi Limited Express; Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi station via bus
The Kusatsu Onsen Village is one of Japan’s most famous onsen (hot springs), where there are many resorts for tourists to stay for the weekend. The hot spring is about 1,200 meters above sea level in the mountains of Gunma Prefecture.
Locals say that the quality of the hot spring is so rich that it can help cure your sickness. Near Kusatsu is Mt. Shirane, where you can go hiking in the summer and winter sports in the winter.
To get to Kusatsu, you may have to transfer from train to bus, so it is a pretty long day trip from Tokyo. But once you get there, it’s worth the travel; the hot springs will take your fatigue away.
Yokohama
[Best Day Trip from Tokyo for Modern Architecture]
40 minutes (ÂĄ480) TĹŤkaidĹŤ Line
Yokohama, Japan’s original jazz city, is where you can find numerous places with entertainment. If you go towards Minatomirai, you can see the famous Red Brick Warehouse, where there’s a festival every month.
Speaking of themes, if you love theme parks, head down to Cosmo World, where you can play games, ride a disappearing rollercoaster, and much more! Next to the theme park is the cup of noodles museum, where you can make your own customized cup of noodles.
Yokohama also has Kanto’s biggest Chinatown, where you can have some authentic Chinese food, including Xiao Long Bao and Mabu Tofu.
Kawasaki
[Cool place near Tokyo for Vintage Videogame Fans]
20 minutes (ÂĄ310) TĹŤkaidĹŤ Line
On the way back to Tokyo from your day trip to Yokohama, you might as well stop by Kawasaki, too! Kawasaki is known for hosting many springtime festivals, including the Kanamara Festival and the Morimori Food Festival, so if you’re here in April, I recommend checking them out!
If you’re a fan of arcade games, then I highly suggest that you go to Dystopian Warehouse Amusement Arcade, where you can play Tekken, while the atmosphere feels like you’re in China, back in the 1950s. Seriously feels like you’re in a real-life Mortal Kombat scene.
Hakone
[Simply the Best Day Trip from Tokyo – Great Views of Mt.Fuji]
1 hour 30 minutes (ÂĄ1,840) TĹŤkaidĹŤ Line (1 transfer) Hakonetozan Line
Have you ever seen those Instagram photos of people next to a lake with a giant shrine by them? Well, it’s at Hakone, which is one of the best places to visit for natural beauty.
The only kicker is, you have to head to that shrine early in the morning, or else you’ll stumble upon a long line of people, trying to shoot the same photos as you.
If you want something alternative, why not visit the Open Air Museum? If you feel lazy, hot springs and a view of Lake Ashinoko and Mount Fuji are all you need.
Ultimately, an unmissable destination to be added to any Japan travel itinerary.
Kamakura
[Best for Traditional Houses and Buddhist Temples]
1 hour (ÂĄ940) Yokosuka Line
You know what’s cool? A Buddha statue, but do you know what’s even cooler? A bigger Buddha statue! Kamakura is known for its countless shrines and its giant Buddha statue, which is the second-largest monumental Buddha in Japan.
Check out the local restaurants and try shirasu, white sardines that can be eaten raw or cooked in a rice bowl. If you want to go to Kyoto but can’t afford it or run out of time, then Kamakura will give you that Kyoto-style vibe.Â
Enoshima
[Top 1-Day Gateway to the Beach from Tokyo]
1 hour 15 minutes (ÂĄ1,200) Yokosuka Line (1 transfer) Shonan Monorail
While you’re at Kamakura, why not head towards Enoshima, since they are both next to each other? As a person who used to live in Southern California, I always miss kicking it at the beach.
Enoshima, however, reminds me a little bit of home, a relaxing spot to take your kids or your girlfriend/boyfriend to the beach. Hey, if you have time, take a trip to the bridge that takes you to another island. Over there, you can find dwelling caves, plenty of shrines, and an observation tower.
Kawagoe
[Cheap Day Trip from Tokyo for Cultural Heritage]
1 hour (ÂĄ680) Yamanote Line (1 transfer) Tobu-Tojo Line
Now, let’s focus on Saitama prefecture, which lies north of Tokyo. The best suggestion for a day trip out of Tokyo in this area is to visit Kawagoe, the heart of Saitama, where there are many historical buildings and cultural heritage throughout the city.
Local streets offer fantastic food and fascinating architecture built long ago. Also notable for sweet potatoes, which are sold everywhere in Kawagoe. Kawagoe and its temples are also picturesque locations to admire the famous Japanese cherry blossom.
Tokorozawa
[Best Day Out of Tokyo for Miyazaki Anime Fans, Totoro]
45 minutes (ÂĄ550) Marunouchi Line (1 transfer) Ikebukuro Line
Have you ever watched Ghibli’s famous film called Totoro? Well, this city was inspired by such a fantastic anime. Tokorozawa is a small town, based in Saitama, also known for its big department stores across the whole shopping street named Prope.
Tokorozawa has many historical museums, such as the Japanese Aviation, where it displays multiple aircraft and goes into detail about the history of planes—one of the best alternative day trips from Tokyo.
Nikko
[Best Tokyo Day Trip for Nature Lovers]
2 hours (ÂĄ3000) Nikko-Kinugawa Line from Asakusa Station
Nikko is one of the best places near Tokyo for nature spots. There’s a big lake called Chuzenji Lake, where you can relax and take in the serene atmosphere.
Conversely, you can take the ferry boat across the lake to see the roaring Ryuzu Falls. To the north is Nikko’s most symbolic Kinugawa River. The river runs through various canyons, carving a gorgeous landscape.
One of the most popular experiences here is to stay at a ryokan and enjoy a relaxing outdoor onsen by the river.
Alternatively, if you want a quick day trip to an onsen, you can do so at Yunishigawa Onsen Station. There are also other attractions in Nikko, such as Tobu World Square, which features detailed figure exhibits of famous landmarks around the world.
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