5 Fun & Easy Tokyo Day Trips You Can Plan Yourself!

When we were planning our trip to Japan, we decided to dedicate one whole month to Tokyo. This was in part because we knew there was so much to see and do around the city, but also because we wanted to plan some fun and easy Tokyo day trips. The idea was to use the city as a base to explore some nearby destinations without necessarily having to pack up our bags and switch accommodations every few nights. Today, I’m going to highlight 5 of the trips Sam and I went on, so let’s dive in!

Fun & Easy Tokyo Day Trips

Odaiba

A day trip in search of robots

This was by far the closest and easiest day trip from Tokyo, but it just goes to show that you don’t always have to go far to be wowed by a place.

Odaiba is a large artificial island in Tokyo Bay and we knew to expect futuristic constructions and lots of shopping malls, but what we weren’t expecting were robots – lots and lots of robots!

First, we came across Junco Chihira, an interactive android inside Aqua City Shopping Complex that looks just like a human. Junco works the information desk at the mall and is trilingual, speaking Japanese, Chinese and English! She can answer any queries pertaining to transport access, tourist information and restaurants, but most people around the info desk were really there to snap photos of her – ourselves included!

Next, we came face to face with Unicorn Gundam, a massive 20-meter robot that stands guard outside DiverCity. Gundam is a fictional robot from an anime series and undergoes a transformation a few times a day, changing from Unicorn Mode to Destroy Mode. I can’t say I had heard of Gundam before coming to Japan, but it was still pretty cool to see him; it felt like I was in the movie Transformers.

Last but not least, we can’t forget about Asimo, a humanoid robot housed in the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation. We watched him give a demonstration of his skills and were pretty amazed. He walked, hopped on one foot, played football, and pretty much won the crowd over.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to robots in Odaiba; there were plenty more to interact with at the museum I mentioned earlier, so if you’re looking to come face to face with robots, Odaiba is an ideal day trip.

Distance from Tokyo: 17 kilometres

Yokohama

A day trip in search of street food

We travelled to Yokohama for food and food alone, and this turned out to be a great decision! Yokohama is home to the largest Chinatown in all of Japan and Asia, and we were spoilt for choice when it came to street food.

We wasted no time hitting up the main pedestrian street where we sampled things like steamed buns stuffed with sweet beef and caramelized onions, shrimp and pork dumplings, sesame balls, egg tarts, bubble tea, and cute panda-shaped buns, just to name a few.

Aside from all the street food on offer, Yokohama Chinatown also had an abundance of restaurants ranging from open buffet to a la carte and budget eats to fine dining. We ended up finding a little restaurant on a small side lane where we ordered a spicy ramen soup and mapo tofu with rice.

We left Yokohama feeling stuffed beyond belief, yet knowing we had sampled a mere fraction of what this place has to offer.

Distance from Tokyo: 40 kilometres

Kamakura

A day trip in search of temples

Our day trip to Kamakura was all about exploring this coastal city’s shrines and temples – quite the tall order when you take into account the fact that Kamakura is home to 65 temples and 19 shrines, some of which date as far back as the 8th century! Since we only had one day in Kamakura, we decided to focus on just 3 attractions.

First up, we visited Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu, a Shinto shrine that is dedicated to Hachiman, the patron god of samurais. This temple was a short walk from the train station and we enjoyed getting to stroll the grounds where we came face to face with a massive wall of sake offerings.

From there, we continued on to Kotoku-in, a temple that’s home to the second-largest Buddha in all of Japan. It stands 11.4 meters tall and since it’s hollow inside, it’s open to visitors, though we opted out since we were visiting Japan in the middle of summer!

The third temple we visited was Hasedera, most famous for its eleven-headed statue of the Goddess of Mercy, though we were most impressed by the Benzaiten Grotto, which was basically a long cave with carvings and statues that adorned its walls.

In between all the shrine and temple hopping, we also managed to walk the full length of Komachi-dori; this is a pedestrian street that is lined with small restaurants, cafes, and street vendors serving up delicious street food, so we sampled some of the local eats.

Distance from Tokyo: 55 kilometres

Mount Takao

A day trip in search of nature

As much as we enjoyed Tokyo, towards the end of our stay we were craving some time closer to nature and Mount Takao proved to be the perfect escape. Located just 1 hour away from Tokyo, Mount Takao felt worlds away from the city’s rapid pace.

Some of the highlights from this day trip included feasting on soba noodles at a little restaurant at the base of the mountain, strolling through a cedar-lined path on our way to visit the main temple, and sampling lots of street food from the vendors that line the mountain path. A quick heads up: you won’t go hungry on Mount Takao!

This was a really fun day trip from Tokyo and I would say it’s a great option even for non-hikers. Mount Takao stands 599 meters tall, but there are a few different ways to get halfway up the mountain including a funicular (the steepest in all of Japan) and a chair lift. From there, the “hike” to the top is actually a very light stroll with only a few sets of stairs along the way.

Distance from Tokyo: 50 kilometres

Nikko

A day trip in search of culture

So technically Sam and I spent a few days in Nikko, but since it’s a popular day trip from Tokyo, I decided to include it on this list.

Nikko is a small city, that really feels more like a town, and it is best known for its Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples scattered in the forest – a few of which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Some of the main attractions in Nikko include Tosho-gu, a shrine dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu who was the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate; the Shinkyo Bridge, which legend says was formed by two big snakes intertwining to allow passage across the river; and Rinno-ji, a temple with elaborate wood carvings that also houses gilded wooden Buddha statues.

A day trip to Nikko might be a bit rushed to venture further afield and cruise on Lake Chuzenji, marvel at Kegon Falls, or unwind at Kinugawa Onsen, but there is plenty to enjoy in the town.

This is by far the furthest Tokyo day trip I’ve listed, so if you want to maximize your time, it’s best to start early. You can always nap on the train, but don’t miss the final approach into the Nikko where you’ll be treated to stunning forest and mountain views.

Distance from Tokyo: 149 kilometres

Of course, there are only so many day trips we could squeeze into our 1-month stay, so feel free to chime in the comments if you have any other suggestions of fun and easy Tokyo day trips to add to this list!

How to Plan a DIY Day Trip from Tokyo

Spending a month in Tokyo gives you the luxury of time. But even travellers on a shorter itinerary can steal a slice of the capital’s out-of-town magic. The secret is preparation: trains run like clockwork, but routes, tickets and local etiquette can still trip up first-timers. Below you’ll find the nitty-gritty we wish we’d known before swiping our Suica cards and dashing for the platform.

Choose the Right Rail Pass (or None at All)

* Prices as of spring 2024. Always check latest fares.

Rule of thumb:
If your round-trip JR ticket will exceed ~4,000 yen, investigate a regional pass. Otherwise, stick with your Suica/Pasmo and avoid the admin.

Master the Departure Dance at Tokyo Stations

• Arrive 15 minutes early. Even locals need a minute to navigate the maze of exits, ticket gates and convenience-store detours.
• Grab ekiben (station bento). Try yakitori onigiri at Shinjuku for Mount Takao or gyoza sandwiches at Ueno for Nikko. Platform kiosks accept IC cards.
• Car numbers matter. Limited-express services (e.g., JR Nikko, Odakyu Romancecar) have reserved seating. Your carriage and seat are printed on the ticket—stand by the corresponding floor marker.
• Mind the Green Car. On local JR lines to Yokohama you’ll spot two-storey “Green Cars”. These cost extra; if you sit down without tapping a Green Car reader you’ll be charged a hefty onboard fee.

Timing Your Trip: Crowds vs. Seasons

Hot tip: Odaiba and Yokohama Chinatown shine on rainy days because most attractions are indoors. Save Mount Takao and Kamakura for blue-sky forecasts.

Pack Like a Day-Trip Pro

• Layer up: trains blast heat in winter and AC in summer. A light jacket or cardigan balances both extremes.
• Cash stash: many rural snack stalls (Takao dango, Nikko yuba katsu) still operate on a cash-only basis. 5,000 yen in small coins/notes is plenty.
• Portable battery + pocket Wi-Fi: Google Maps works offline, but real-time train apps (NAVITIME, Jorudan) make platform changes painless.
• Reusable bag: Japan is phasing out free plastic; helpful for takeaway treats and temple souvenirs.
• Emergency coin locker coin: most lockers now accept IC cards, but a 100-yen backup coin can save the day.

Respectful Tourism 101

• Shrine & Temple Etiquette – Remove hats, silence phones, bow once at torii gates, and never film prayer rituals without permission.
• Restaurant Lines – In Yokohama and Kamakura, queues form neatly on pavement markers. Leave a gap so pedestrians can pass.
• Nature Paths – On Mount Takao the cedar-root trails are fragile; stick to marked paths to prevent erosion.
• Noise level – Trains are “quiet zones”; take phone calls in vestibules or wait until you disembark.

Sample One-Day Itineraries With Timetables

Kamakura “Culture & Coast” Loop

Mount Takao “Temple & Trail” Escape

Flex option: swap brewery for onsen at Keio Takaosan Onsen Gokurakuyu (towels 200 ¥).

Food Souvenirs Worth Lugging Home

• Tokyo Banana “Caramel Custard” (Odaiba Aqua City flagship) – seasonal box sells out on weekends.
• Yokohama “Banana Cake” – yes, banana again! Fluffy sponge found at Chinatown’s Rouishin bakery.
• Kamakura Hato Sablé – dove-shaped butter cookie dating back to 1897. Buy at Toshimaya near station.
• Takao Tengu Pepper – tiny bottled spice blend, earthy and citrusy; pick up at temple stalls.
• Nikko Yuba Maki – dried tofu-skin rolls, a Buddhist delicacy—lightweight but gourmet.

When Things Go Wrong (And How to Fix Them)

• Missed last train? Major hubs like Yokohama and Hachioji run until ~midnight, but Nikko’s final Limited Express leaves before 18:00 some days. In a pinch, book a capsule hotel inside JR Ueno or Shinjuku station via the S.Ride app while en-route.
• Lost item on JR? Speak to the station master before you exit the gate. Provide train line, car number, object colour. Retrieval success rates are astonishingly high.
• Sudden rainstorm on Takao? Vending machines at the trailhead sell ¥400 ponchos. Boots muddy? Stations offer disposable shoe wipes.

Tokyo’s orbit is dotted with pocket-sized worlds. Happy day-tripping!

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