Best Day Trips from Tokyo by Train: Which One to Pick

Why pick each one

1. 

   1 · Mt. Fuji up close

   Lake Kawaguchi

   1 h 35 min by direct bus from Shinjuku, no transfers, from ¥2,200 one way. Last direct ride back: 20:15 on weekdays.

   The Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway climbs Mt. Tenjo in three minutes, and the top station looks out over Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi. On the lake, Appare is a Japanese-style sightseeing boat.

   Sources: ～河口湖～ 富士山パノラマロープウェイ 公式サイト（アクセス） · 河口湖遊覧船「天晴」公式サイト（アクセス情報）

2. 

   2 · Lake Ashi and Fuji views

   Hakone Lake Ashi (Togendai)

   2 h 25 min by direct bus from Shinjuku, no transfers, from ¥2,560 one way. Last direct ride back: 17:55 on weekdays.

   Lake Ashi is the caldera lake of the Hakone volcano. From Togendai, at its north end, the Hakone Ropeway looks out over the lake and Mt. Fuji, and the sightseeing cruise boats leave from the same building as the bus stop.

   Sources: 箱根ナビ（箱根登山電車・ロープウェイ・海賊船・登山バス公式サイト）箱根海賊船 · 箱根ナビ 桃源台｜時刻表・のりば · 箱根ナビ 桃源台｜時刻表・のりば

3. 

   3 · Onsen town, the easy way

   Hakone-Yumoto

   1 h 24 min by direct train from Shinjuku, no transfers, from ¥2,470 one way. Last direct ride back: 19:50 on weekdays.

   The gateway of Hakone. The town grew up as the temple town of Soun-ji, and the Hakone Town Local Museum tells its story through two themes: hot springs and the old road.

   “Most visitors pass through Hakone-Yumoto on the way up the mountain. Stop instead.”

   From my trip report: Hakone-Yumoto Overnight →

   Sources: 箱根湯本でみる・体験する【公式】観光協会 早雲寺 · 箱根湯本でみる・体験する【公式】観光協会 箱根町立郷土資料館

4. 

   4 · A famous hot-spring town

   Kusatsu Onsen

   3 h 53 min by direct bus from Shinjuku, no transfers, from ¥3,700 one way. Last direct ride back: 17:30 on weekdays.

   Yubatake, the symbol of the town, pours out about 4,000 liters of spring water a minute. Netsunoyu nearby stages yumomi (water-stirring) and dance shows, and Sainokawara Park has hot water welling up all over, lit up at night. The longest ride on this list, so start early.

   Sources: 湯Love草津（草津温泉観光協会公式サイト） · 草津温泉 熱乃湯 公式サイト（アクセス） · 湯Love草津（草津温泉観光協会公式サイト、西の河原公園）

5. 

   5 · Grand shrines

   Nikko

   1 h 57 min by direct train from Shinjuku, no transfers, from ¥4,140 one way. Last direct ride back: 16:38 on weekdays.

   Nikko Toshogu enshrines Tokugawa Ieyasu, with 55 buildings, eight of them National Treasures. Also here: Shinkyo, a vermilion bridge 28 meters long.

   Sources: 日光市観光協会公式サイト visitnikko.jp（Nikko Toshogu Shrine） · 日光市観光協会公式サイト visitnikko.jp（Shinkyo Bridge）

6. 

   6 · Zen temples and bamboo

   Kamakura

   55 min by direct train from Tokyo Station, no transfers, from ≈¥1,040 one way. Last direct ride back: 23:07 on weekdays.

   Tsurugaoka Hachimangu stands at the center of town. Kenchoji ranks first among Kamakura's five great Zen temples, and Hokokuji is known for its garden of about 2,000 moso bamboo.

   Sources: アクセス｜鶴岡八幡宮公式サイト · アクセス｜建長寺公式サイト · アクセス｜報国寺公式サイト

7. 

   7 · Old Edo streets

   Kawagoe

   45 min by direct train from Shinjuku, no transfers, from ¥600 one way. Last direct ride back: 23:04 on weekdays.

   Kurazukuri Street keeps over 30 clay-walled storehouse buildings and is a protected historic townscape. The Toki no Kane bell tower stands about 16 meters tall, and Kashiya Yokocho is a lane of old-style candy shops.

   “Many of the old-town shops close around 5 pm, and the street looks completely different after dark.”

   From my trip report: Kawagoe Overnight →

   Sources: 小江戸川越観光協会 スポット情報（一番街） · 川越市公式サイト（時の鐘） · 小江戸川越観光協会 スポット情報（菓子屋横丁）

8. 

   8 · An island by the sea

   Enoshima (Katase-Enoshima)

   1 h 5 min by direct train from Shinjuku, no transfers, from ¥1,400 one way. Last direct ride back: 19:39 on weekdays.

   Enoshima Aquarium shows the sea life of Sagami Bay and is known for its dolphin shows. On the island, Enoshima Shrine dates from 1206, and the Samuel Cocking Garden has a lookout lighthouse.

   Sources: 新江ノ島水族館 公式サイト（アクセス） · 江島神社 公式サイト（アクセス） · 江の島シーキャンドル／江の島サムエル・コッキング苑 公式サイト（アクセス）

9. 

   9 · A mountain within an hour

   Takaosanguchi

   46 min by direct train from Shinjuku, no transfers, from ¥430 one way. Last direct ride back: 21:01 on weekdays.

   The Mt. Takao cable car climbs the steepest grade of any in Japan, 31 degrees 18 minutes, or take the chairlift. On the mountain is Yakuo-in, a head temple of the Shingon Buddhist Chizan school.

   Sources: 交通アクセス｜高尾登山電鉄公式サイト · 交通のご案内｜高尾山薬王院公式ホームページ

10. 

    10 · Early plums and an ancient tree

    Atami

    1 h 17 min by direct train from Tokyo Station, no transfers, from ≈¥2,090 one way. Last direct ride back: 22:09 on weekdays.

    Kinomiya Shrine has a sacred camphor tree over 2,000 years old and about 24 meters around. Atami Plum Garden, opened in 1886, is known for the earliest-blooming plums in Japan.

    Sources: 熱海 來宮神社 公式サイト（アクセス・交通） · 熱海市公式ウェブサイト（施設案内 梅園）

11. 

    11 · Outlet shopping and a pond

    Karuizawa

    3 h 3 min by direct bus from Shinjuku, no transfers, from ¥2,400 one way. Last direct ride back: 17:30 on weekdays.

    Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza, one of the largest outlet malls in Japan, spreads out from the station's south exit. Kumoba Pond, nicknamed "Swan Lake," is the town's best-known view.

    Sources: 軽井沢・プリンスショッピングプラザ 公式サイト · 軽井沢観光協会 公式サイト（スポット紹介：雲場池）

12. 

    12 · Harbor walk and Chinatown

    Yokohama

    26 min by direct train from Tokyo Station, no transfers, from ≈¥530 one way. Last direct ride back: 23:22 on weekdays.

    The closest trip on this list, with trains back late into the night. Yokohama Chinatown is one of the largest in Japan, with about 600 restaurants and shops.

    “Every time I go, I just walk that stretch of waterfront and leave happy.”

    From my trip report: Yokohama Solo →

    Sources: アクセス｜横浜中華街発展会協同組合公式サイト

FAQ

Weekday timetables, checked on each operator's official site (2026-09-30; private-railway express and local trains 2026-10-26).