Travel Japan: 4 Perfect side trips to take when visiting Tokyo

Japan 101: 4 Perfect side trips to take when visiting Tokyo

Angela Goh

27 Feb 2017

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Kamakura
Kamakura is a small coastal town located in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo. Home to an impressive number of temples, shrines and historical monuments, it makes a good day trip destination if you’re interested in Kamakura’s beautiful architectural heritage. By train, it takes about an hour to get from Tokyo Station to Kamakura Station, or about 30 minutes if you’re leaving from Yokohama Station.
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Yokohama
Located just 30 minutes south of Tokyo is Yokohama, Japan’s second largest city. Popular with expats, Yokohama retains a slight international zest with one of the world’s largest Chinatowns being a main attraction. Noodle lovers will delight in not one, but two museums dedicated to ramen and cup noodles, both with stalls selling ramen from all around Japan. Yokohama is the perfect place for a day trip to experience a quieter, yet just as energetic city.
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Kawagoe
For a shorter day trip, head 30 minutes out of the busy commercial districts to Kawagoe’s Warehouse District, a charming little city reminiscent of the Edo period. Of particular interest is Kurazukuri street, lined with clay-walled warehouses, and Confectionery Row, also known as “Candy Lane”, a small backstreet alley lined with stores selling old-fashioned sweets and snacks.
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Nikko
Just two hours north of Tokyo is Nikko, a town most famous for the extravagantly decorated Toshogu shrine, enshrining the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. Nikko is best done overnight, with many traditional ryokans in the area. A trip to Nikko is incomplete without exploring the mountainous Okunikko region with its picturesque waterfalls, lakes, marshlands, and hot springs.

If you’re taking a trip to Tokyo but would love to see what the lies outside the city, here’s a guide to some of the best day trips.

There’s no doubt that Tokyo is a hub of interesting sights, massive shopping districts, and a dream for every serious foodie. However, if you’ve visited the city before, you might be itching to take a day trip or two away from the hustle and bustle of the modern metropolis, its criss-crossing subway lines, and the stifling skyscrapers.

With plenty of great outlying locations just a train ride away, it isn’t at all inconvenient to slip locations like Yokohama (Japan’s second largest city) and Kamakura into your travel itinerary.

Head up to the gallery to familiarise yourself with these easy side trip destinations – they’re well worth a visit if you’re thinking of heading to Tokyo on your next vacation.

Angela Goh

Photos: Getty Images

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