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Around Tokyo

Once you've succumbed to Tokyo's manifold pleasures, and the capital has chewed you up, Godzilla-style, worry not: there's a whole other world out there, where spiritual sanctuaries, invigorating hot springs and idyllic natural scenery awaits; and most of it is less than two hours away from the city.

Rambling country ryokan (traditional Japanese inns), laid-back surf beaches, pristine lakes and cedar-lined trails are some of the delights in store, as well as the symbol of Japan itself, mighty Mt Fuji. There's history here too, including a medieval capital and ports that were among the first to open to the West.

Getting around is a relative breeze, with ferries and flights providing easy access to the volcanic Izu Islands. But if you're really looking to get away, then set sail for the World Heritage–listed Ogasawara Archipelago, a natural sanctuary 1000km south of Tokyo where you can spot whales and swim with dolphins.

Explore Around Tokyo

  • Mt Fuji

    Fuji-san is among Japan's most revered and timeless attractions, the inspiration for generations of poets and the focus of countless artworks. Hundreds of…

  • Cup Noodles Museum

    This impressively slick attraction is dedicated to, you guessed it, cup noodles. But in reality, its focus is more broad, with numerous exhibitions…

  • Tōshō-gū

    Tōshō-gū is Nikkō's biggest attraction, a shrine to the powerful shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616). No expense was spared: when the original structure …

  • Hakone Open-Air Museum

    Occupying a verdant swath of Hakone hillside is this unmissable art safari, leading visitors past a rich array of 19th- and 20th-century sculptures and…

  • Kenchō-ji

    Established in 1253, Japan's oldest Zen monastery is still active today. The central Butsuden (Buddha Hall) was brought piece by piece from Tokyo in 1647…

  • Daibutsu

    Kamakura's most iconic sight, an 11.4m bronze statue of Amida Buddha (amitābha in Sanskrit), is in Kōtoku-in, a Jōdo sect temple. Completed in 1252, it's…

  • Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū

    Kamakura's most important shrine is, naturally, dedicated to Hachiman, the god of war. Minamoto no Yoritomo himself ordered its construction in 1191 and…

  • T

    Taiyū-in

    Taiyū-in, completed in 1653, is the mausoleum of Tokugawa Iemitsu (1604–51), the third Tokugawa shogun and grandson of Ieyasu. (Ieyasu was deified, which…

  • Perry Road

    It takes less than 10 minutes to walk end-to-end of this quaint cobbled street shadowing a narrow stream leading to Ryōsen-ji temple. However, the…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Around Tokyo.

  • See

    Mt Fuji

    Fuji-san is among Japan's most revered and timeless attractions, the inspiration for generations of poets and the focus of countless artworks. Hundreds of…

  • See

    Cup Noodles Museum

    This impressively slick attraction is dedicated to, you guessed it, cup noodles. But in reality, its focus is more broad, with numerous exhibitions…

  • See

    Tōshō-gū

    Tōshō-gū is Nikkō's biggest attraction, a shrine to the powerful shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616). No expense was spared: when the original structure …

  • See

    Hakone Open-Air Museum

    Occupying a verdant swath of Hakone hillside is this unmissable art safari, leading visitors past a rich array of 19th- and 20th-century sculptures and…

  • See

    Kenchō-ji

    Established in 1253, Japan's oldest Zen monastery is still active today. The central Butsuden (Buddha Hall) was brought piece by piece from Tokyo in 1647…

  • See

    Daibutsu

    Kamakura's most iconic sight, an 11.4m bronze statue of Amida Buddha (amitābha in Sanskrit), is in Kōtoku-in, a Jōdo sect temple. Completed in 1252, it's…

  • See

    Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū

    Kamakura's most important shrine is, naturally, dedicated to Hachiman, the god of war. Minamoto no Yoritomo himself ordered its construction in 1191 and…

  • See

    Taiyū-in

    Taiyū-in, completed in 1653, is the mausoleum of Tokugawa Iemitsu (1604–51), the third Tokugawa shogun and grandson of Ieyasu. (Ieyasu was deified, which…

  • See

    Perry Road

    It takes less than 10 minutes to walk end-to-end of this quaint cobbled street shadowing a narrow stream leading to Ryōsen-ji temple. However, the…

Guidebooks

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