Popular day trips from Tokyo
Hello again from Japan, where everyone is gearing up for the holidays! Five days till Christmas can you believe? I fly to NZ on Saturday night at 9.25pm, and I'm leaving straight from work, so it's gonna be a long day... Luckily I can get a direct train from work out to the airport. I arrive in Auckland on Sunday at 12pm, and then fly to Christchurch at 2pm before finally arriving in Queenstown at around 5pm after a brief stop in Christchurch. I'll be quite tight on time with these connections, so hopefully there are no delays! So excited to see family and friends, and of course my two cats, my fur babies! Also ready for some summer weather, given that it's getting cold here, but New Zealand summer can be unpredictable. I've done the majority of my souvenir shopping, but I will pick up a few more bits and pieces at the airport.
For the last blog of 2018, I wanted to talk about a few popular day trips from Tokyo, as doing day trips has been a big part of my year. Going on day trips is a great way to escape the hustle and bustle of the city without spending too much on a hotel, and it's good if you're like me and don't get two consecutive days off. So let's get into it!
Hakone: This is on my list of places to visit. It's famous for it's hot springs, and on a clear day you can see Mt Fuji! It also has a beautiful lakeside shrine, and you can go on a cruise around the lake. There are also a few interesting museums, including an open-air museum, which I'd love to check out. A local delicacy is black eggs that get this colour by being boiled in sulphur, as there is a lot of geothermal activity in this area. It's probably better to sty overnight here if you can, but you can still see a lot in a day.
Kawaguchiko: This is the prime spot for Fuji viewing, if you get a clear day! There is also Fuji Q Highland located here, so thrill seekers can enjoy the insane roller coasters on offer. There is a pagoda with a view that looks like something straight out of a Japan guide book. Definitely on my list, but I'm waiting for the best weather possible to have a higher chance of seeing Fuji and getting those famous photos!
Kamakura: Kamakura is like a little Kyoto, with many temples and shrines to see. There is also the famous shirasu or whitebait to taste test here too. Kamakura is a really nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo and it's only an hour and a half away! You can chill out in a nice cafe, hop between temples and enjoy a relaxing day here.
Enoshima: Enoshima is a small island located 30 minutes from Kamakura, and is well worth a visit. There are some interesting caves to explore, and the sea candle to go up and if you're lucky, catch a glimpse of Mt Fuji! You can swim at the beach here in summer, but it's not the cleanest. We're pretty spoilt in New Zealand with how clean our beaches are!
Nikko: Located about 2-3 hours from Tokyo, depending on your starting point, and which train you catch, Nikko is kind of out of the way, but it is worth it! The scenery here blew me away. Would highly highly recommend a visit to Nikko! Seeing all the main sights in one day is possible, especially in summer when the days are a bit longer, but it's probably better to stay overnight here if you can. It is extremely busy in autumn, and I can understand why. When I went, the leaves were pretty much all dead, but I can just imagine how the changing colours would enhance the scenery even more. The local food here is yuba, or tofu skin, and I had yuba ramen and a yuba and cheese crepe. Definitely worth trying! There is also a theme park called Edo World that I'd like to see if I visit Nikko again.
Mt Takao: If you're up for a bit of hiking, then Mt Takao makes a great escape from the city. Only one hour from Shinjuku if you catch a limited express train, it is easily accessible. There is a famous temple called Yakouin on the mountain, as well as a monkey park. It's a very popular spot, especially in the autumn to see all the changing leaves. There are actually a few different tracks that lead up to the top, so you can choose how easy or difficult you want your hike to be.
Mt Mitake: I had planned on visiting Mitake a cople of weeks ago, but the weather on my days off had other ideas, so I gave it a miss, but it's definitely somewhere I want to go. It's another place to see some beautiful autumn colours, and as with many mountains in Japan, there are shrines and temples here too.
Kawagoe: Kawagoe is a small city located in Saitama prefecture, and it has an Edo era feel to it. There are interesting temples, and an iconic time bell tower. There is also a street dedicated to stores that sell local sweets, and it has one of the coolest Starbucks cafe's I've ever seen! It's also not too far from Tokyo, so definitely an option if you want to see something a bit different.
Nokogiriyama: Nokogiriyama is accessible by ferry from Kurihama or by train. It is a secluded spot in Chiba prefecture that is a far cry from the craziness of Tokyo. While some of the other place I've mentioned in this post are kinda touristy, this place is not. It is a hidden gem, and offers some incredible views of the Boso peninsula. Nokogiri literally translates to saw, and I can see why. The cliff looks like someone has cut it with a chainsaw, and standing at the viewpoint is quite a scary experience, as it's right on the edge of a cliff. Would definitely recommend checking it out if you get the chance.
So there you have it. a list of a few day trips you can do if you feel the need to escape the hustle and bustle of central Tokyo. I love just getting on a train and going somewhere new for a day and seeing some beautiful scenery and trying different foods too.
This is probably my last blog post for this year, but I'll be continuing this blog in the new year with more Japan adventures, and just stories about life in Japan in general. The next post will probably cover the reverse culture shock that I'm sure I'll experience when I go back to NZ. Then it'll be a year in review of my first year in Japan!! Can't believe I've been here almost a year!! I hope you've enjoyed following my adventures this year, and wherever you're reading from, have a very merry Christmas and a wonderful, happy, prosperous New Year!
From Japan with love,
Hannah. xx
For the last blog of 2018, I wanted to talk about a few popular day trips from Tokyo, as doing day trips has been a big part of my year. Going on day trips is a great way to escape the hustle and bustle of the city without spending too much on a hotel, and it's good if you're like me and don't get two consecutive days off. So let's get into it!
Hakone: This is on my list of places to visit. It's famous for it's hot springs, and on a clear day you can see Mt Fuji! It also has a beautiful lakeside shrine, and you can go on a cruise around the lake. There are also a few interesting museums, including an open-air museum, which I'd love to check out. A local delicacy is black eggs that get this colour by being boiled in sulphur, as there is a lot of geothermal activity in this area. It's probably better to sty overnight here if you can, but you can still see a lot in a day.
Kawaguchiko: This is the prime spot for Fuji viewing, if you get a clear day! There is also Fuji Q Highland located here, so thrill seekers can enjoy the insane roller coasters on offer. There is a pagoda with a view that looks like something straight out of a Japan guide book. Definitely on my list, but I'm waiting for the best weather possible to have a higher chance of seeing Fuji and getting those famous photos!
Kamakura: Kamakura is like a little Kyoto, with many temples and shrines to see. There is also the famous shirasu or whitebait to taste test here too. Kamakura is a really nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo and it's only an hour and a half away! You can chill out in a nice cafe, hop between temples and enjoy a relaxing day here.
Enoshima: Enoshima is a small island located 30 minutes from Kamakura, and is well worth a visit. There are some interesting caves to explore, and the sea candle to go up and if you're lucky, catch a glimpse of Mt Fuji! You can swim at the beach here in summer, but it's not the cleanest. We're pretty spoilt in New Zealand with how clean our beaches are!
Nikko: Located about 2-3 hours from Tokyo, depending on your starting point, and which train you catch, Nikko is kind of out of the way, but it is worth it! The scenery here blew me away. Would highly highly recommend a visit to Nikko! Seeing all the main sights in one day is possible, especially in summer when the days are a bit longer, but it's probably better to stay overnight here if you can. It is extremely busy in autumn, and I can understand why. When I went, the leaves were pretty much all dead, but I can just imagine how the changing colours would enhance the scenery even more. The local food here is yuba, or tofu skin, and I had yuba ramen and a yuba and cheese crepe. Definitely worth trying! There is also a theme park called Edo World that I'd like to see if I visit Nikko again.
Mt Takao: If you're up for a bit of hiking, then Mt Takao makes a great escape from the city. Only one hour from Shinjuku if you catch a limited express train, it is easily accessible. There is a famous temple called Yakouin on the mountain, as well as a monkey park. It's a very popular spot, especially in the autumn to see all the changing leaves. There are actually a few different tracks that lead up to the top, so you can choose how easy or difficult you want your hike to be.
Mt Mitake: I had planned on visiting Mitake a cople of weeks ago, but the weather on my days off had other ideas, so I gave it a miss, but it's definitely somewhere I want to go. It's another place to see some beautiful autumn colours, and as with many mountains in Japan, there are shrines and temples here too.
Kawagoe: Kawagoe is a small city located in Saitama prefecture, and it has an Edo era feel to it. There are interesting temples, and an iconic time bell tower. There is also a street dedicated to stores that sell local sweets, and it has one of the coolest Starbucks cafe's I've ever seen! It's also not too far from Tokyo, so definitely an option if you want to see something a bit different.
Nokogiriyama: Nokogiriyama is accessible by ferry from Kurihama or by train. It is a secluded spot in Chiba prefecture that is a far cry from the craziness of Tokyo. While some of the other place I've mentioned in this post are kinda touristy, this place is not. It is a hidden gem, and offers some incredible views of the Boso peninsula. Nokogiri literally translates to saw, and I can see why. The cliff looks like someone has cut it with a chainsaw, and standing at the viewpoint is quite a scary experience, as it's right on the edge of a cliff. Would definitely recommend checking it out if you get the chance.
So there you have it. a list of a few day trips you can do if you feel the need to escape the hustle and bustle of central Tokyo. I love just getting on a train and going somewhere new for a day and seeing some beautiful scenery and trying different foods too.
This is probably my last blog post for this year, but I'll be continuing this blog in the new year with more Japan adventures, and just stories about life in Japan in general. The next post will probably cover the reverse culture shock that I'm sure I'll experience when I go back to NZ. Then it'll be a year in review of my first year in Japan!! Can't believe I've been here almost a year!! I hope you've enjoyed following my adventures this year, and wherever you're reading from, have a very merry Christmas and a wonderful, happy, prosperous New Year!
From Japan with love,
Hannah. xx
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