Tokyo Day Trips

[Haley R]

Our trip isn't until May 2024, but we're starting our itinerary and have a list of things/places we want to see. It will be me, DH, and DS (4). We will have 13 days to spend in and around Tokyo before heading to Tokyo Disney. I'm guessing the first 2-3 days we will be taking pretty easy as we adjust to the time change with a 4 year old because it will be a 13 hour difference for us. As far as day trips, we have Hakone, Enoshima, Yokohama, and Mount Takao planned. I'm not sure if we want to do more day trips than that or not, but I wanted to see if any of you have any recommendations. We looked at Kamakura and aren't interested. We also looked at Nikko, but I think it will be too far for us to do it in one day with a preschooler. I also have Shinagawa as an option, but we aren't 100% sure on that one yet. There are the places we have some interest in so far for each day trip:

• Yokohama (45 min)
  • Shonan pancakes
  • Botejyu (okonomiyaki)
  • Zoorasia
  • Yokohama air cabin
  • Sankei-en garden
  • Yokohama Ramen museum
  • Chinatown

Maybe

• • Cosmo World amusement park
  • Cup Noodle museum
  • Eggs n things restaurant
  • Hapipi land
  • Kid o kid indoor playground
• Mount Takao (1 hr)
  • Takao monkey park
  • Hiking
  • Chair lift
• Enoshima (1 hr 40 min)
  • Caves
  • Sea Candle & garden
  • Aquarium
  • Hike to the peak of the island
  • Enoshima shrine
• Hakone (1 hr 45 min)
  • Hakone Kuwakien Yunessun
  • Circle route
  • Hakone ropeway
    • Get off at Owakudani to see the crater

Maybe

• Open air museum

 

[gelatoni fan]

FYI, your Yokohama plan is sending you all over the place. Zoorasia and Sankeien are not close to each other at all.

Waits at the ramen museum can go up to 2 hours. As an activity, I generally prefer to visit the Cup Noodles Museum over the Ramen Museum, especially if you're bringing a kid. Plus, the Cup Noodles Museum is within walking distance of the Yokohama Air Cabin and Cosmo World. Since Cosmo World is free to enter and you pay per ride, you can just go on the ferris wheel or whatever else interests you rather then spend a lot of time there. The first two food places you have are at the Landmark which is also near there.

Looking at your plan, you may want to spend a few nights in Yokohama. This way, you can actually do all the things you want in Yokohama and then take your day trips to Enoshima and Hakone from there. It'd be more convenient than making multiple day trips from Tokyo.

 

[Haley R]

FYI, your Yokohama plan is sending you all over the place. Zoorasia and Sankeien are not close to each other at all.

Waits at the ramen museum can go up to 2 hours. As an activity, I generally prefer to visit the Cup Noodles Museum over the Ramen Museum, especially if you're bringing a kid. Plus, the Cup Noodles Museum is within walking distance of the Yokohama Air Cabin and Cosmo World. Since Cosmo World is free to enter and you pay per ride, you can just go on the ferris wheel or whatever else interests you rather then spend a lot of time there. The first two food places you have are at the Landmark which is also near there.

Looking at your plan, you may want to spend a few nights in Yokohama. This way, you can actually do all the things you want in Yokohama and then take your day trips to Enoshima and Hakone from there. It'd be more convenient than making multiple day trips from Tokyo.

This isn’t really a for sure plan. More of a list of possible things to do and things we might be interested in. Ds has recently decided he doesn’t like zoos so we may not do any while we’re there. We watched a video of the Cup noodle museum and it didn’t look like something our ds would be interested in. I didn’t realize the ramen museum can have such long waits. We just thought it looked cool.

We actually already have accommodations made in Tokyo so we probably wouldn’t move to stay somewhere else. We would have to think about it because we’re staying in a house with a kitchen and laundry and know the person we’re renting from.

 

[princesscinderella]

We are in the process planning a trip to Japan too. I’m going to take a look at some of the places you mentioned in your todo list. My question is why are you confining your trip to only staying in Tokyo when you will be there for so long? Why not take the bullet trains and stay a few days in Kyoto and Hiroshima or other cities too?

 

[Douglas Dubh]

We are in the poor planning a trip to Japan too. I’m going to take a look at some of the places you mentioned in your todo list. My question is why are you confining your trip to only staying in Tokyo when you will be there for so long? Why not take the bullet trains and stay a few days in Kyoto and Hiroshima or other cities too?

Not OP but I can make a guess. One is they’ve already been to Japan and done that stuff so more interested in exploring around Tokyo. Two is probably got a good deal on an Air b&b so makes sense to stay there and not worry about moving luggage or paying for rooms in two places.

 

[Haley R]

Not OP but I can make a guess. One is they’ve already been to Japan and done that stuff so more interested in exploring around Tokyo. Two is probably got a good deal on an Air b&b so makes sense to stay there and not worry about moving luggage or paying for rooms in two places.

Yep that’s why. We’ve already been before and don’t want to travel around a bunch with a 4 year old. We want to take our time in Tokyo and enjoy being there in the city. We are staying in a house with a kitchen and laundry and don’t really want to leave from there since we know the owner and stayed with her last time.

 

[Haley R]

We are in the process planning a trip to Japan too. I’m going to take a look at some of the places you mentioned in your todo list. My question is why are you confining your trip to only staying in Tokyo when you will be there for so long? Why not take the bullet trains and stay a few days in Kyoto and Hiroshima or other cities too?

We did Kyoto, Hiroshima, Osaka, and Arashiyama in 2019 when just dh and I went to Japan. We decided this time with it being ds’s first time and a huge time change we would hang out in Tokyo and take everything slow. We’ll probably do a lot of playgrounds/parks and just enjoy being there. We also are staying in a house with laundry and a kitchen so don’t really want to move from there until we go to Tokyo Disney.

 

[princesscinderella]

We did Kyoto, Hiroshima, Osaka, and Arashiyama in 2019 when just dh and I went to Japan. We decided this time with it being ds’s first time and a huge time change we would hang out in Tokyo and take everything slow. We’ll probably do a lot of playgrounds/parks and just enjoy being there. We also are staying in a house with laundry and a kitchen so don’t really want to move from there until we go to Tokyo Disney.

We have Kyoto and Hiroshima planned would you recommend Osaka or Arashiyama more? We have teens so no restrictions like you have having a little one. I hope you have a wonderful trip and happy planning, it’s part of the fun.

 

[wanderlust7]

We went to the Cup Noodles Museum when DD was 4. I remember she liked the themed playground. I have it in my old trip report (7 years ago) along with Cosmo World if you're interested. Link

 

[Haley R]

We have Kyoto and Hiroshima planned would you recommend Osaka or Arashiyama more? We have teens so no restrictions like you have having a little one. I hope you have a wonderful trip and happy planning, it’s part of the fun.

Arashiyama was probably one of my favorite, if not my favorite, place in Japan. It is so pretty and away from the crowded city areas. The bamboo forest was underwhelming and crowded but the scenic railway and monkey park were great. We didn’t spend too much time in Osaka so I’m not really able to recommend much. We did the aquarium which was okay and the main strip at night. That was fun to walk down and stop for food along the way.

 

[Haley R]

We went to the Cup Noodles Museum when DD was 4. I remember she liked the themed playground. I have it in my old trip report (7 years ago) along with Cosmo World if you're interested. Link

I didn’t even realize there was a playground. We watched a couple vlogs on YouTube and none showed that. We’ll probably check it out then. Ds will love that. I’ll read through the rest of your trip report too. I’m undecided about Cosmo World mainly because we’re planning to do Yomiuriland in Tokyo, rides at the Tokyo dome, and then Disney so I’m not sure if we want to do more rides lol

 

[Douglas Dubh]

Osaka is a good base to visit Hiroshima and Kyoto, and it has a Universal park. Plus Osaka Castle is pretty cool.

We spent one of our Osaka days seeing both Hiroshima and Miyajima island.

 

[gelatoni fan]

I didn’t even realize there was a playground. We watched a couple vlogs on YouTube and none showed that. We’ll probably check it out then. Ds will love that. I’ll read through the rest of your trip report too. I’m undecided about Cosmo World mainly because we’re planning to do Yomiuriland in Tokyo, rides at the Tokyo dome, and then Disney so I’m not sure if we want to do more rides lol

If you're already doing the Yokohama Air Cabin and/or the Cup Noodles Museum, you might as well stop by Cosmo World to see if there's anything that interests you. They're all next to each other. Cosmo World is like Tokyo Dome; you can just go in for free and then to do whatever other attractions you think are interesting. I think the Ferris wheel at Cosmo World is more worth the price than the Yokohama Air Cabin, especially if you're already taking the ropeway to Yomiuriland and the Hakone ropeway. Yomiuriland also has a lot of activities that aren't exactly rides so you could structure your day there differently too.

We have Kyoto and Hiroshima planned would you recommend Osaka or Arashiyama more? We have teens so no restrictions like you have having a little one. I hope you have a wonderful trip and happy planning, it’s part of the fun.

I consider Arashiyama one of the main attractions of Kyoto in addition to the Golden Pavillion. Unless you only have one day in Kyoto, I recommend figuring out a way to fit Arashiyama into your plans. I think Nijo Castle in Kyoto has a more historic and impressive feel than Osaka Castle so it isn't necessary to visit both. Osaka's aquarium has great exhibits and lots of rare fish but the lack of shows makes it less interesting to casual tourists than fans of aquariums. But it really depends on what you want to do. If for example, eating at a Pokemon Cafe is important to you and you can't get reservations at the one in Tokyo, then Osaka's is much easier to get into.

 

[Haley R]

If you're already doing the Yokohama Air Cabin and/or the Cup Noodles Museum, you might as well stop by Cosmo World to see if there's anything that interests you. They're all next to each other. Cosmo World is like Tokyo Dome; you can just go in for free and then to do whatever other attractions you think are interesting. I think the Ferris wheel at Cosmo World is more worth the price than the Yokohama Air Cabin, especially if you're already taking the ropeway to Yomiuriland and the Hakone ropeway. Yomiuriland also has a lot of activities that aren't exactly rides so you could structure your day there differently too.



I consider Arashiyama one of the main attractions of Kyoto in addition to the Golden Pavillion. Unless you only have one day in Kyoto, I recommend figuring out a way to fit Arashiyama into your plans. I think Nijo Castle in Kyoto has a more historic and impressive feel than Osaka Castle so it isn't necessary to visit both. Osaka's aquarium has great exhibits and lots of rare fish but the lack of shows makes it less interesting to casual tourists than fans of aquariums. But it really depends on what you want to do. If for example, eating at a Pokemon Cafe is important to you and you can't get reservations at the one in Tokyo, then Osaka's is much easier to get into.

Can you think of any places besides the ones I’ve mentioned that would make for good day trips from Tokyo?

 

[Douglas Dubh]

We did a day trip to Matsumoto from Tokyo to see the Crow Castle. We stopped in Kofu on way back and ate at a Za Watami restaurant.

 

[Haley R]

We did a day trip to Matsumoto from Tokyo to see the Crow Castle. We stopped in Kofu on way back and ate at a Za Watami restaurant.

Did it take 3 1/2 hours for you to get there?

 

[princesscinderella]

If you're already doing the Yokohama Air Cabin and/or the Cup Noodles Museum, you might as well stop by Cosmo World to see if there's anything that interests you. They're all next to each other. Cosmo World is like Tokyo Dome; you can just go in for free and then to do whatever other attractions you think are interesting. I think the Ferris wheel at Cosmo World is more worth the price than the Yokohama Air Cabin, especially if you're already taking the ropeway to Yomiuriland and the Hakone ropeway. Yomiuriland also has a lot of activities that aren't exactly rides so you could structure your day there differently too.



I consider Arashiyama one of the main attractions of Kyoto in addition to the Golden Pavillion. Unless you only have one day in Kyoto, I recommend figuring out a way to fit Arashiyama into your plans. I think Nijo Castle in Kyoto has a more historic and impressive feel than Osaka Castle so it isn't necessary to visit both. Osaka's aquarium has great exhibits and lots of rare fish but the lack of shows makes it less interesting to casual tourists than fans of aquariums. But it really depends on what you want to do. If for example, eating at a Pokemon Cafe is important to you and you can't get reservations at the one in Tokyo, then Osaka's is much easier to get into.

Thanks so much for the suggestions, we are staying 3 nights in Kyoto as I love history and they have some of the oldest areas still intact.

 

[princesscinderella]

Osaka is a good base to visit Hiroshima and Kyoto, and it has a Universal park. Plus Osaka Castle is pretty cool.

We spent one of our Osaka days seeing both Hiroshima and Miyajima island.

I looked at Universal but other than Jaws and Nintendo world it looked pretty similar to what we have in Orlando and we will be getting that soon too. Is it worth visiting. We much prefer Disney and are planning 4 days at TDR

 

[gelatoni fan]

Can you think of any places besides the ones I’ve mentioned that would make for good day trips from Tokyo?

You mentioned not being interested in zoos, otherwise, Tobu zoo could be worth a visit since they have a firefly exhibit which is something I don't think I've seen anywhere else. One of my friends likes the Kadokawa Culture Museum which could be a part of a day trip to other parts of Saitama like Kawagoe and the Railway Museum but I haven't personally visited these yet.

I don't think Fuji Q is really suitable for a young child.

Outside of that, I can't really think of good day trips unless you're willing to spend money on a bullet train or flights. In that case, you can plan a day trip to any city that's closer than Okinawa. Nagoya would probably be the easiest day trip by bullet train. There's Legoland, a great aquarium and a maglev museum. You can even fly one way to visit the "airplane theme park" in terminal 2 that has a great kid's play area and exhibits including the first Boeing 787.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

Did it take 3 1/2 hours for you to get there?

No. i think we took an express train.