4 Day Trips from Tokyo

Last week's issue featured Noah Smith’s “Tokyo is The New Paris”. I’ve written primarily about Tokyo (so far) based on the amount of questions I get about Tokyo, and the fact that most visitors will go there on any given Japan trip —many tourists don’t even leave.

Tokyo has an incredible gravitational pull. However, for a more expanded adventure, I suggest escaping from Tokyo. There are several day trips worth your time. Visiting Kamakura, Yokohama, Nikko, and/or Kawagoe will give you a deeper feel for Japan.

Kamakura is a beautiful beach town about 45 minutes south of Tokyo. It draws many Japanese tourists who want to get away for a day. Primarily known for The Great Buddha, Kamakura has some of Japan’s more popular surf spots, great restaurants, and a fun shotengai filled with shopping and street food options. 

Yokohama is also south of Tokyo and situated on Tokyo Bay. It’s convenient to get there by train from Shibuya Station. The fastest way is to take the Tokyu Toyota Line which will get you there in around 30 minutes if you take a rapid express train. Yokohama City has the second largest population in Japan after Tokyo city. 

There are many things to do in Yokohama. It has a famous Chinatown filled with restaurants and shops. Here’s the official Yokohama Chinatown website.

The Minato Mirai 21 building and surrounding area are great for dining and exploring.

At The Yokohama Ramen Museum, you can make your own ramen and try ramen from seven different restaurants. This is actually a popular date destination.

There are often fireworks shows on Saturdays up until September 21st. View the schedule and some videos here. Yokohama also has a huge Ferris Wheel with spectacular views, especially at night.

You could easily spend a few days in Yokohama if your schedule allows. 

Nikko is a small mountain town 2 hours from Tokyo by train. It has a cooler climate than Tokyo and the Autumn colors are particularly vivid. October is the perfect month to visit. The Toshogu Shrine, which has intricate carvings and gold leaf decorations, has been declared a UNESCO Heritage Site.

Nature lovers can go to Chuzenji Lake and Kegon Falls. I’ve yet to make it to either, but I’ve heard it’s a winding road and bus rides can be bumpy. Maybe grab a sea-sickness pill first. 

It’s also popular to hike here.

Here’s a map to give you an idea of the area. 

For coffee lovers, go to Nikko Coffee. If you’re hungry, their black pork curry does the trick. Japanese curry, in general, is amazing (even basic chain curry restaurants are good. Coco Ichibanya is my favorite of the chains). 

You can visit Nikko as a day trip, but I recommend spending a night or two in a ryokan and having a few days to soak up the beauty and Edo history of this town.

If a traditional ryokan doesn’t suit your needs, and you prefer to indulge, you can opt for the luxury of the Ritz-Carlton, Nikko. Unlike the traditional styles of most Ritz-Carlton’s, this one blends contemporary architecture with a ryokan spirit. The rooms are built to take advantage of the views of Lake Chuzenji and Mt. Nantai. Along with the stunning, nature views, each room has its own zen rock garden, and the service is impeccable (as you would expect from a Ritz-Carlton).

This hotel features a spa, an onsen, a Japanese restaurant (with kaiseki, sushi, and teppanyaki options), a Western restaurant (The Lakehouse), and a bar (with Japanese whisky, signature cocktails, and a yuzu shio ramen created with AFURI Ramen (one of my top ramen restaurants)).

If you have children, you can request a mini-tent set up in your room and toys brought for your kids (geared towards ages 4-12) so they can have a “secret fort experience”.

Regardless of where you stay, Nikko is worth spending an extra day.

Kawagoe. A 30-minute train ride from Ikebukuro Station, Kawagoe is known as “Little Edo”. Visit the old town. It feels like time-traveling to ancient Japan. Candy Alley (Kashiya Yokocho) provides an opportunity to sample traditional Japanese sweets, while the Warehouse District (Kurazukuri no Machinami) has many shops to explore. Sweet potato ice cream is a local specialty.

A fun activity is going to Hikawa Shrine and fishing for an omikuji (a paper strip with your fortune for the next year). At Hikawa Shrine you don’t just pick one up, you fish for it. After paying 300 yen, you use a wooden fishing rod to “catch” one of the “red snappers”. Your fortune will be inside. There are actually red, pink, and white ones. Red ones are for general fortunes, while pink and white are specifically love fortunes. The little snappers make for great souvenirs.

Here’s a Kawagoe sightseeing map in English that you can download

Otoshi

A surprise many tourists are confused and annoyed by is the otoshi. The otoshi (also called “tsukidashi” in the western parts of Kansai region) is a small dish that you didn’t order (and don’t get to choose what it is either) which is brought to you at the beginning of your meal as an appetizer. This custom is common in many izakaya, and smaller restaurants. You are expected to pay for this dish. 

In fancier restaurants, the otoshi consists of seasonal ingredients or features the restaurant’s specialty. So, it’s a way for the restaurant to show what they do well. In more casual places, the otoshi is a side dish that is easy and convenient for the restaurant. A typical otoshi can be potato salad, tofu in a light sauce, pickled vegetables, kimchi, nimono (simmered meat or veggies), and grilled fish. There are many others. Those are just a few common examples.

The otoshi can be considered the equivalent of paying a table charge. It’s very similar to the “coperto” in Italy. Don’t worry, it’s not an expensive item. The range is around 300 to 600 yen (usually the lower end of this). It’s best to just consider it a replacement for a tip because in Japan you don’t tip.

Trying to send it back or arguing and insisting you didn’t order it is bad form. Don’t be that traveler. Be prepared with this information and accept it with grace. I’ve discovered some of my favorite side dishes this way. Fried renkon (lotus root) is a crunchy delicious treat I probably would never have ordered on my own.

50 Small Pleasures (Part 2)

26. The first bite of a fresh peach. Never had better peaches than in Japan

27. The cute animal-shaped blockades used by the gruff and tough construction workers to cordon off an area

    

    Zebra Bunny Construction Barrier

28. Locals buying you food in izakayas because you’ve never had (insert any Japanese food here) —this happens with shocking regularity

29. Getting the Japanese meal if you’re flying a Japanese airline on the way to Japan and having a prelude to how good all the food is going to be

    

    The Japanese Meal on Japan Airlines

30. Sake. All kinds (except nigorizake)

31. Ordering yakitori completely in Japanese to the delight of the non-English-speaking chef

32. Not knowing where the evening will lead as you explore one tiny spot after another in Harmonica Yokocho, Yakitori Alley, or Nonbei Yokocho (although Harmonica Yokocho is the best of those three). And yes, I left Golden Gai off the list. Sue me.

33. Overhearing someone speaking Japanese and understanding what they said

34. Having someone not switch to English when you speak to them in Japanese

35. Okonomiyaki. Nearly impossible to find in Los Angeles. The one time my GF and I had it in LA it was completely inedible. So I only get to have this in Japan.

36. Galbo-mini chocolate treats—not to be confused with the regular-size Galbo which isn’t quite as good for some reason

37. The small box of Meiji chocolate-covered macadamia nuts from the konbini

38. Knowing you will eat better on every day of your visit than you ever do in your normal life and at a much lower price

39. Not gaining any weight while eating whatever you want because you walk 16K steps per day and most Japanese food is not fattening 

40. Bowing to a deer and it bowing back to you for a cracker (In Nara)

41. Sliding paper doors

42. Seeing a Machiya in between two modern buildings

43. Getting a smoothie from the small smoothie shops near or just inside many train stations

44. Buying a drink for the owner/bartender/chef, cheers-ing, making small talk and bonding over life (so much more fun than tipping)

45. Gachapon/gashapon (the small capsule toys from the hand-crank vending machines)

    

    Gachapon Photo by C M on Unsplash

46. Famichiki (the Family Mart hot, breaded fried chicken thigh. Anthony Bourdain was also a fan of Konbini fried chicken)

47. Kit Kats. All the flavors you’ve never seen before

48. Sushi for 75% less $ at the same restaurant (Kura Sushi LA - $3.85 USD for maguro nigiri (2 pcs.), Kura Sushi Tokyo (150 yen/$0.98 USD for maguro nigiri (2 pcs.))

49. Japanese bookstores (Tsutaya T-Site, Jimbocho area bookstores)

50. Hard Off (and Book Off) - (A fun store with a fantastic name. Hard Off sells used goods and Book Off sells used books)

(Click here to read Part 1)

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