Region guide

Kanto

5 researched towns currently show how stories and practical travel connect here.

How to plan this region

These towns work as Tokyo extensions only when transfer time is treated honestly. Compare sacred mountains, merchant streets, samurai history and onsen landscapes before choosing a day trip or overnight stay.

Pink and white moss phlox at Hitsujiyama Park with Mount Buko behind in Chichibu
Hitsujiyama Park and Mount Buko, ChichibuPhoto: Koda6029 · CC0 1.0Edited for web display · Details

Kanto · Saitama

Chichibu

An accessible mountain city where anime settings, pilgrimage roads and festival culture overlap.

Current view available

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Ornate Yomeimon Gate at Nikko Toshogu Shrine
Yomeimon Gate, Nikko Toshogu, NikkoPhoto: Jpatokal · CC BY-SA 4.0Edited for web display · Details

Kanto · Tochigi

Nikko

A mountain city where Tokugawa mausoleums, older sacred landscapes and highland nature demand more than a rushed day trip.

Current view available

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Toki no Kane bell tower rising above the historic streets of Kawagoe
Toki no Kane, Kawagoe, SaitamaPhoto: Zairon · CC BY-SA 4.0Edited for web display · Details

Kanto · Saitama

Kawagoe

A former castle and merchant town where fire-resistant storehouses, festival neighborhoods and sweet-potato culture survive beside suburban Tokyo.

Current view available

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Lake Ashi, Hakone Shrine torii and Mount Fuji seen across Hakone
Lake Ashi and Hakone Shrine, Hakone, KanagawaPhoto: Charlie fong · CC BY-SA 4.0Edited for web display · Details

Kanto · Kanagawa

Hakone

A volcanic mountain town where hot springs, the old Tokaido, Lake Ashi and an intricate transport network form one layered resort landscape.

Current view available

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Connect the towns

Routes in Kanto

Pink and white moss phlox at Hitsujiyama Park with Mount Buko behind in Chichibu
Hitsujiyama Park and Mount Buko, ChichibuPhoto: Koda6029 · CC0 1.0Edited for web display · Details
1 day

Anime and everyday Chichibu

Pair officially identified anime settings with the shrine, festival museum and ordinary shopping streets.

ChichibuOpen route →
The Great Buddha of Kamakura at Kotoku-in Temple
Great Buddha of Kamakura, Kotoku-in, KamakuraPhoto: Alexandar Vujadinovic · CC BY-SA 4.0Edited for web display · Details
2 days

Kamakura beyond the crowded checklist

Use two focused days to separate the shogunate story, Zen temple network and coastal landscape.

KamakuraOpen route →
Ornate Yomeimon Gate at Nikko Toshogu Shrine
Yomeimon Gate, Nikko Toshogu, NikkoPhoto: Jpatokal · CC BY-SA 4.0Edited for web display · Details
2 days

Nikko World Heritage and highland landscape

Separate the Tokugawa and sacred-site district from Lake Chuzenji and Okunikko instead of forcing both into a rushed day trip.

NikkoOpen route →
Toki no Kane bell tower rising above the historic streets of Kawagoe
Toki no Kane, Kawagoe, SaitamaPhoto: Zairon · CC BY-SA 4.0Edited for web display · Details
1 day

A full day in merchant Kawagoe

Read the castle, temple and merchant districts in sequence, leaving enough time for streets beyond the main photo corridor.

KawagoeOpen route →
Lake Ashi, Hakone Shrine torii and Mount Fuji seen across Hakone
Lake Ashi and Hakone Shrine, Hakone, KanagawaPhoto: Charlie fong · CC BY-SA 4.0Edited for web display · Details
2 days

Hakone volcano, art and onsen

Build the transport loop around an overnight stay so weather, museums and the lake do not become a race against the final bus.

HakoneOpen route →