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Tabiji

東京 → 箱根・富士

5 days in Tokyo, with a day trip to Hakone

Five days in one city, one of them out in the mountains. Tokyo is easy to do on foot by neighbourhood, and the day trip gets you to a lake without changing hotels.

days
5
cities
2
stops
17
Jump to the day-by-day plan
Crowds of pedestrians crossing the Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo, with tall screens and buildings around the junction
Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo

Passes, walking and not overpaying

  • Inside Tokyo, group stops by neighbourhood and walk between them. Where a ride saves a long walk, a subway or local train is usually the cheaper choice over a taxi.
  • Hakone has its own tickets and passes that cover several kinds of transport. Check what is offered now and work out whether it beats paying per ride.
  • Prefer Yokohama to Hakone? Swap day 4 for it in the planner: Minato Mirai, Yamashita Park and Chinatown are in the catalogue.

Day by day

  1. Day 1: Tokyo

    Arrive, drop your bags and stay close to Shinjuku while your body clock catches up. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building has free observation decks, and the alleys of Omoide Yokochō are a short walk from the station for a cheap, small meal.

    1. Shinjuku StationTransport
    2. Tokyo Metropolitan Government BuildingLandmarkObservation decks are free
    3. Omoide YokochōFood

  2. Day 2: Tokyo

    A walkable day from forest to crossing. Start in the shrine grounds, which are free to walk through, then drift down through Harajuku on foot and finish at the Shibuya scramble, which costs nothing to watch.

    1. Meiji ShrineCultureShrine grounds are free
    2. HarajukuShopping
    3. Shibuya CrossingLandmarkFree

  3. Day 3: Tokyo

    The old east side. Sensō-ji's grounds are free, Ueno Park is free to wander and Akihabara is for browsing rather than buying. Check the map in the planner and walk where it looks sensible; otherwise a short subway hop is usually cheaper than a taxi.

    1. Sensō-jiCultureTemple grounds are free
    2. Ueno ParkNaturePark is free
    3. AkihabaraShopping

  4. Day 4: Hakone day trip

    Day trip to Hakone. The open-air museum, Ōwakudani's volcanic valley, Lake Ashi and Hakone Shrine make a loop that depends on local transport, so check timetables and fares before you go. Fuji shows itself only on clear days.

    1. Hakone Open-Air MuseumCulture
    2. ŌwakudaniNature
    3. Lake AshiNature
    4. Hakone ShrineCulture
    Lake Ashi in Hakone seen over a wooden fence, with a boat on the water and mountains beyond
    Lake Ashi, Hakone

  5. Day 5: Tokyo

    Back in the city for the south and the centre: the outer market for a cheap breakfast, the tidal garden at Hamarikyū, a walk through Ginza and the palace's public gardens. Several of these are close enough to link on foot.

    1. Tsukiji Outer MarketFood
    2. Hamarikyū GardensNature
    3. GinzaShopping
    4. Tokyo Imperial PalaceLandmark

Before you go

Travel information (hours, prices, schedules) may be outdated. Verify details with official sources before your trip. This route lists no fares or opening hours for that reason: check current fares and times with the operators.

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Photo credits

These photographs show the places named. They are openly licensed pictures from Wikimedia Commons, not Tabiji’s own.