Unique Tours and Day Trips from Tokyo
- Maria DiCicco
- Sep 4
- 6 min read
Updated: Sep 5
Forget the big bus tours and over-visited touristic sites - visit some off-the-beaten-path options that will take your family away from busy Tokyo and into Japan's most rewarding cultural landscapes.
I've taken the liberty of rounding up some of the most unique private tours from Tokyo that travelers will no doubt enjoy. Below find the most popular day tour routes and my top picks for each route.
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Short on Time? My Top Cultural Pick: A Day in Nikko
and more! Learn more here or check rates with the button below.  My Top Mt. Fuji Pick:I'm a sucker for foodie experiences, so this one takes the cake: this tour includes Mt. Fuji views and a private Japanese BBQ picnic style lunch with sake tasting. Learn more here or click the button below for rates. |
Unique Tokyo to Mt. Fuji Day Trips
Tours to Mt. Fuji will include include multiple viewing points to try and see Mt. Fuji, which is often very elusive and likes to hide behind clouds most of the day.
Hakone and the charming Lake Kawaguchi (Kawaguchiko) are two of the top neighboring places to get a glimpse. Visit the Hakone Mototsumiya Shrine, and sample kitschy volcanic and lava rock everything (from coffee sugar to black hot dog buns) at the area visitor centers.
Tours near Mt. Fuji might include a boat ride or sky tram, and plenty of photo ops. Many tours will also stop at villages, shrines or more sites along the route for added wonderment.
This day trip is great for:
Photographers
Nature lovers
Families
The most booked tour on Viator is this one, but I've chosen three unique ones below that are great for foodies.
What to expect: Private tours can range from $400-1500 per group. They include licensed guides and transportation.
Have a Japanese BBQ Picnic near Mt. Fuji
The most unique tour (and my pick) is one that takes you to a lakeside quiet spot for stunning Mt. Fuji views and a private Japanese BBQ picnic style lunch with sake tasting. Learn more here or click the button below for rates.
Visit a Wasabi Farm
This also very unique tour from Tokyo includes stops at a shrine, waterfalls, and even a historic 100 year old wasabi farm.
There's lots of great opportunities here to dig into the history and beauty of Japan's culture. Learn more here or check rates below.
Soak in an Onsen and Take a Pirate Boat Ride with Mt. Fuji Views
This unique tour offers a few opportunities that many other tours to the Hakone area don't offer, like tasting the famous kuro-tamago, black eggs said to add seven years to your life. The tour also includes a relaxing hot springs onsen soak, a cable car ride, and a kitschy pirate boat ride along Lake Ashi. Learn more here or check rates below.
Tokyo to Kamakura and Enoshima Day Trips
While I was based in Yokohama with my family (just south of Tokyo), we decided to venture out for a day trip to Kamakura and Enoshima. Both popular areas for vacationing Japanese people, you can expect a day of shrines, temples, shopping and great seafood.
Easy for visitors not wanting to get too far from Tokyo city, this day trip can be done on your own by train or by taking a tour. I've outlined a few options below.
This day trip is great for:
Foodies
Nature lovers
Families
Explorers
My first hand tips for exploring these areas include:
Riding the historic Enoden line train
Having a nagashi somen experience (bamboo shoot slides serve you noodles!)
Hokoku-ji bamboo forest and tea house experience
Hiking around the scenic Enoshima island and sampling seafood
and more!
You can read about my experiences here.
Kamakura and Enoshima Tour Options
Almost all the below tours are going to take you to the Buddha in Kamakura, and other temples and shrines. I tend to go a bit more off beat than that, but I will admit that it took some very meticulous planning to execute my itinerary from the link above.
Instead, I recommend doing it right for first-timers, seeing the sites and getting a full experience (with a knowledgeable guide to lead the way). We took local buses, and although easy, it was a cumbersome way to travel with a 3 year old!
Side note: if you are traveling with kids to Japan, check out my book on Amazon called Scavenger Hunt Japan! Part activity book, part doodling and journaling adventure, it's a perfect companion for kiddos on a Japan vacation.  |
To See Kamakura, Enoshima and even Yokohama, I recommend this tour. It will run your group nearly $1200 for the day, but you'll have a private car transfer everywhere.
For groups that can manage the subway, it really isn't too difficult to get to Kamakura and Enoshima by train, but you'll need some know-how and good Google Maps intuition.
For these types of travelers I recommend:
Kamakura Private Tour: This tour averages $113/person and includes multiple shrines and shopping streets. Meet at Kamakura station.
This private walking tour is another good choice, and it includes Hokoku-ji temple.
The most well-rounded tour involves public transport, but with a guide. You will meet in Shinjuku area in Tokyo and be taken to Kamakura and Enoshima's best sites by train together. Averaging about $175 per person, this is great for folks who want to get out and see it all without the guesswork of the transportation.
Unique Tokyo to Nikko Day Trips
Everyone goes to Mt. Fuji, and frankly half the time they come back disappointed because Mt. Fuji is not always visible. Instead, many explorers will visit the hidden treasures of Nikko to have a relaxed but full day away from Tokyo.
Nikko is known for its famous mountain valleys, Kegon waterfalls and Ryuzu cascades, and UNESCO World Heritage recognized shrines like the Toshogu Shinto shrine. The iconic red sacred bridge (Shinkyo Bridge) welcomes visitors into a day of peace and tranquility.
Families will enjoy Edo Wonderland, a replica village of Edo-era Japan, full of amusing cultural displays from shows to shopping and dining.
You may also want to visit the Jizo statues at Kangmangafuchi Abyss. Jizo statues are adorned with hats and bibs, because they represent unborn children from miscarriages. It is said that these statues protect women, children, and travelers.
I've visited a very sobering but absolutely fascinating garden of Jizo statues in Koyasan near Wakayama, and I highly recommend making time for this in Nikko. (Pro tip: you can also see Jizo statues in Tokyo).
The valleys of Ryuokyo and Matsuki (said to be the "Grand Canyon of Japan") are typically an inherent part of your journeys to Nikko.
This day trip is great for:
Culture Lovers
Photographers
Nature lovers
Families
What to expect: Private tours can vary from $400-1300 depending on group size. They include licensed guides and transportation.
Visit Edo Wonderland and the Nikko Valley Offerings
My top pick for a day in Nikko includes all of the above (Edo Wonderland, the shrines, the waterfalls, the jizo statues...) and even a stop for fresh sweet strawberries at a Berry farm. Families and couples will love getting to dress up as samurai or in kimonos at Edo Wonderland, and the day will be full of breathtaking scenery. Learn more here or check rates with the button below.
Click here to see another option for a more traditional tour through Nikko (without Edo Wonderland).
Overall, there are some great and unique day trips and tours from Tokyo but you won't necessarily have time to do it all. Prioritize based on your group and ask the tour operators if you can customize the tours to your needs. Have a great trip!
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