Tokyo Day Trips to surrounding areas of Kanagawa

Tokyo is the hub for a variety of wonderful day tours one can take advantage of. In this article, I will share the experiences I made regarding three day trips of my own to Yokohama, Kamakura, Enoshima and Hakone, all situated in Prefecture of Kanagawa, south of Tokyo. Get to know more about these places, things to do and decide for yourself whether it's worth a visit!

Yokohama:

Cup Noodles Museum
Red Brick Warehouse & Chinatown

Kamakura:

Kotoko-in Temple
Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine
Komachi Street
Hasedera Temple
Island of Enoshima
Further Sightseeing Spots

Hakone:

Hakone Shrine & Lake Ashinoko
Lake Ashi Pirate Ships & Hakone Ropeway
Owakudani
Oshino Hakkai

Yokohama

Yokohama is Japan's second largest city (did you know that? I was sp surprised!) offering a great blend of urban sophistication with modern architecture and districts, cultural diversity, historical sites and a calming seaside charm. It's a perfect day trip getaway from Tokyo, easily reachable via train, which only takes you 30min. one way!

Cup Noodle Museum

"Peace will come to the world when there is enough food" - Momofuku Ando

Yokohama Cup Noodle museum displays an interactive exhibition of the life of Momofuku Ando (1910–2007), a Taiwanese-Japanese inventor, entrepreneur and creator of the world's famous instant noodles.

Motivated by post-World War II food shortages in Japan, Ando aimed to develop an affordable, easy-to-cook, and long-lasting meal. After months of experimentation, he firstly introduced the concept of Chicken Ramen in 1958; a pre-cooked, dehydrated noodle product that could be prepared by solely adding hot water. 14 years later, he further revolutionized global food culture by launching Cup Noodles; product packaged noodles in a disposable foam container, which served as both a cooking and eating vessel, ensuring portability and ease of use. Ando famously said, "Peace will come to the world when there is enough food," reflecting his belief in the power of accessible food to solve global challenges. His work has left an enduring legacy, with instant noodles recognized as one of the 20th century's most impactful inventions. The museum reflects on his personal life, challenges, creative ideas and characteristic ways of thinking in an illustrative, educational and immersive format that will hold new surprising insights for both adults and children! Did you know, for instance, that a ramen creation for space & aviation, called "Space Ram", exists?

Museum Features:

Chicken Ramen Factory:

Put yourself in the shoes of young Momofuku and create your own chicken ramen via hands-on-learning courses in kneading, spreading, steaming and seasoning wheat flour to consequently dry it with the so-called flash frying method (reservation required!)

My CupNoodles Factory:

Create your own Cup Noodles by putting together your own design, noodle type & flavour as well as topping variation (reservation required, best to purchase online beforehand!). Opening hours are 11am - 6pm.

My CupNoodles Park:

Become a Ramen noodle and immerse into the loop-process experience of purchasing, manufacturing and customer shipment.

Instant Noodles History Cube:

Marvel the plentiful variations of internationally existing cups and flavours of instant noodles which arose from the single idea and launch of Chicken Ramen back in 1958

Momofuku's Theatre, Work Shed & Story:

Read, watch and see Momofuku's road to glorious inventions from the very beginning to the end of his lifetime.

Noodles Bazaar:

Try one, two or three differing noodle variations at the World Noodles Road, inspired by Momofuku's travel encounters on a total of 8 different noodle types in the atmosphere of an Asian night market. Opening hours are 11am - 6pm.

Museum Shop:

Pick a nice noodle-related gift to take home with you.

Practical Information

Location:

2-3-4 Shinko, Naka Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture.

Access:

from Yokohama Station, take the Minatomirai Line to Minatomirai Station or Bashamichi Station. The museum is about a 10-minute walk from either station.

Opening Hours:

daily from 10:00am to 6:00pm (last entry at 5:00pm). Closed on Tuesdays & New Year holidays

Admission Fee:

Museum entry is 500JPY per person; free for children under 12 years of age.

My Cup Noodles Factory entry is 500JPY per cup.
Chicken Ramen Factory is 1.500 - 1.800JPY per session.

Red Brick Warehouse & Chinatown

Kamakura

Kamakura is a historic city in Kanagawa Prefecture, renowned for its rich cultural heritage, temples, and beautiful coastal scenery. Due to its historical significance as ancient political and cultural center of Japan during the Kamakura period (1185–1333), it is often referred to as "Kyoto of Eastern Japan". As the area is quite large, you will most likely not be able to cover the most iconic sightseeing spots by yourself self-guided in one day. Herefore, I highly recommend booking a day trip tour by bus, e.g. via klook, GetYourGuide, Viator or other travel service providers. If you have more time at-hand, it makes sense to spend some days in Kamakura to explore the area at your own pace and time to also discover further, less touristic spots, that most guided tours leave out.

Things to Do & See:

Kotoko-in Temple: The Great Buddha of Kamakura (Kamakura Daibutsu)

Kotoko-in Temple is home to one of Japan's most famous Buddha statues and landmark of Kamakura, the Great Buddha of Kamakura. A massive bronze statue of Amida Buddha (central figure in Pure Land Buddhism symbolising enlightenment, compassion & eternal peace) that hold an interior for visitors can enter. Originally constructed in the 13th century, the statue was initially housed inside a large temple hall, which was destroyed multiple times by typhoons and earthquakes. Since the late 15th century, the statue has stood in the open air.

Practical Information

Address: 4-2-28 Hase, Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture.

How to get here: From Hase Station (Enoden Line), walk 10-minutes .

Opening Hours: daily from 8:00am to 5:30pm (last entry at 5:00pm).

Admission Fee: around 300JPY. Additional 20JPY to enter the interior of the statue.

Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

Komachi Street (Komachi-dori)

Hasedera Temple

Island of Enoshima

Further Sightseeing Spots to take into consideration

Hakone

Hakone is a mountains town in the Prefecture of Kanagawa, famous for its hot springs, art museums and beautiful nature scenery with beautiful sights of Mount Fuji on cloudless days! The area offers a range of popular tourist attractions, such as Hakone Shrine & Torii Gate, Hakone Ropeway, the volcanic village Owakudani, UNESCO World Heritage site Obuno Hokkai and a total of five lakes surrounding Mount Fuji with stunning landscapes and calming atmospheres.

Things to Do & See:

Hakone Shrine & Lake Ashinoko (Lake Ashi)

Located at the southern shore of Lake Ashi (Ashinoko) in Hakone, Hakone Shrine is one of the most famous Shinto shrines to visit, being surrounded by cedar forests with a marvellous view onto Lake Ashi and even Mount Fuji on clear days. It is dedicated to the deities of Mount Hakone, who are said to protect travellers and ensure safe journeys. It is also associated with legends of a nine-headed dragon (Kuzuryu), which is believed to inhabit Lake Ashi. The nearby sub-shrine, Kuzuryu Shrine, honors this mythical creature.

The shrine main grounds of Hakone Shrine can be reached via a lantern-paved stairway, including smaller shrines along the way through peaceful greenery. On the bottom, right next to the parking lots for both cars and buses, you will find restrooms and a small kiosk for drinks & snacks.

The most iconic feature about Hakone Shrine is its red Torii Gate, referred to as Heiwa no Torii (Torii of Peace), right by the water of Lake Ashi. From Hakone Shrine you simply walk towards the water and cross the street, where Torii Gate is signposted to follow a short path along. This is a popular tourist destination and one of the most photographed landmarks in Hakone. Taking a picture might be difficult to manage, depending on your point of arrival, as a long queue keeps lining up in front of the Gate, requiring you to get in line to wait.

Practical Information

Location: Hakone Shrine is located near Moto-Hakone, on the southern shore of Lake Ashi.

How to get here from Tokyo:

By train: take the Odakyu Romancecar to Hakone-Yumoto Station. From there, buses or sightseeing boats on Lake Ashi lead to Moto-Hakone.
By cable car or boat: Hakone Ropeway and boat cruises also connect the area.

Opening Hours: open daily for 24/7, though the main shrine office operates from 9:00am to 5:00pm.

Admission: free to visit, though donations are appreciated for upkeep.

Lake Ashi Pirate Ships & Hakone Ropeway

Owakudani

Owakudani, also referred to as "Great Boiling Valley", is a volcanic valley located in Hakone, renowned for its hot springs, active sulfur vents, and stunning panoramic views, which might also allow you to spot Mount Fuji on clear days. Its unique, otherworldly landscape is the result of an eruption from Mount Hakone around 3,000 years ago.

The most beautiful way to get there is via Hakone Ropeway, a scienic cable car, convenient to explore the area at your own pace. From Lake Ashi, take the cable car from Sōunzan Station to Tōgendai Station to reach Owakudani. Enjoy the areal view of the valley and its fumaroles on your way up. When getting of the station, you will directly step into a world of emitting steam and sulphurous gases in the midst of a magically surrounding volcanic area. The station provides a restaurant complex with several souvenir shops, a tourist information and sciencic platform.

Owakudani's famous Black Eggs:

Owakudani is famous for "kuro tamago" (black eggs), which you can purchase easily in the restaurant opposite of the station (four eggs per purchase). Black eggs are the result of boiling regular eggs in hot springs for a longer period of time. Due to the sulfur in the water, the outer eggshells eventually turn black, whereas the inside of the egg remains untouched. The taste- as disappointing as it sounds- also remains the same; so other than a stunningly cool outside colour to look at, your rather pricey purchase will just come down to eating regular hard-boiled eggs. However, according to legend, eating one black egg adds seven years to your life! Next to the black eggs, you will also find other, black-coloured dishes, such as Janpanese curry bread.