Getting Oriented

Kamakura and Yokohama are close enough to Tokyo to provide ideal day trips, and as it's unlikely that you'll stay overnight in either city, no accommodations are listed for them. Mt. Takao, less than an hour from Shinjuku, can be visited in one day. Nikko is something of a toss-up: you can easily see Tosho-gu and be back in Tokyo by evening. But when the weather turns glorious in spring or autumn, why not spend some time in the national park, staying overnight at Chuzenji, and returning to the city the next day? Mt. Fuji and Hakone, on the other hand—and more especially the Izu Peninsula—are pure resort destinations. Staying overnight is an intrinsic part of the experience, and it makes little sense to go without hotel reservations confirmed in advance.