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Tokyo is hemmed into its coastal location on the Kanto plain by a ring of mountains and volcanoes, featuring temples, parks and a couple of bustling towns and cities. It doesn't take long to get out of the capital - two hours at most - and it's well worth doing, though if time is short take care to prioritize. The single best reason for venturing out lies to the north, at Nikko , where the incredible shrine complex of Tosho-gu , built to deify the Tokugawa shoguns, is a riotous feast for the senses - you might dislike its ostentatiousness, but you won't regret making the journey to see it. The surrounding mountains - fantastic walking country - are beautiful throughout the year, but particularly so when decked out in autumn colours. If you can, make time to check out the spectacular waterfalls nearby, up at the lakes by Chuzenji and Yumoto, another excellent area for walking and cross-country skiing. The temple complex of Naritasan Shinsho-ji , with a lovely pagoda, extensive gardens, woods and ornamental ponds, is the highlight of the pilgrim town of Narita , some 60km northeast of Tokyo, and is certainly the best way of passing time before catching a flight at the nearby international airport. Ceramics lovers should not miss out on Mashiko , north of Tokyo in Tochigi-ken, a pottery town with over three hundred kilns and associated with the famed craftsman Hamada Shoji and British potter Bernard Leach. The lively town of Kawagoe , just 40km northwest of the capital, is known as "Little Edo" and is a great place to wander through nostalgic nineteenth-century streetscapes, poke around ancient temples and shrines, and indulge in some serious souvenir shopping. Sacred Mount Takao , just an hour west of the capital, provides a more verdant escape for the casual walker and is the starting point for more serious hikes northwest to Chichibu National Park. Also within easy reach of the city is Japan's most famous landmark, the venerable Mount Fuji , where you might choose to make the tough ascent up the volcano, or simply relax in the surrounding countryside. Nearby, the inviting landscapes of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, particularly around Hakone and south through Izu Hanto , warrant at least two or three days' exploration. Closer to Tokyo, the deceptively unassuming town of Kamakura is one of Japan's major historical sights, home to several imposing Zen temples and the country's second largest bronze Buddha, the magnificent Daibutsu . There are also hiking trails through the surrounding hills, and an enjoyable train ride further along the coast to the sacred island of Enoshima. Just north of Kamakura you're back into the urban sprawl where Tokyo merges with Yokohama , Japan's second largest and most cosmopolitan city with a smattering of attractions, not least the gourmet restaurants of Chinatown.
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