Kanto is the most urban of Japan’s regions and is located on the eastern side of Honshu, the country’s main island. Here, you’ll find the bustling metropolis of Tokyo, with its densely populated streets and futuristic neon lights and attractions. Surrounding the city, however, you’ll also find some beautiful mountains and hidden-gem locations with historical monuments, shrines and landmarks to be explored.
Travelling even further from the Tokyo metropolis and prefecture, you’ll see that Kanto includes a further six prefectures: Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Gunma, Tochigi and Ibaraki. Kanagawa offers various fantastic day trip locations from Tokyo such as the historic and spiritual beach-side town of Kamakura or Hakone National Park, boasting stunning views of the iconic Mount Fuji. In Saitama Prefecture, visitors can explore the grounds of Chichibu’s famous shrines or cruise along the Arakawa river in traditional boats.
For a nature-lover’s retreat not far from the capital, few locations are as appealing and beautiful as the national park and mountain valleys of Gunma Prefecture, the mesmerising Fukuroda Falls of Ibaraki, or the winding hiking trails and tempting hot springs of Tochigi’s Nasu-Shiobara.