Kanto, the region around Tokyo
Kanto is more than Tokyo, and you want to know which parts are worth your days.
Choosing your region
What counts as Kanto and what lies beyond
A package says Kanto and you want to know what it covers and how far the stops are.
Kanto is a region of seven prefectures around Tokyo: Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Ibaraki, Tochigi and Gunma 1. A package that says Kanto may also include places outside it, such as Mount Fuji or Karuizawa, which sit in other prefectures. Knowing the difference tells you how far each stop really is.
What does Kanto include?
Tokyo sits at the centre. Yokohama and Kamakura are in Kanagawa, Hakone appears under the Kanagawa destination pages, and Nikko is in Tochigi 2.
These are the places a true Kanto trip reaches. Our Kanto-only first trip for Malaysians shows how to use them.
What sits outside Kanto?
Mount Fuji and the Fuji Five Lakes are in Yamanashi and Shizuoka, which are not among the seven prefectures. Karuizawa is in Nagano, which is not either.
Packages often add them because they are reachable from Tokyo. Treat each as a separate stop. See Fuji area: base or day trip and Karuizawa from Tokyo: worth it.
How far are the stops?
Distance varies a lot, so judge by journey time and not by the region name. Nikko, for example, is a direct limited express from Asakusa or Shinjuku, or the Shinkansen to Utsunomiya, about 50 minutes, then the Nikko Line 3.
Our day trips by effort level ranks stops by how much of the day they take.
How do you read a package that says Kanto?
Follow these steps.
- List every stop on the itinerary.
- Find the prefecture for each.
- Check the journey from your hotel to each one.
- Mark which stops are inside the seven prefectures.
- Decide whether the outside stops are worth the transfer.
Send us the itinerary and we do this for you.
How should Malaysian travellers use this?
Choose a base that makes most of your stops easy. For grandparents or children, read Kanto with grandparents and Kanto: two hotels or one. For the region as a whole, see Kanto and Tokyo.
If a package says Kanto and you cannot tell which stops are close and which are far, send us the itinerary. We mark each stop's prefecture, its journey time and what it adds to your days.
Keep planning
Is a Kanto-only first trip enough?
You are wondering whether staying around Tokyo will feel like a full first trip to Japan.
Planning Kanto with elderly parents
Your parents want to see Tokyo, and you worry about stairs, heat and long days.
Mount Fuji area: sleep there or day trip
You dream of seeing Fuji, and you know clouds do not follow itineraries.
One hotel or two in Kanto?
You are weighing a second hotel and dreading the packing it would bring.
Tokyo, planned around your family
Tokyo is big, fast and a little overwhelming, and you want it to feel easy.
Questions travellers ask
Which prefectures are in Kanto?
Seven: Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Ibaraki, Tochigi and Gunma, according to JNTO. Yokohama, Kamakura and Hakone are in Kanagawa, and Nikko is in Tochigi. Check each stop in a package against this list.
Is Mount Fuji in Kanto?
No. The seven Kanto prefectures do not include Yamanashi or Shizuoka, where the Fuji Five Lakes and most Fuji viewpoints sit. Packages often add Fuji to a Kanto route because it is a day trip from Tokyo. Ask how long the transfer is.
Is Karuizawa in Kanto?
No. Karuizawa is in Nagano, which is not one of the seven Kanto prefectures. It is a popular add-on from Tokyo, but treat it as a separate stop with its own journey time and a separate decision.
How far is Nikko from Tokyo?
A direct limited express runs from Asakusa or Shinjuku. The other route is the Shinkansen to Utsunomiya, about 50 minutes, then the Nikko Line. Because Nikko is in Tochigi, it is a full day trip rather than a short hop, so plan an early start.
How do I read a Kanto package?
List every stop, find its prefecture, and check the journey from your hotel. Stops inside the seven prefectures are the true Kanto. Stops outside, like Fuji or Karuizawa, add transfer time. Send us the itinerary and we mark each stop.
Sources
Figures are checked against these sources and dated so you can see how current they are.
- Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), Kantoaccessed 2026-10-20
- JNTO, Kantoaccessed 2026-10-20
- JNTO, Tochigiaccessed 2026-10-20
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