When you come to Japan for sightseeing, where is the first hotel to stay?
If it is a normal idea, it will be a hotel in Tokyo.
After arriving at Narita Airport or Haneda Airport, many travelers head directly to a hotel in Tokyo.
There are many benefits to staying at a hotel in Tokyo.
1. First of all, access is good when traveling by train from the airport.
2. There are many hotels in Tokyo, so there are many options to choose from.
3. Tokyo has famous tourist spots such as Tokyo Tower, Asakusa, Imperial Palace, and Shibuya.
There are also many delicious izakayas(Japanese style tavern) and cafes.
Then, are there only good things if you choose a hotel in Tokyo?
To gain new perspectives,consider reasons why you might not need to stay in Tokyo.
1. Tokyo is the capital and there are many people, including foreign tourists, so hotel rates are expensive.
2.If this is your second visit to Japan, you have already visited tourist spots in Tokyo.
In that case, there may be no particular merit for you to stay in Tokyo.
3. There is a high possibility that you will be caught in a traffic jam when you go to other sightseeing spots from Tokyo.
I have guided customers to Mt. Fuji many times using my own taxi.
At that time, we got caught up in serious traffic jams many times.
I and customers often experienced that we left the hotel at 7:30 and arrived at Lake Kawaguchi near Mt.Fuji after 11:00.
Also, the traffic on the way back to the hotel in Tokyo was terrible.
Therefore, I would like you to think about finding a place to stay outside of Tokyo after arriving at the airport.
I would like to recommend "Kawagoe" in Saitama Prefecture.
It will take about 70 minutes by taxi from Narita Airport to downtown Tokyo using the expressway.
On the other hand, it takes about 110 minutes to Kawagoe.
As a result, the taxi fare will be higher.
That point is a disadvantage if you choose "Kawagoe" as your accommodation base.
However, there are also big advantages.
1. First of all, when you go to Mt.Fuji or Kusatsu from Tokyo, you won't get caught in traffic jams in Tokyo.
I think this is a very big point.
Based on my experience, you can save 70-90 minutes each way to your destination when driving to Mt.Fuji. If it's a round trip, you won't get stuck in traffic, so you can save two and a half hours on your trip.
Even going to Kusatsu, a famous hot spring resort, you can save 60 minutes one way compared to going from a hotel in Tokyo.
2. In addition, the town of Kawagoe itself is a nice tourist attraction.
Please search for "Kawagoe" on Google.
3. And compared to the price of hotel in Tokyo, hotel rates in Kawagoe are low.
4. To go to Tokyo by train, for example, it takes 49 minutes by "Tobu Tojo Line" from Kawagoe Station to Shibuya Station, and the fare is 610 yen. And, it takes 41 minutes to get to Shinjuku Station from Kawagoe including changing trains. Access from Kawagoe to Tokyo by train is also good.
To stay in Kawagoe is a good choice for those traveling to Japan who want to visit Mt. Fuji and hot spring areas such as Kusatsu.
In addition, there is "Chichibu" near Kawagoe. It would be interesting to search for sightseeing spots in "Chichibu" on Google.
There are also "Railway Museum" and "Bonsai Museum" in "Omiya" city.
And there are more than 30 sake breweries in Saitama Prefecture, where Kawagoe is located.
If you like Japanese sake, it might be a good idea to visit a sake brewery.
In addition, Saitama Prefecture has many “sacred place of anime” where appeared in anime.
If you choose Kawagoe as your base of accommodation in Japan, you will save a lot of time rather than visiting those places from Tokyo.
If you are interested in a transfer from the airport to Kawagoe, a trip from Kawagoe to Mt. Fuji, or a trip from Kawagoe to Kusatsu Onsen Resort, please feel free to contact me.
