Taking a day trip out of Tokyo can be a great chance to experience a more peaceful and historic side to Japanese life. Odawara Castle is the closest castle to Tokyo. It is located one and a half hours away by train from Shinjuku station along the Odakyu Line for 880 yen each way, and it's even faster to travel by Shinkansen if you have a JR pass. The small town of Odawara acts a gateway to Hakone making it a good stop off for those travelling further afield.

The main attraction of the town is of course the castle. The original castle and keep was destroyed by the Meiji government because it was a lasting reminder of Samurai rule. However, it was reconstructed in the 1960s and is now considered the symbol of the town.

The interior of the castle serves as a museum, showing off samurai armour and items that had been excavated from the site before the rebuilding. When you reach the top of the castle tower you can take in a 360 degree view of the surrounding forested mountains and sparkling blue bay.

The castle is a good spot for cherry blossom viewing, as well as splendid autumn colours. During the winter you can enjoy illuminations that dramatically light up the castle.

Outside the castle there is also a picnic area where a cat was padding around looking for food. Probably a reincarnated Samurai Lord...

The Surrounding Area of Odawara

A short walk from the castle, you can visit the bay itself at Miyukunohama beach.

Recommended for lunch is the Odawara-don. A bowl of rice with various toppings including tempura bowls or sashimi seafood bowls. Being a seaside town, the seafood in Odawara is particularly excellent. The lunch set below cost just under 1000 yen.

Very apt for this trip was also a sashimi bowl named ‘Odawara Castle’, these generous slices of tuna sashimi will set you back 2500 yen for the lunch set. Probably to assure you of the freshness, the server will also give you information about the size of the tuna the cuts come from.

Keeping with the fishy theme, one of Odawara’s specialties is kamaboko, a processed fish cake, also known as ‘the pink and white thing in ramen’. The area is home to many traditional shops selling the coveted specialty.

The fishcake is sold in loaves and wrapped up as a traditional souvenir of Odawara. Your friends will be delighted when you bring them back a processed fish cake. Probably.