During my study abroad, I realized how much fun it was to go on weekend trips! It is very common to be able to schedule classes in a way to have long weekends, so I recommend taking advantage of the available time you have! I will be talking about some of the places I went to during my long weekends (which were also not busy with schoolwork/exams).
Nikko:
This location was very interesting to go to! It is not a very busy area, but I would recommend it is you want to take it slow and go sightseeing! They are famous for their Adechidaira ropeway that takes you up a mountain, in which you can sneak a peak of the famous Kegon Waterfall!
You can also visit Tobu World, which is an outdoor museum of miniature replicas of famous landmarks!
Nikko is also famous for its Shinkyo Bridge! There is a cute street with lots of souvenir shops and restaurants leading up to this bridge! Once you get to the top of the hill, you will see a beautiful red bridge over the river.
Hakone:
This location takes a little over two hours to get to by bus, but it is very worth the trip! Hakone is famous for many things, but mostly their onsens (hot springs)! The most famous onsen is Hakone Yumoto Onsen! This onsen has a restaurant, a resting area, and, of course, and onsen with many different varieity of baths!
Hakone is also famous for their sulfur mountain: Owakudani! You can see this mountain and it's sulfur fields by taking the cable car up to the top! Once you get to the top, you can try their sulfur egg, which is completely black on the outside! It's said that if you eat one of these eggs, it will increase your life by 7 years!
If you travel a little more in Hakone, you can also find Gora Park! This is a flower garden that houses many fun activities! My favorite was the glass bead making experience! You can make a glass bead with the help of the workers and design your own accessory with beads. This activity was a little more pricey, but definitely worth it! Plus, the park also has a very nice cafe, in which you can get an afternoon tea set! I loved getting this set and eating it with a view of the flowers outside!
Lastly, you can ride a pirate ship on Lake Ashi! This ship takes you across the river to another port! The ride is so much fun and, if you're lucky, you may even see Mount Fuji on a clear day!
