Kamakura or Nikkô ?

Hello everyone !
I'm planning a trip to Japan and I have one free day ''out of Tôkyô'' not quite decided yet... I'm debating wheter I should go to Kamakura or Nikkô (or even Mount Fuji ?). I've already lived twice in Japan, in Uji (near Kyôto) and in Kôchi so, you know, I've already seen my share of temples, but I'm still happy to see some more when they're really stunning.

If you've got any idea of a one day trip around Tôkyô, please tell me !

While you stayed in Kyoto, I'm sure you've covered Nara. Then, Kamakura may not be so impressive to you. How about taking a trip to Nikko?

I agree. Nikko wins over Kamakura in every respect. The only thing to worry is that you have to wake up very early on that day to catch the train to Nikko from Asakusa.

- About the temples/shrines themselves, those in Nikko are elaborate and gorgeous, while those in Kamakura are more stoic/Zen.
- Kamakura is more of a "city" to walk around in, while Nikko is up in the mountains and there's more nature to be enjoyed. (Kegon Falls, Lake Chuzenji, etc.)
- I don't know what season you're planning on, but if you go in the fall, the autumn foliage will be beautifull in Nikko. But precisely because of that, it gets very crowded, so better go on a weekday.
- To get to NIkko, if you can take the JR/Tobu combined train from Shinjuku or Ikebukuro, a day trip is doable. If you want to enjoy good hiking and hot spring, an overnight stay is more recommended. To go to Kamakura, it's local/rapid trains all the way through, so it's pretty easy.

Thanks for the advices ! I plan to go to Japan between April and June (depending on my friend's schedule...), for sure somewhere between sakura and tsuyu !
So Nikkô seems the choice of everyone so I'll keep it in mind. Are there other places with nice natural sceneries/hikes around Tôkyô ?

You might also enjoy the Hakone round. Lots of fine scenery, not too many temples, the Hakone Open Air Museum and Lake Ashi.