日帰り

• Reading: ひがえり
• Romaji: higaeri
• Kanji breakdown: 日 (day) + 帰り (returning) → same-day return trip
• Pronunciation: /çi.ga.e.ɾi/

Meaning

Day trip — going to a destination and returning home the same day, without staying overnight.

A standard and very commonly used travel term, 日帰り describes any trip where you return home the same day. Japan's efficient train system makes 日帰り trips practical for many destinations. 日帰り温泉 (day-trip hot springs) is an especially popular subcategory. The term is used in travel planning, tourism marketing, and everyday conversation.

Examples

1. 箱根なら日帰りで行けるから週末どう？ Hakone is doable as a day trip, so how about this weekend?
2. 日帰り温泉でリフレッシュしてきた。 I went to a day-trip hot spring and totally recharged.
3. 日帰りだとゆっくり見て回れないかもね。 If it's a day trip, we might not have time to see everything.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, friends, daily life

Tone: practical, casual

Do Say

• 日帰りで行けるおすすめの場所ある？ (Any recommended places I can go on a day trip?)
• 今日は日帰りだから早めに出よう。 (It's a day trip today so let's leave early.)

Don't Say

• 泊まりの旅行を「日帰り」とは言わない (An overnight trip isn't called a 'day trip')

Common Mistakes

• Not knowing 日帰り温泉 — one of the most common uses, meaning a hot spring you can visit without staying overnight
• Pronouncing 日 as にち instead of ひ — in this compound it is always ひがえり

Origin & History

Compound of 日 (day) + 帰り (returning). A long-established Japanese travel term that gained additional relevance with modern transportation making more destinations accessible for same-day round trips.

Cultural Context

Era: Long-established term

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used across Japan. Japan's train network enables 日帰り trips to many destinations. 日帰り温泉 is a massive industry with dedicated guidebooks and apps.