Dick Karp’s Guide to the Most Asked Questions about Tokyo and Japan for which answers aren’t found in guidebooks
#1 QUESTION: I arrive at Narita airport at X and depart at Y, what are my choices?
Here are my recommendations. They apply to inexperienced, but adventurous, travelers who arrive without Japanese yen and want to cash back their yen when they leave. These timings also assume you already have the boarding pass for your next flight. If you are experienced in the ways of Narita and Tokyo, you can of course be more aggressive.
I will focus here on international-international connections, the most common kind at Narita. Domestic-domestic connections at Narita are very rare. For an international-domestic connection, you must immediately head to immigration and customs and can subtract the time for departure immigration from the numbers below. For a domestic-international connection, just subtract the time for arrival formalities and otherwise proceed as if it were an international-international connection.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
If you have 3 hours or less, you can’t leave the international terminal airside waiting area.
If your stay time is at least (3 hours + the length of the inbound immigration line), you can go to the landside portion of Narita airport.
If your stay is between 7am and 10pm and is at least (4 hours + the length of the inbound immigration line), you can go to the town of Narita.
If your stay is between 7am and 6pm and is at least (6 hours + the length of the inbound immigration line), you can go to sights near the town of Narita, such as the National History museum in Sakura or the Boso no Mura village, if they are open.
If your stay is between 7am and 10pm and is at least (8 hours + the length of the inbound immigration line), and you are willing to pay up to $60 for fast trains, you can go to the eastern side of Tokyo. If you have an hour more, you can choose between taking less expensive, but slower, trains or having more time to sightsee. You won’t see much and should only do this if you don’t expect to be back in Japan, but in my opinion, it still beats spending the time around Narita.
Alternatively, if you are a Disney fanatic, you can visit Tokyo Disneyland for a while.
If you arrive before 6pm and leave at 2pm or later the next day, you can spend the night in Tokyo instead of Narita, either in a hotel or by partying all night, if you are willing to pay for fast trains in addition to your costs in Tokyo. You won’t see much and should only do this if you don’t expect to be back in Japan.
If you have at least 24 hours and don’t have to depart early in the morning, you should go into Tokyo. You can stay just about anywhere that is close to the JR Yamanote line.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Now here is the detailed explanation behind the above, as well as directions and details.
1. Staying inside the airside area: Always an option unless you have an overnight stay (and don’t want to sleep in a chair), but boring for longer visits. The duty free shops are no bargain for anyone from anywhere but Japan and the restaurant choices are limited. You can also go to an airline club (if eligible) or use the inexpensive public shower/nap rooms. You will have to go through security to get down to the departure floor. Upon arrival, everyone jams the first security checkpoint they see, leading to long waits. If you just keep walking, there are several other security checkpoints, and unless you are exceptionally unlucky, most of the others will have no lines. If you have to change terminals, usually you can get an airside transfer bus.
The Narita airport website, http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/ , provides a complete list of options within the airport. Most of the places on the airside will accept credit cards and you won’t need Japanese yen. There are no left luggage facilities within the secure area, although on one occasion the friendly people at the United First Class lounge offered to keep my bags for me (the regular United Red Carpet Club made no such offer when asked). If you don’t want to carry all your bags, you might consider – dare I suggest it? – checking them through.
2. Leaving the airside area: If your layover time suggests you might have other choices, here’s what you need to know.
The one bit of data which is hugely variable is the inbound immigration waiting time. Customs is usually not a problem at Narita, it’s immigration. Here are the “overhead” steps you will deal with entering and exiting the country, with estimated times assuming you are doing them for the first time:
If you already have your ongoing boarding pass, these items total 65 – 85 minutes plus the inbound immigration waiting time. If you don’t have to change money, it’s 20 minutes less, if you check your bags it’s 15 minutes more. Obviously, then, the inbound immigration waiting time can be a significant factor in your decision. You check this quite simply by walking to the area and taking a look at what the sign nearest the end of the foreign visitor line says. If you decide that the line is too long, you can go back.
Once you leave the airside area – even if just to go to the airport landside – you’ll need Japanese yen. Best ATM machine is Citibank since it will issue yen by the thousands. Others tend to require you to get yen by the ten thousands, which would be too much for a short visit to the landside or Narita town. Unfortunately, the Citibank machine isn’t always working, but try it first, unless you are going into Tokyo, in which case you will want at least 10,000 yen.
3, Day visits to Narita town: The best way is by the Keisei line limited express train. The Keisei Skyliner stops in Narita town but you aren’t supposed to take it and I don’t recommend this. But if you do, at Narita town station, you might have to climb over a gate to get off the platform (try to do it when no one working for the rail line is looking!). I don’t recommend you lug any bags into Narita town for a short visit; if you have bags, check them at the airport. There are lockers at Keisei Narita station, but they won’t work out cheaper than using the airport check facility.
If the first train leaving is a JR Sobu line rapid, you can take that. Don’t buy your tickets for either train until you get downstairs and check the schedule boards, as tickets on JR are not usable on Keisei and vice versa.
If you don’t want to figure out the fare, or it is close to departure time, buy the minimum fare ticket. You can “add fare” at the exit.
Upon arrival at Narita town, check the return train times (if you are determined, check both JR and Keisei) to see when you need to be back at the station.
The Keisei line station and the JR station are about 300 yards apart. To get to JR from Keisei, walk straight ahead and turn right when the short street ends, shortly you will see the JR station on the left up a short block. To get to Keisei from JR, walk straight ahead to the first street and turn right, the Keisei station is then the first left.
The place everyone goes to on a short Narita town visit is the temple. From Keisei Narita, walk straight ahead and turn right when the short street ends, then walk straight for about 20 minutes to the temple. From JR Narita, walk straight ahead to the end of the little bus station square, and turn left, then walk straight for about 20 minutes to the temple. There is one sort of Y shaped junction along this walk, keep to the right. The temple entrance is on your left about 5 minutes after the Y shaped junction. Admission is free.
This street is lined with shops, restaurants, and bars, including a few clearly catering to the layover crowd (like the “Jet Lag Club” bar).
If you are just taking the train to and from Narita town and might want a soft drink or a very light snack, Y1000 will be enough. If you want a meal or some cocktails, get Y2000 or Y3000 to be safe.
The standard guide to Narita town is Mike Newman’s Narita layover page, http://www.mgnewman.com/narita/index.html, which is also full of all sorts of other good advice. Overall, my feeling is that Narita doesn’t have that much to offer, but if it’s the only opportunity you’ll have to see any part of Japan, you should go visit. It’s still in Japan and feels different from Western towns.
4. Day visit to Boso no Mura: If you have too much time for Narita but not enough to go to Tokyo, this might be enjoyable. It’s a reproduction of an old Japanese village with restored houses and stores. You can walk around and get a sense at how Japanese lived a long time ago. Plus, it’s free. Boso no Mura is open from 9 am to 4:30pm and admission -- as well as any interactive events -- are completely free. Be sure to try on some samurai armor! Closed Monday (except national holidays, when they close on the next day, Tuesday) and Dec 26 to Jan 4. I wouldn’t bother setting out from Narita town if it’s later than 1:30pm. Since most of this attraction is outdoors, it isn’t fun when the weather is bad. Change at least Y3000, to be safe.
To get to Boso no Mura, you take the single track Narita line (which doesn’t run that often) from Narita JR station for 2 stops to Ajiki. Don’t take the train in the direction of Chiba, you want the other direction. Get on a bus bound for "Ryukakuji-dai Shako" and ask the driver to let you know when you reach "Boso No Mura" bus stop. Then cross the street and go up the crossroad for about 5 minutes to the entrance. Total time from Narita JR station is only about 25 minutes each way. This is a rural area so if you are running late on the way back, it’s unlikely you will be able to get a taxi. Hence, you should check the return bus schedule right upon arrival after crossing the street.
There is no food service at or near Boso no Mura.
5. National Museum of Japanese History: Another excellent thing to do if you have too much time for Narita town but not enough to go to Tokyo. From either Narita airport or Keisei Narita station, take a Keisei Limited Express to the town of Sakura (max 20 minutes). After leaving Sakura station, there are rustic signs in English and Japanese that will point the way, it’s about a 15 minute walk. Note that the JR Sakura station is nowhere near, you MUST take Keisei line. The museum is open from 9am-4:30pm (last admission 4pm) every day but Monday (open National holiday Mondays, but then closed the Tuesday following). Again, I would not start this trip later than 1:30pm. If the weather isn’t too bad, you can still do this trip if you have an umbrella. Every convenience store sells umbrellas when it’s raining, generally for Y500 or less. Change at least Y3000, to be safe.
There are restaurants near Sakura station and a café (which isn’t always open) at the museum.
The museum charges a modest admission fee but you get a guide map and headset with English commentary. I found it to be quite an interesting museum. There are often special exhibits for an additional fee, but the ones I have seen weren’t so worthwhile as there was typically no English commentary. Here if you are running late, worst case you can take a taxi all the way back to the airport, but I bet it costs at least Y6000!
6. Visit to Chiba town: If you don’t have enough time to get to Tokyo, and want to visit a bigger city than Narita, you can go to Chiba. I don’t think the area around Chiba station is very interesting, which is why it isn’t on my main list, but there is a true monorail (i.e., suspended from above) you can ride if you are a fan of that sort of thing. It takes from 45 to 60 minutes to get to Chiba, which is virtually the same as Tokyo on a high speed train, but it is cheaper than the high speed train to Tokyo. You take a JR rapid train if there is one leaving without waiting too long, otherwise you need to take the Keisei line to Narita, walk to the JR station, and get on a JR train to Chiba. Note that the JR rapid trains back to Narita airport only run once an hour, so check the return schedule before you leave Chiba station – it’s hard to read, but it’s there behind you and overhead just after you pass the main exit turnstile. The Rapid trains also take longer than you think they will because they typically stop at either Narita town or Sakura and wait for a Narita Express train passes them.
7. Short day visit to Tokyo: Here time is of the essence so you have to spend money to get the maximum value from your quick trip. The first rule is NEVER to take a taxi into Tokyo unless you are Bill Gates (in which case you won’t need this advice list, you’ll have minders to do everything for you). A taxi will cost about $250 each way.
Instead, you have to take the very first high speed train from the airport to Tokyo. The Narita Express costs about Y3000 each way; the Keisei Skyliner, costs Y1990 each way. Buy a round trip ticket and pick your return train when buying the outbound trip as all seats are reserved on both trains. If you buy a JR ticket at the JR ticket booth – near the train entrance, not upstairs in the arrival hall – you can use a credit card and also get a tiny 5% discount on the round trip. In every other case, you will need to pay cash. There is no round trip discount on Keisei, but it’s significantly cheaper than Narita Express. However, I don’t recommend waiting. Get out on the first train, your time is very limited. The train ride will take an hour in each direction.
If you take the Narita Express, go to Tokyo station. The places to visit are Ginza, the Yurakucho area, the Hibiya area, Hibiya Park, and possibly the gardens at the emperor’s palace. You could take a short train ride to Akihabara and visit the “electric town area.” If you take the Keisei Skyliner, go to Keisei Ueno station. The places to visit are Ueno Park, the Tokyo National museum in Ueno Park, the shopping area under the Yamanote train tracks between Ueno and Akihabara, and Akihabara “electric town.”
Yes, you could take the Skyliner in and the Narita Express back or vice versa, and do a one way loop between Ueno and Tokyo station. The reason you should consider this very carefully is because when you leave from the same station you arrive at, you know what the station looks like and probably have a lower chance of getting lost or delayed on your return. Time is of the essence and if you miss your return train, although you can ride standby on the next train, it won’t leave for a half hour at least, and if you are cutting it close – which you probably are in this case – you might miss your plane.
The only local transport you should consider is the JR Yamanote line between Yurakucho station and Ueno station. This is a circular loop line running around Tokyo. In both clockwise and counter-clockwise directions, trains run every 3 – 5 minutes, more often during rush hour. The stations relevant to you starting at the south end and going north are Yurakucho (closest to Ginza although you can walk from Tokyo station), Tokyo, Kanda, Akihabara, Okachimachi, and Ueno. Don’t get out at Kanda or Okachimachi. There are many train lines at Ueno and Tokyo station. The Yamanote line trains all have a lime green stripe on them. To buy a ticket, go up to any JR ticket machine and just buy a ticket for Y150, that will cover any connection between these stations (actually Y130 works unless you are going Tokyo-Ueno or v.v.). It is about a 9 minute ride maximum.
It would be helpful to have a map of the east side of Tokyo and study it in advance. Also note that the Keisei Skyliner leaves from Keisei Ueno station, which is in a slightly different location than JR Ueno station. It is about a 6 minute walk between the JR Ueno station and Keisei Ueno station; the route is posted in English.
8. Slightly longer day visit to Tokyo: You can choose to explore more of Tokyo, in which case I recommend taking the fast train options mentioned above. Alternatively, you can spend more of your time in transit to save money. The Keisei Limited Express is the way to do this, I do not recommend the JR rapid train. The Keisei Limited express costs Y990 each way and takes 20 minutes longer than the Skyliner (about 80 minutes total) to reach Keisei Ueno station. Seats are not reserved, you buy your ticket from the ticket machine or the agent. If you have only one hour more than the shortest tour above and take the cheaper option, I recommend sticking to the Akihabara – Ueno portion of Tokyo as above.
If you take a limited express and choose to spend the time exploring more of Tokyo instead, I still recommend you stick to the Yurakucho - Ueno station portion of the Yamanote line, although you might have enough time to deviate to the famous Asakusa temple area (take the Ginza line subway from Ueno, which costs Y160). Again, each individual JR trip will cost no more than Y150 so there is no real reason to bother with figuring out whether it is Y130 or not, a few extra Y20 payments make no real difference on a visit this short! You should be able to do a quick once-over of many of the principal sights between Ginza and Ueno Park.
9. A visit to Tokyo Disney: There are two amusement parks at Tokyo Disney, Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea (land and sea, get it?). I haven’t been to either, so I am not expert on this alternative. Lately, there have been news reports that business at Disney Sea has been slower than expected, possibly due to having too few rides, so more rides are under construction. But overall, this alternative is only for Disney fanatics, since Tokyo Disneyland is mostly just a replica of all the other Disneylands. The train station for both parks is Maihama station on the JR Keiyo line. There is also limited airport limousine bus service, 6 – 7 trips a day. If a bus is leaving within 20 minutes of when you check, it would likely be a better alternative than the train, otherwise you should take JR.
The simplest way to get to Tokyo Disney by train is to take the Narita Express to Tokyo station, transfer to the JR Keiyo line (a long walk that takes 10 – 15 minutes and seems endless), and then ride the Keiyo line back outbound to Maihama station, another 15 minutes. Total time is at least 90 minutes each way. Buy your ticket all the way to Maihama and back, it will be cheaper buying it as one ticket.
A less expensive way that won’t take much longer en route is via the JR Rapid train from Narita airport to Nishi-Funabashi station. Transfer to the JR Musashino line to Maihama station. The problem here is that the JR rapid line often runs only once per hour. It is possible to take the Keisei line limited express part way and transfer to a JR line with some walking in between, but this method requires several transfers and is only recommended if you are experienced in Japanese rail transport and map it out ahead of time.
You will have time to visit only one of the two Disney Parks. Work out your plans in advance, it would be really bad to show up and find the parks closed!
10. A night partying in Tokyo: If you want to stay up the whole night, you probably should go to Roppongi. Take the Narita Express to Shinjuku station if the first train you get on goes there. Otherwise, take either the Narita Express to Tokyo station or the Keisei Skyliner to Nippori and then ride the JR Yamanote line to Shinjuku. Find the Oedo line Shinjuku station (there are two Oedo line stations, the Shinjuku station is preferable to the other, called Shinjuku-nishi-guchi) and ride it to Roppongi. There are a number of other ways to get to Roppongi if you plan things out, for example, you can connect to the Hibiya subway line at Ebisu, or do a complex transfer to the Oedo line from the Okachimachi station, one station south of Ueno on the JR Yamanote line.
If you decide you need to sleep, there aren’t many options in Roppongi, but there are numerous foreigner-friendly bars. Plenty of them (as well as a number of restaurants and fast food places) will stay open until the trains and subways start again at 5am. It’s simplest and safest to avoid ANY bar where a tout tries to get you to go; although some of these are reasonably safe, some aren’t, and bad things have happened. You can also walk to the nearby Roppongi Hills development where there are a large number of interesting restaurants. In addition to transportation costs, you will spend at least Y5000 in Roppongi and very possibly a lot more. Also take a look at the large 24 hour “drug store,” Don Quixote. You can’t miss it, even if the name on the neon sign is spelled in Japanese.
You can also consider wandering around Shibuya, including touring an area called “Love Hotel hill.” This is harder to navigate, but Shibuya station is on the JR Yamanote line. Do your homework and get some maps before trying this.
Be sure to stay sober enough to get back to the airport on time!
11. A visit to Tokyo with a short overnight stay: It is almost certainly best to find a hotel near either Ueno station, so you can take the Keisei Skyliner back, or Tokyo station, so you can take the Narita Express back. Do your homework; more moderately priced hotels are near Ueno station and more luxury hotels are near Tokyo station. Depending on how adventuresome you are, you can not only explore the Ueno – Yurakucho area in more depth, you might even find enough time to get to other parts of Tokyo, such as Asakusa, Harajuku, Shibuya, or Shinjuku.
12. A full 24 hours or more between planes: Don’t waste this much time in Narita, go to Tokyo. Stay near one of the stops of the Narita Express or the Keisei Skyliner, or take a Friendly Airport Limousine (which is a bus, not a limousine, and is efficient rather than friendly) directly to and from the hotel you’ve chosen.