Tokyo Layover

*This was an email I sent a friend who had a 9 hour layover at Narita. Here's some advice on what to do if you only have a few hours to get out to Tokyo and back!

**If you have the opportunity to fly through Haneda (HND) rather than Narita (NRT), you'll be much closer to central Tokyo (20 min train ride)

So 9 hours is a lot of time to spend in Narita. Unfortunately it is 60-90 min from Tokyo, but if you don't mind packing in the visit, I would definitely try to get into the city for a few hours and for a meal or two, especially if you haven't been. This also depends on what time your layover is since transportation is an issue in the odd hours of the night. Here's my blog with general info on Japan and Tokyo.

You can get to Tokyo on the limousine bus or Narita Express train -- roughly same price (about 3000 yen) but timing is different (buses run every 30-60 min depending on the hotel, Narita Express every 15 min) and the train is more reliable during rush hour. The buses go to major hotels in many parts of the city, Narita Express goes to a few major train stations (go to Tokyo or Shinjuku).

The bus will be right outside of where you come out of customs, look for the orange sign. The bus schedules will be on the board and you'll have to look for the specific neighborhood/hotel. I would recommend these two bus lines

• Ginza-Shiodome - get off at Imperial Hotel (Frank Lloyd Wright building!) and you can wander around Ginza on Omotesando Road, equivalent to 5th Ave in NY or Rodeo Drive (or Jarod's favorite Gangnam) Also short walk to the Imperial Palace, and there are great little strips of restaurants and bars near Shimbashi train station. 
• Shibuya - get off at Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu and Shibuya is a fun area with younger shopping, bars and restaurants. It also has the crazy huge intersection (8 ways) that you always see in movies (it's the one in Lost in Translation with the pink dinosaur). One stop from Harajuku which is a fun strip and that is right at Meiji Jingu Shrine and Yoyogi Park. Actually if you're there on Sunday, the "Harajuku girls" who get all dressed up hang out at the Harajuku station bridge by Yoyogi Park on Sundays, you should definitely check it out! 

The Narita Express will get you to Tokyo or Shinjuku station. The train platform will be down the escalators from the arrivals area. You want the JR Narita Express, not the Keio Skyliner (also to Tokyo but to different parts of the city). Shinjuku is closer to Shibuya and Tokyo is closer to Ginza and Tsukiji. Both of those stations are enormous, but the signs are in English to get out. Would be easiest to find (or ask for) the metro - the subway is color coded and numbered and in English.

 

If you have evening time and are leaving from Shinjuku station, stop at the Park Hyatt Hotel which is a short walk from the station. The New York bar at the top is where Bill Murray spends most of his time in Lost in Translation. Expensive drinks, but beautiful night city views.  

 

***Note: The famous Tsukiji fish markets were shuttered and moved to Toyosu in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics and to modernize this important market's infrastructure. Toyosu website. Sushi-bun is also at Toyosu now.

On Tsukiji. As Jarod knows, it is my favorite place in the world to eat and if you have a chance to go, it is totally worth it! It is the largest fish market in the world, and though they don't love tourists in the tuna auctions these days, you can walk around miles of the market and also get the best sushi in the outskirts of the market. Open from wee hours of the morning to about 2pm. Sushi-bun is my favorite favorite and I've sent a few folks there so hopefully it's findable. I just realized if you're there on Sun Mar 3, Tsukiji market will be closed on Sundays but not sure when your actual layover is. Check out the Tsukiji market calendar - red dots are closed days.

Note, most people will not speak English, but if you show them the names of places spelled out they can probably point you in the right way. So it's worth having a print out or your phone handy.

It looks like you can do baggage storage at Narita if you have luggage btw. I've never used storage services, though my family always used ABC for delivery. But depends on what terminal really, I'm sure they're all fine.

Enjoy!

PS: Adding a 36 Hours in Tokyo article from the New York Times (May 2013)