Narita Airport

[umetaro]

So I have a four hour layover at Narita airport and was wondering if anyone knew of really good food I could get to without missing my connecting flight. I'm especially interested in sushi (but am open to other stuff) and my price range is probably under $100 US, but if it's good enough I'd be willing to shell out a little more.

Also, if it's a factor, my Japanese is pretty terrible. Nihonjin usually think I'm retarded until they find out I'm American. Actually, that confirms it for some...

[kazuo]

I'm not sure that you can leave the restricted area of the airport if you're merely laying over. There are two terminals, Terminal Two and Narita Terminal. Do you know which one you'll be in?

For the most part, if you're in the restricted area, i.e., you haven't cleared immigration and customs, the choices are pretty grim. If you clear immigration, there are some restaurants near the check in counters. I know that there are sushi places in both Terminal Two and Narita Terminal, but I've not eaten at either.

[torakris]

I am pretty sure kazuo is right, people on layovers can not leave the airport. am trying to remember but I am not even sure if you can go into the main part of the terminal....

You defnitely can not leave the terminal you are in, can you find out which one you will be landing in?

Here is the Narita English homepage.

[torakris]

I just found this at the site I linked to:

Transit passengers waiting for ongoing international flights are asked to go directly to the departure gate of their connecting flight. Those wishing to leave the restricted area must obtain a temporary entry permit. Arrangements for these permits can be made with your airline prior to departure.

[umetaro]

I just found this at the site I linked to:

Transit passengers waiting for ongoing international flights are asked to go directly to the departure gate of their connecting flight. Those wishing to leave the restricted area must obtain a temporary entry permit. Arrangements for these permits can be made with your airline prior to departure.

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hmm... on a trip back from vietnam, in november of 2003, i was able to leave the airport. have the rules changed recently?

[kazuo]

Not sure if the rules have changed. I don't often have a layover at Narita since I live in Tokyo.

If you are in Narita Terminal (home of United, Northwest, Singapore and others), and manage to escape the restricted area, there is a sandwich place that sells a beef katsu sandwich - beef coated in panko and deep fried, on white bread with cabbage and tonkatsu sauce. Very tasty.

[umetaro]

for future reference, i found this...

http://joi.ito.com/archives/2002/07/30/sushi_iwa.html

the uni donburi mentioned in the comments sounds sweet.

[lannie]

Where would be an interesting area to bring an 11 year-old boy on his first sojourn to Tokyo? It'll only be a short 5-hour visit on a Sunday (in transit at Narita). I am leaning towards Harajuku, Takeshita-dori, Omotesando, Meiji-jingu. He'd probably get a kick out of seeing all the young people dressed up in funky outfits.

Does anyone have other ideas/suggestions? Thanks!

[sanrensho]

Where would be an interesting area to bring an 11 year-old boy on his first sojourn to Tokyo?  It'll only be a short 5-hour visit on a Sunday (in transit at Narita).

Perhaps this may be presumptuous, but have you got the logistics figured out? Unfortunately, Tokyo is not really that close to Narita Airport, so a quick hop into Tokyo proper means getting your tickets quickly and timing it so that you get onto the soonest leaving train.

Then you have to navigate to get around Tokyo itself. That may cut down on your time in Tokyo quite a bit. Please ignore the above if you have this all figured out.

You might also consider Shibuya and Shinjuku if you only have 5 hours.

[Route246]

Is this 5-hours net of transportation to and from the airport, check-in time, passport control, immigration, etc.? Figure about 2 hours on each end so that would mean at a minimum of 9 hours layover?

Where would be an interesting area to bring an 11 year-old boy on his first sojourn to Tokyo?  It'll only be a short 5-hour visit on a Sunday (in transit at Narita).  I am leaning towards Harajuku, Takeshita-dori, Omotesando, Meiji-jingu.  He'd probably get a kick out of seeing all the young people dressed up in funky outfits.

Does anyone have other ideas/suggestions?  Thanks!

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[lannie]

Thanks for the concerns about the logistics of the trip from Narita into Tokyo. We actually arrive at 2:30pm in Narita, and have an overnight hotel there before an onward flight the next morning. So, I'm hoping that there will be time to get into Tokyo proper by late afternoon, have a nice supper, see a bit of the night happenings, then back to Narita for some sleep.

Thanks for the suggestions of Shibuya and Shinjuku. I was also considering those areas.

[sanrensho]

So, I'm hoping that there will be time to get into Tokyo proper by late afternoon, have a nice supper, see a bit of the night happenings, then back to Narita for some sleep. 

Thanks for the suggestions of Shibuya and Shinjuku.  I was also considering those areas.

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Given your parameters, I think Shinjuku first and Shibuya second are your best bets. It might be past 5:00 p.m. by the time you get into Tokyo proper, and these two options are far more interesting for an evening visit than Harajuku, IMO. More food options, too, especially in Shinjuku.

[lannie]

Given your parameters, I think Shinjuku first and Shibuya second are your best bets. It might be past 5:00 p.m. by the time you get into Tokyo proper, and these two options are far more interesting for an evening visit than Harajuku, IMO. More food options, too, especially in Shinjuku.

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Sanrensho, thank you for your suggestions. It does sound like Shinjuku and/or Shibuya would be a better choice since most happenings at Harajuku would over by early evening. I suppose that for an 11 year-old's first exposure to the Tokyo night scene, Shinjuku would be cool with all the lit up skyscrapers and neon signs (but, maybe not Kabuki-cho! ). He'd probably also like to see Hachiko at Shibuya Station.

Thanks again!

[torakris]

Hi Lannie,

Since you seem to be more interested in things for your 11 year old to see rather than food I would stick with your original plan. My only change would be to hit Shibuya instead of Omotesando.

I have kids the same age and they find both Shinjuku and Omotesando immensely boring. My kids could spend the whole day in the Harajuku surrounds and still get swept away by the scene at the big Shibuya crossing (center gai) which is probably one of the most famous images of Tokyo.

I would start in Harajuku at Takeshita dori while you still have some sunlight then head over to Meiji-jingu and then get back on the train and over to to Shibuya (It is walkable but I recommend the train) to see Shibuya at night including the big crossing, Hachiko, etc. If you have time he might enjoy a trip into the huge Tower Records shop.

Just remember it will take about 1 1/2 hours by train to get into central Tokyo from Narita, so you will need to plan accordingly.

[Pouncy]

I'm going to be stuck at Narita for HOURS today, South Wing of Terminal 1. Any recs for places to eat, or an I condemned to airport onigiri?

[JasonTrue]

I'm not sure if you're talking pre- or post-checkin, but on the 4th and 5th floors of the public access area there are a number of restaurants. I sometimes end up at an average pseudo-Italian place whose name I forget; I discovered there are a bunch of options just a bit down the hall, including a Thai offering that looks popular with airport employees, when I had more time on my hands. There are some family-restaurant type places inside of a more cafeteria-style section on one of the two restaurant-heavy floors.

Soup Stock Tokyo has a location in the airport, which is a chain serving mostly Western-style soups that Hiromi likes enough to carry around a "point card" for.

Once past immigration and inside the terminal I've never had anything I was excited about. I always try to eat before I become a completely captive audience, when I have the option.

By "today" I suspect you mean now, and if you're Seattle-bound your flight has probably left already, in which case I'm sorry I wasn't much more help.

I'm going to be stuck at Narita for HOURS today, South Wing of Terminal 1.  Any recs for places to eat, or an I condemned to airport onigiri? 

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[KD1191]

I'll be traveling through SE Asia this fall, and had planned to change planes in Seoul on my way there from Chicago, however another itinerary has become available that would leave me with a 13 hour layover at Narita (~6 am to 7 pm on a Saturday). As I've never been to Japan, I thought this might be an interesting opportunity. Has anyone had any recent experience with extended layovers? Assuming an hour+ in transit to-from Tokyo, plus the time spent in immigration/security, would it be worthwhile?

[prasantrin]

I'll be traveling through SE Asia this fall, and had planned to change planes in Seoul on my way there from Chicago, however another itinerary has become available that would leave me with a 13 hour layover at Narita (~6 am to 7 pm on a Saturday).  As I've never been to Japan, I thought this might be an interesting opportunity.  Has anyone had any recent experience with extended layovers?  Assuming an hour+ in transit to-from Tokyo, plus the time spent in immigration/security, would it be worthwhile?

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I'd do it. In fact, I had planned to do it for an 8-hour layover until swine flu wreaked havoc with my plans.

You could easily get into Tokyo and if you're really worried, just stick around Tokyo Station. Plenty to do within a 15-minute walk or train ride.

If at all possible, try to leave your carry-ons in a locker near the gates. I don't know if they still have them, but they'll definitely have lockers on the public side of the terminal. But that way when you come through security again, you won't have as much crap to put through.

[Lori D]

If at all possible, try to leave your carry-ons in a locker near the gates.  I don't know if they still have them, but they'll definitely have lockers on the public side of the terminal.  But that way when you come through security again, you won't have as much crap to put through.

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It looks as if there are no lockers inside the gates - http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/guide/serv...ist/svc_07.html

[prasantrin]

If at all possible, try to leave your carry-ons in a locker near the gates.  I don't know if they still have them, but they'll definitely have lockers on the public side of the terminal.  But that way when you come through security again, you won't have as much crap to put through.

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It looks as if there are no lockers inside the gates - http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/guide/serv...ist/svc_07.html

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Darn. But even if you have to leave your luggage in the non-secure area, it should be OK because you'll already have your boarding pass. It doesn't take that long to get through security at any airport in Japan (compared to large airports in the US, for example). And Y300 a day for a locker is a bargain--at MSP (minnapolis st. paul) it was $3 an *hour*!

What are you interested in seeing/doing in Tokyo? Any particular food you're looking to try? That can help narrow down the area you should go out to.

[KD1191]

What are you interested in seeing/doing in Tokyo?  Any particular food you're looking to try?  That can help narrow down the area you should go out to.

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Thanks for the insight. We'd probably just want to see a sight or two and eat some really good sushi.

[rooftop1000]

Since luggage has come up on this thread, we never got out of Heathrow during our 8 hour layover because our baggage was booked through. They wouldnt let us leave the airport without it

Tracey

[prasantrin]

Since luggage has come up on this thread, we never got out of Heathrow during our 8 hour layover because our baggage was booked through. They wouldnt let us leave the airport without it

Tracey

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Luckily, Japan doesn't have those limitations--some airports (I know Kansai International does) even have day-trips organized from the airport, specifically for people with long stopovers, but less than one day.

KD1191, I don't know if group bus tours are your kind of thing, but something like this http://www.japanican.com/tours/tourdetail....c=GMT01TYOOA030 might be interesting. After a long flight you might be a bit tired, so a bus tour will let you sit around for a bit. Then you'll have the rest of the afternoon free to do what you want, and eat what you want. This tour doesn't leave from Narita, though, but it would be pretty easy to get to the Hamamatsu-cho bus station. If your plane is light, though, you might be SOL.

Anyway, the tour ends in Ginza, and there's tons to eat around there, including sushi and tempura places (some of the best tempura places are in the Ginza area). I don't eat a lot of sushi, so I can't really recommend any specific places, but bento.com has a lot of restaurant recommendations (I'd take the reviews with a grain of salt, however).

Tempura I'm more familiar with--what's your price range?

[KD1191]

Luckily, Japan doesn't have those limitations--some airports (I know Kansai International does) even have day-trips organized from the airport, specifically for people with long stopovers, but less than one day.

KD1191, I don't know if group bus tours are your kind of thing, but something like this http://www.japanican.com/tours/tourdetail....c=GMT01TYOOA030 might be interesting.  After a long flight you might be a bit tired, so a bus tour will let you sit around for a bit.  Then you'll have the rest of the afternoon free to do what you want, and eat what you want.  This tour doesn't leave from Narita, though, but it would be pretty easy to get to the Hamamatsu-cho bus station.  If your plane is light, though, you might be SOL.

Anyway, the tour ends in Ginza, and there's tons to eat around there, including sushi and tempura places (some of the best tempura places are in the Ginza area).  I don't eat a lot of sushi, so I can't really recommend any specific places, but bento.com has a lot of restaurant recommendations (I'd take the reviews with a grain of salt, however).

Tempura I'm more familiar with--what's your price range?

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Thanks, my wife found a website about leaving Narita during long layovers, which put my mind at ease on that question, but I appreciate the additional confirmation.

We're very active travelers, so I don't think a bus tour would be the best thing for us. The layover is actually at the end of our trip, before the long flight home to Chicago, so we shouldn't be in too bad of shape either. We're arriving from Hanoi that morning, which is only a 5 hour flight.

Assuming our flight arrives on time at 6:50 AM, what time would you think we'd be through immigration/customs?

Any price range, really...have loved $0.25 tacos from carts in Tijuana and multi-hundred dollar tasting menus at *** in Paris, and everything in between. While I like a bargain as much as the next person, great food is something I'm perfectly content to splurge on.

Tempura (as anything other than a side dish) isn't something I know much about, are there any threads here where I can learn more? I love good ramen and the idea of yakimono/yakitori (though I've never been to one, not even sure which is the correct term, sorry). Do you know, is there any point in heading to Tsukiji if we can't get there until later in the day? I get the impression from reading that you need to be there in the pre-dawn to appreciate it, but sushi is really going to be the #1 experience for me. I love it, and sadly there is no great sushi in Chicago, and so I never eat it unless I'm traveling to someplace closer to an ocean. I can't pass up getting a chance to eat it in Tokyo.

[prasantrin]

I haven't flown through NRT in years, but the last time I flew into KIX at 6am, I got through immigration and collected my luggage within 30 minutes. I usually dash to immigration, though (more like a fast walk), so I can catch the limousine bus home. I'd put aside at least an hour, 90 minutes max at that time (barring a multitude of other arrivals at the same time), and make sure you fill out the immigration card stuff while you're on the plane, so it's ready to go when you get to the officer. And make sure you have a copy of your itinerary at the ready, in case they ask you to show it (since you won't have a contact number/address in Japan).

If you've got your heart set on sushi, and don't mind the long lines, I'd go to Tsukiji. You've got time, anyway. The fish auction will be finished, so you won't be going for that experience, but there's still plenty to see and, of course, plenty of sushi to eat. I'd go there straight from the airport, though, rather than wait until later in the day. They close pretty early (Daiwa closes at 1:30, Sushi Dai at 2, so if you go later, you may end up not eating there if the line is too long and you don't make the cut off). If you get there around 10 and you end up having to wait 90 minutes, you'll get to eat by noon. But if you get there at noon, you may be out of luck.

From there you can go to Ginza (just 3 minutes by train, or you could walk), and from Ginza you could go to Shibuya and Shinjuku (Shibuya involves just one train line, Shinjuku would require a transfer or you could walk from Shibuya). Lots of pop culture things in those areas if you're interested in that.

Good ramen places in Tokyo (like the one BryanZ went to) also have long lines. chowhound has at least one extensive ramen topic you could look at. It's the easiest way to get information in English.