CHSDOC

We're arriving in January at HND at 7PM and departing the next day from NRT at 11:50AM. It's our only time in Japan, and we'd like to make the most of the brief layover--maybe see at least some of the culture of Japan for 12 hours!!!

Where should we stay? Should I go to Narita town and stay there or position myself somewhere in Tokyo? We'll be traveling lightly with only carry-on.

johndadevski

From HND you're close to Tokyo area. I recommend Shibuya. I stayed at Excel Tokyu Shibuya. It's a very busy area with the busiest intersection in the world. From that Shibuya station you can catch the Narita express to NRT airport that leaves at 7 20 am ? It's a 80 minute ride to terminal 2. Have fun

CHSDOC

Good! We can stay at any Hilton Hotel property for free. Is there a Hilton close to there? I see there is a hilton in Narita...

johndadevski

The closest Hilton to Shibuya Is in shinjuku. Or Narita Hilton I near NRT. Not much to do in NRT area. I suggest HND to Shinjuku / Shibuya. The train in morning to NRT

LosPenguinosII

From Hilton Tokyo, you can take airport bus

http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/pla...hes/index/1/22

(also Narita Express leaves from Shinjuku station but Hilton Tokyo
is a bit away from Shinjuku station).

Pickles

There is the Conrad in Shiodome.

RichardInSF

My thought as well. Then in the morning, taxi or Yamanote line to Tokyo station and take the Narita Express to the airport.

OP: Note that you should almost certainly leave your hotel at least 3 hours before your flight, given that you don't know your way around. Work out the train schedule with the hotel when you check in; ideally you should even buy your ticket the night before.

And I wouldn't expect to see much of Tokyo with that layover timing.

SQLAX

I recommend staying in Ginza or Shidome. Ginza is very close to the Tsukiji fish markett. If you are interested in seeing the morning tuna auctions. Mind you they start at like 5:30AM. Ginza is the most high end distrct in Tokyo with many flag ship international shops.

The restaurants are great and it is only about 20 mins from HND and exactly 1 hour from NRT term 2. The Narita express boards from Tokyo station every 30 mins, but I suggest you get the schedue from the ffront desk ar your hotel. It changes frequently becuase of the electricity problems after the tsunami.

Shinjuku Is great for night life and so is Shibuya but they are a little further from NRT. 90 mins by Narita express.

Enjoy^

CHSDOC

I figured we'd have a pretty late night in Tokyo--maybe a meal and a walk around. Our flight out is on ANA F, we can sleep there.

What about just making our way to Narita and staying at the Hilton there and seeing the sights in Narita?

CHSDOC

Thanks. How would you get from HND to Shidome and the Conrad?

sbm12

Wouldn't recommend this plan unless you don't really want to see anything. There aren't many sights to see in Narita at night.

I'd stay in Tokyo proper. Have dinner after you get settled in to the hotel and go to sleep. Wake up at 5am and go to Tsukiji. It is AWESOME. The tuna auctions themselves are now access-limited to ticket holders. Tickets can be acquired morning of at the office (there are signs at the subway exits nearest the market) but even if you miss that part the rest of the market is pretty amazing. I was there just last weekend and didn't get to the auctions this time but did enjoy the rest of my visit (click the photo for more).




After wandering the market for an hour grab a quick breakfast at the stalls surrounding the market and then head back to your hotel for a quick shower to freshen up and head for the airport, either via train or limo bus.

To get into town just take the subway. Cheap and easy and reliable. They have folks who speak English near the ticket machines in the arrivals hall who can help you with directions and which train to ride and such.

CHSDOC

then thats what we'll do. I think that'll be better than hanging out at the airport F lounge. Up at 4 AM, fish market, back to the hotel by 8 AM, off to the airport? I even think I remember reading somewhere here on FT of a local guide that take one through the entire process...

So what hotel is more convenient to that, the Conrad or the Hilton Shinjuku?

Pickles

The Conrad. It is a 10 minute walk to the Tsukiji fish market.

RichardInSF

To Shiodome from Haneda airport: I would take the Keikyu train to Shinagawa. There you can possibly buy your Narita Express tickets for the next morning, if the ticket office is open (there are also shinkansen/limited express ticketing machines that can be set to operate in English if you touch the "English" thingie). Then take the Yamanote line to Shimbashi station and walk to the Conrad from there.

The ticket machines selling shinkansen/limited express tickets are usually in an area of the ticket machines colored a light purple-ish, I believe. But that's marked in English too.

Note that you will need Yen cash for the N'Ex tickets from the machines (around Y6000-6500 for two). The JR ticket offices take credit cards but not the machines.

I was in the ANA F lounge last time I was at NRT, you can make a meal there but it's not as much better than the business lounge as I had expected.

SQLAX

HND to Shiodpome or Conrad is a 20 minute cab ride. If you are lightly packed then a commuter train will work for you also. The station get off is Shiodome SIO-SITE. most of the lines stop there. This will put you exactly under the Conrad. You can also get of at Ginza and take a short 5-7 minute cab ride to the Conrad.

BTW the closest site to the Conrad is the Hamaryku Garden, about 5 minutes walk. It is quite nice but in January I don think there will be much to see. You can catch a local tour boat from there and tour the Tokyo bay. Quite Nice. ^