Good lessons learned from this post, and FWIW here are few pointers from someone who travels thru Narita far too much:
1. The Citibank ATM is a little tough to find when you arrive, but it is probably the best bet for getting cash from your US card.
click here for details and a link to a map
2. Generally speaking, the JR Narita Express is 100% reserved seating. So if you get to Tokyo station and the next reserved seat would not be available for another 30 or 60 minutes, then politely buy the ticket and then
head down to the platform anyway. Enter the car you would have taken later and then forget every word of Japanese you have ever learned
As
omsflyer experienced, you can stand, or more likely find an empty seat, especially in the Green Car (if you are willing to pay the purser another ¥1,500 or so). Its just an hour anyway.
3. If you only have, say a rollaboard and briefcase, a better bet is to take the Keisei Railway express train from either Ueno or Nippori (both on the JR Yamanote line). It is
always half-empty. Now, here is the little secret... There are elevators on both platforms on the Hibiya subway line Ueno station. So you can almost roll your way 100% from the Hibiya subway line to the Keisei Ueno station (there are just maybe 7 steps just as you get to the Keisei station from the bowels of the subway system). I do this all the time, since the Tokyo subway sustem has made great strides recently to install elevators and escalators in the major transfer stations (Ginza, etc.) making the connection to Hibiya line a very convenient option.
3. Another option if you are OK with the subways is to take the Hanzomon line to Suitengu-mae and head up to the Tokyo City Air Terminal (escalators all the way for your rollaboard). You can no longer check in for flights there
but the bus service leaves every 15 or 20 minutes or so. There is usually little traffic to contend with since you are outbound on the freeway system in the afternoon.
4. By all means, ask the checkin agent if immigration is crowded and plan your timing downstairs accordingly. I like to arrive early and take advantage of the excellent shower facilities at the NRT RCC
Oh, and yes most UA gates are faaaaaaar from immigration!
Finally a word regarding exit formalities in Japan. The country has really made an effort to crack down on illegal workers coming in and out of the country, so they have stepped-up their scruitiny of passports and the like for those who are leaving.
One other tip would be that the exit immigration booths hold two inspectors. I like to find a booth with only one inspector sitting there (i.e. just one line), because chances are good that a second inspector will arrive while you are waiting and voila! your line suddely gets cut in half as many move over to the new line.