Originally Posted by
AllTheNines
Thank you for the advice! I had indeed heard that Asakusa is an interesting part of the city - maybe we should make it our late evening destination if there are plenty of local bars etc?
As far as my girlfriend is concerned, and I mainly agree, we should at least make an attempt during daylight to go up the Tokyo Metropolitan Building so that we can get a perspective of the city (and hopefully see Mt Fiji if it's a clear day). It'd also be interesting to see one of the major cross-roads in Shinjuku area - I also need to find a reputable Electronics store as I have a couple of items on my list.
What do people think about my transportation options - have I picked the cheapest routes to/from the airport? Can I expect issues, particularly during the rush hour heading back to Narita?
The trains you've picked out are the right ones. I can't comment on how bad the train congestion will be on the Asakusa line / Access train heading outbound. I can tell you that another Asakusa subway line, the Ginza line heading inbound, will be really crowded around that time, but that's not where you're going.
I realize that Tokyo Metropolitan Bldg is free and all, but you should really think about heading up to Tokyo Sky Tree. You're right in the neighborhood, and the view is great. There're also some interesting things in the complex below. Just go to the 350m platform, not the higher one. It's ~2000y. Since you have previous little time, don't bother going if it's weekend (I went on a Saturday last month... got there ~10am and there was no line; but by 1pm the wait was 50min) or if the weather's crappy. But otherwise you should go.
Otherwise I agree with others that you should check out Asakusa and, time permitting, Ueno is pretty cool. But if you're there with your gf and want to check out the night scenes, then I definitely think Shibuya's worth trekking over to. While in Shibuya, you can also get shopping and electronics (Bic Camera) done before you go do your nightlife.
Asakusa, Sky Tree, Shibuya... that just about covers it for your short stay.