NewbieRunner

On Friday morning 37 FTers have 'registered' for the Tsukiji market tour. If you can go another morning you will have less competition. @:-)

You don't have to backtrack all the way to the Conrad but most of the way. The main entrance to the market to the entrance (or the junction near the entrance) to Hamarikyu Gardens is only about one third of the distance from the Conrad to Kachidoki Gate (tuna auction registration) as you will see on this map.

Tsukiji Marmet main entrance to Hamarikyu Gardens

No, you cannot go from Tsukiji Market to the Water Bus stop other than through the main entrance to Hamarikyu Gardens.

tcook052

That factored in to the decision.

I'm 12+ hours away from take off so will only add my thanks to our hosts who've provided so many helpful answers. I look forward to expressing my thanks in person shortly so see everyone soon!

deirdre

Timing-wise, is the Nagano bullet train trip and the Haneda Airport Dinner Cruise both doable on Saturday? Or will the Nagano trip come back too late?

Inquiring minds want to know.

NewbieRunner

Yes, they are timed so you can do both! @:-) Will provide instructions on how to get from Tokyo station to Haneda Airport for those who need them (as well as the meeting place in Haneda which has not been announced officially as far as I remember).

If you are interested in the airport/dinner cruise please register asap.

restlessinRNO

eightblack - Perhaps I can add my hotel information - post #3. I'll be at the Conrad 4 nights, March 28 - April 1. Thank you.

Prospero

Consider it done

everywhere

Looking forward to this one.

According to my office I am arriving into NRT on Wednesday night. Is anyone around then? Trying to decide what to do on Thursday. PM me.

Chur

NewbieRunner

I bought my first ever Suica & N'EX yesterday after waiting for something like 30 minutes in a long queue at the JR East Service Center in the basement of NRT T1. The only time I tried to buy one previously (after finding out about it in the FT Japan forum) the agent told me people born in Japan weren't eligible through they might hold a foreign passport. It was a fib but the experience deterred me from trying again until now. I wish I had tried earlier as I have been paying more than twice what it should have cost for travelling on N'EX for the last few years.

The queue at around 10am on Saturday morning was very long, almost everybody except me waiting to exchange their Japan Rail Pass vouchers. Four counters were open and staff seemed to speak passable English. (I was going to speak to them in English if they were going to be akward again but it wasn't necessary. )

What you get for 5,500 yen is a Suica card with 1,500 yen credit and two N'EX tickets – one for travelling into Tokyo and an open ticket for a return journey from anywhere in the greater Tokyo area to NRT T1/2 within two weeks.


An open N'EX ticket and a Suica card

The first ticket includes a reserved seat on the first available N'EX unless you ask to travel on a later train. For your return trip take the second (open) ticket to any JR East ticket office for seat reservation. You can do this any time up to the departure time. A reservation may be changed once free of charge up to the time of departure of your original reservation. Apart from a few early morning trains there shouldn't be any difficulty getting a seat at the last minute. BTW when a ticket inspector walks through the train they won't ask to see your ticket if you (or someone else!) are sitting on the allocated seat.

As soon as you get your Suica and two N'EX tickets, put the Suica away at least until you reach your destination. All you need for your travel is your combined N'EX ticket/seat reservation. Don't touch the card reader at the ticket gate in NRT with your Suica card or a fare will be deducted from your Suica.

The N'EX ticket is valid from Narita Airport to any JR East station within the coloured area. If you need to change to Metro, for example, you will have to pay separately, but you can of course use your newly acquired Suica card for this.



How to use and charge Suica may be found here.

SQ421

Quick question, does one need to have paid for a Japan Rail pass before rocking up in Japan and collect it there or can one pay for it over the counter?

chchkiwi

An Exchange Order must be purchased outside of Japan, then exchanged for a Rail Pass once you are in Japan. The following link will give you information regarding where to purchase an Exchange Order. It seems there are no locations in ACT and, as time is running short, hope you can order it online and print it before you leave.

http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en005.html

serfty

The "JR East" pass does not need to be pre-ordered, although you can do so if you wish.

Here a post outlining my plan :(I won't be buying a Suicu-N'ex combo)

The more widely usable and costly "JR PASS" must be pre-ordered.

serfty

Further flight updates of flights here: Tokyo 2013 Do flight list

SQ421

Thanks serfty !

I did mean the JR East Pass.

Alright, I think (atleast in my head), I have the ducks lined up.

paranoiatx

It appears the seats can be reserved in advance before you even buy the JR-East Pass: http://jreast-shinkansen-reservation.eki-net.com

So this begs the question: What car/seats have people been reserving for the Asama 509 and Asama 530 trains?

I'd like to reserve in advance if it gets more of us seats together and hopefully to speed up the list is transactions I'd need to do at the JR counter. Otherwise my plan is the same as serfty's (with the difference that I will reuse my Suica card from the last visit and save the 500 Yen card fee).


update: The system won't let you specify anything more than aisle/window. So it may be better to pick up at the counter and request a certain car...that is if anyone posts their seat assignments.

serfty

I have been asking this question:Responses have been sparse other than there is a vending machine in car 3 and only cars 5, 6 & 8 have "ordinary" reserved seating (car 7 for 'green').

Do any have suggestions on this? 5? 6? 8? left end, middle, right end (as per image)?