Dayrooms at Narita
 

I will be arriving (on SQ) at Terminal 1 @NRT early in the morning and will catch a late afternoon flight (AA) out of Terminal 2 the same day. I would like to reserve a day room for a few hours upon arrival at Terminal 1, then explore Narita City as so many have suggested in this forum. However, I am really confused about whether I can reserve a dayroom at Terminal 1 since it is, according to the NRT website, "Available only to departing passengers who have completed passport control formalities" . It looks like there's another area in the basement with showering facilities and waiting areas but they don't seem to have dayrooms.

I then email the NRT dayroom reservation staff hoping to get clarification, and got the following reply which is even more confusing! :confused:
"We apologize for it is not enough explanation. Available also for transit passenger.
Dayroom is located daparting area therefor can not use anybody.you can get to dayroom terminal 1.
In case of your plan you should ask to flight staff for going outside.You are undercontroled passenger of airline company whole the flight.and you have to pass passport control.
Please make a plan for enjoy Narita city."
(I'm now imagining a complicated process of going in and out of passport/immigration controls here to get to the dayroom).

Agghhh... HELP! I would be grateful if somebody could help decipher this message. Will I be able to use a dayroom (with beds) upon arrival at Terminal 1, then go out to Narita City and return before catching my flight departing out of Terminal 2?
If not, any other options/suggestions? THANX!

The dayrooms are in the departing area of each terminal. Based on your itinerary, you will never have access to the departure area of Terminal 1. Here are the two routes open to you:

- Depart plane Terminal 1. Prior to arrivals Immigration, go to transit desk. Take transit shuttle to Terminal 2, which dumps you into departure area. Board plane later.

- Depart plane Terminal 1. Go though Customs/Immigration and exit landside in Terminal 1. Take train to Narita City. Return to airport, go through security and departing Immigration in Terminal 2 which puts you into Terminal 2 departure area.

Either way, you'll never see Terminal 1 departure area. What the note is saying is that any unusual movement through or between terminals is controlled by and at the discretion of airline personnel. For example, they will check to see if you have a valid reason to use the transit desk and take the airside transit bus to the other terminal. In all other parts of the above two scenarios, airline personnel are not involved.

Perhaps the easiest thing to do is upon arrival, use the transit desk and take the transit bus to Terminal 2, and use the Terminal 2 dayrooms. Then at some point decide you want to go landside and into town. You will need to find an airline personnel to help you with this, but all they have to do is let you into the pre-immigration arrivals hall and then you do the rest yourself. This way, the only special dispensation you're asking for is to leave the airport at an unexpected time, which they can hardly refuse you if you otherwise can pass through immigration. Asking for access to Terminal 1 Departures when you have no flight departing from that terminal would be a taller order.

Several airport hotels offer "Day Use Plans". Finding one that's convenient for exploring Narita City is a little more challenging.

One option in the town itself is Richmond Hotel - 5,000 yen for a room that you can use from 12noon to 7pm. Price is 5000 yen. With that plan you could take a train to Keisei Narita station, drop your bag at the front desk, wander around town, come back, have a nap and a shower and then take the train back to the airport.

Other hotels have more flexible times, but they're far from the town center and so you will probably spend time on shuttle buses.

Thanks! Great advice!
 

You both were very helpful indeed. I went ahead and reserved a dayroom at Terminal 2 as they don't seem to require a credit card in advance. I have also emailed the Richmond Hotel to see if they would be willing to change the hours for their short-stay plan. As you can see, I'm a newbie but am already very impressed with the expert advice available on this forum. Thanks again!

I fear you may find them inflexible. You could also try contacting the APA, Mercure and Comfort hotels to see if they have "day use plans". And if not, then there are definitely such plans at the Nikko, Hilton etc. - but the prices are higher and the locations are not in town.

yup... you're right on that. Heard back from the Richmond Hotel -- they want to charge 8000 yen for a 4-hour short stay so I think we'll stick to the dayroom at NRT terminal 2. Thanks again :)

In your situation, I'd probably go into Narita City immediately after arriving at Terminal 1. It seems to me that would be less hassle than shuffling between two terminals and going in and out of secure zones at the airport. Besides, seeing the city immediately relieves one of any stress or concern about getting back to the airport in good time.

I'd take one of the ordinary Keisei trains to Keisei Narita station and leave my hand luggage in a coin locker and take a walk around town. Then I might take a cab to the Yamatonoyu onsen for a bath and lunch and then pick up my bag at the station and take a train to Narita Terminal 2.

At the airport, I doub't I'd bother with a day room. The shower facilities etc. are OK (but why bother, if you've been to an onsen?). The day rooms themselves are rather spartan cells with the muffled sounds of a busy airport as background noise, that don't feel very relaxing to me. If I wanted a nap, I'd probably head for Rafine and sign up for 60 minutes massage. Sure, it's more expensive and it is in an open area rather than a closed room, but I generally fall fast asleep and wake up feeling great.

I've used the shower rooms at NRT once in the past but usually I have access to the ANA lounge which offers showers and reclining chairs in a curtained off environment that makes it possible to have a nap.

hmmm... very tempting. How much time should we allow for the onsen (including transport back and forth)? Never been to an onsen before so apologies for my dumb questions: are we charged by the hour or is it a one-time fee? are we required to purchase lunch? Is it easy to get a cab back?

thanks.

By taxi from Keisei Narita station, you're probably looking at 10 minutes. Best print out a map from the onsen web site. The taxi may be expensive - probably between 2000 to 3000 yen. There's also a train route described on the site, but I think that might be more than you want to deal with on your first time in an unfamiliar place.

Prices for bathing are on the web site. Basically, the admission fee is the only compulsory one. If you bring your own towels, you're not obliged to buy them on site. Bear in mind that most Japanese people carry a rectangular towel (about 50cm X 20cm) which serves to preserve modesty while walking around the bath and to scrub the body in the shower. If you squeeze the water out of it, you can also use it to dry yourself. Saves you the cost of a bath towel. Shower well before entering the bath and make sure you're not soapy when you get in. Put the towel down on the edge of the bath when you climb in. Don't "wear" it inside the bath.

You'll probably spend less than 30 minutes bathing. The water is very hot, so one tends to climb in and out a couple of times. There's a sauna too. But all told, you're looking at less than an hour from entering the changing rooms to when you come out looking like a boiled shrimp and head for the beer vending machine.

Lunch menus are on the web site. The first item on the Ajisai menu is a 1500 yen course that looks good. .

The staff should be happy to call a taxi for you when you leave. In case of language barriers, just write down "Keisei Narita Station" in English.

Is there a way to access the day rooms if you aren't departing or in transit?
I will arrive NRT from HAN at 6:40am and want to sleep for a few hours, need to wait around until my friends arrive on another flight at 2pm.

I saw the Onsen but I don't think I want to deal with getting there and back.

Unfortunately, no. Your best bet is a day room in one of the local hotels (Richmond, Nikko, Hilton, etc.)

How about any Manga Cafes near Narita? Anyone know of some?

I don't want to go to Shinjuku.

Internet Cafe:
http://eznetcafe.me/

3hour pack for 1000yen
5hour pack for 1500yen

Doesn't open until 10am though, located right near Narita Station of both Keisei railways and JR.