Trip to Tokyo
 

Hi, I'm going to Tokyo for 5 days (Monday-Friday) and got some questions. Also hoping for some good suggestions.

I will be arriving at Narita 8.30pm at Monday evening and leaving on Friday morning 10.55am. So therefore I would prefer a hotel that's easily accessible from the airport. My hope is to just jump on a train at Narita airport and then only have a short walk (5-10 min) to the hotel. Therefore I was thinking about finding a hotel in Taito, close to the Ueno train station. Then I can just take the Keisei Main Line to Ueno and I will be close to the hotel, which will be nice since I'm arriving late and leaving early. Any suggestions to hotel or other regions which could offer the same easy access to the airport? I want to stay on a cheap hotel and I'm also considering capsule hotels.

So on Monday I probably will just arrive at the hotel, and grab something to eat close by. And on Friday I will only grap a breakfast, then I'll take the train back to Narita. So then I got 3 full days exploring Tokyo on. I will probably get around with subway and I don't mind walking short distances (under 5 kilometers). So far I found some things I want to do:
-Chiyoda, check out the Imperial Palace and watch some of the life in Akihabara
- Asakusa, see some temples and classic japanse culture
- Shinjuku, see the view over Tokyo from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government
- Shibuya, watch the life of all the people

So what else should I see/do? I'm interested in a lot. I probably want most to see the old japanse culture (temples, samurais etc.), but I also enjoy modern architecture. And I want to see some of the neon jungle, that I imagine when I think of Tokyo and Japan. I also would like to see some of the anime/manga centers. And also, how long time should I expect to use on what I've planned?

I've thought about going to mount Fuji for a day trip, but maybe that will be a bit tight. Any views? And maybe some other day trips to places around that's nice? I'm on a tight budget, so the cheaper the better :p

Any help will be appreciated!

I don't recommend a capsule hotel. The facilities are geared towards people who stayed out drinking and missed the last train home - not ideal for someone with luggage and several nights to stay. If you're looking for the absolute cheapest stays, I suggest searching this forum and the budget travel forum for backpacker hostels.
For reasonable hotels in the Ueno area, this thread has some good info. :
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/japan...pori-area.html

Forget capsule hotels. There are plenty of inexpensive hotels in the Ueno/Nippori area. Instead on the Keisei Main line, you might want to consider the Keisei Skyliner-Metro combo deal which gives you 2 days of subways passes along with the Skyliner from NRT to Ueno. You can use the Main Line for the return to NRT.

In addition to the suggestions in the post above, check out hotels at Japan Hotel Network or Rakuten Travel for cheap satys near Ueno.

I am inferring the OP is a budget minded traveler from talks of taking Keisei main line (limited express) and lodging in Ueno.

If the b rooms for 1000 yen per night offer is still available, you can consider the Ochanomizu location. It's within walking distance to Akihabara, a direct express train ride away from Tokyo and Shinjuku stations. Getting there is not too bad. Take Keisei main line (not the Narita Access line) to Keisei-Yawata and transfer to the Shinjuku line and alight at Ogawamachi.

Asakusabashi area business hotels are good too. I have stayed at the MyStays Inn property myself. Take Keisei Access or Main line to Oshiage/Aoto/Takasago and cross-platform transfer to Asakusa line to Asakusabashi.

Some things to do:
Visit Tokyo Metro Government Building's free observation deck. It's in front of the Tochomae station on Oedo line, or a hike from Shinjuku station.
Eat at Ramen Jiro. Ask for yasai mashimashi ninniku.
For people watching, I think Harajuku Takesita doori on a Sunday is better, but you won't be there on a Sunday.

The 1,000 yen rooms sold out. Of course, the b is still an option at normal prices.

First, I would take the bus. Arriving at 8:30pm, you'll be through immigration/customs by 9:00 latest and have to wait for the 9:45pm train. The bus will be faster and you can take it directly to a hotel. Ditto for the return to NRT. If you are on a tight budget however, Keisei may be better.

Keisei Narita Sky Access - 9.13pm departure from NRT T1 - gets to Keisei Ueno in an hour.
(1,200 or 1,300 yen?)

Keisei Narita Mainline Ltd. Express - 9.25pm departure from NRT T1 - gets to Keisei Ueno in 80 mins
(1.000 yen)

Sounds like the way to go. BTW - Do you know when the faster Keisei train is going to start running?

Faster than the new Skyliner? I didn't know there was anything planned. Perhaps Railroad Tycoon will drop by and tell us.

The hotel bus is a good option only if you're staying at one of the hotels on the route (which tend to be the more upscale ones) or at a budget lodging within walking distance of one of the hotels.

Take the train, either the Keisei Skyliner if your hotel is in the northern part of the city or the Narita Express if it's in the southern part of the city. The Keisei Skyliner lets you off at Keisei Ueno, which is close to JR Ueno, which has good surface train and subway connections to the rest of the city. The Narita Express lets you off at Tokyo Station, which is also a major transportation hub.

You can easily find a "business hotel" for between $80- $100 per night, which is cheaper than you can stay safely in a lot of major cities. You'll get a small, plain but adequate room with a private bath and maybe even a breakfast buffet.

If that's too high for your budget and you're willing to risk having to sleep in a bunkbed in a dorm, consider a backpackers' hostel or the Hosteling International facility near Iidabashi Station.

But please, not a capsule hotel, which is likely to be full of drunks who missed the last train home.

If you don't already have a city guidebook, buy one. If you don't already have a map of the city, buy one.

Once you've reserved your hotel, find it on the map. Print out both the Japanese and English versions of your hotel's web page, the ones with the map (most hotels have maps on the page marked "Access") so that you can ask for directions if you get lost. (You will get lost. Japanese people get lost in Tokyo. But that's OK. Just ask where the nearest station "eki" is, and find your way from there.)

For "old Tokyo," visit the Yanaka neighborhood, the Edo Tokyo Museum, and Sengakuji, which is dedicated to the 47 Ronin. The Shitamachi Museum near Ueno Park shows life in that part of Tokyo before World War II's fire bombs leveled it. The National Museum in Ueno Park is kind of dingy, but it gives you a good survey of pre-modern Japanese art beginning with the earliest archeological findings.

I recommend the view from the 45th floor of the Metropolitan Government Building (subway stop: Tocho-mae on the Oedo Line), and not only because it's free.

Cheap eats are to be found in the little mom-and-pop restaurants and on the restaurant floors of department stores.

A single at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel can be had for 6,500 yen a night. Just a stone's throw from Shinagawa Station, which is quite convenient for getting pretty much anywhere in the Tokyo/Yokohama area (though you'd probably want to take the JR lines to/from Narita instead of Keisei if you do that...)

When are u arriving in Tokyo?

If it is around this time or in April, you might be able to catch the Cherry Blossoms.
Ueno Park is supposed to have some nice views of the flowering trees.

There is a thread here about the Cherry Blossom season.

Ikebukuro.
Sunshine 60 - and the observation deck.
Akihabara.
Tokyo Sky Tree.
Tokyo Tower.
Roppongi Hills.
Tokyo Midtown.
Yurakuchou/Ginza.
L Tower Shinjuku Nikon Salon.
Bic Camera/Labi for electronics.
Visit a Gran Cyber Cafe and spend an hour there - or the night.

Thanks for all the answers so far! :)

I'm not sure which terminal I'm arriving at since I can't find it anywhere on the ticket. But I'm flying with China Eastern Airlines from Beijing, so maybe you know?

I think the Keisei Main Line or the Sky Access Line sounds like the best options for me going from the airport to the city. It's cheap and I don't mind using 80 min instead of 50 min. From wikitravel it sounds like I should use the Sky access Line on the evening (When I arrive at Monday) and the Keisei Main Line in the morning (When I leave at Friday). Is that right? And when should I take the train at Friday morning to be sure to reach the plane? It's leaving at 10:55 am and I'm probably only going to have a carry on. And btw. do they speak good English at the airport in Tokyo and in Beijing?

As for the hotel, I'll drop the thought about capsule hotel. It would be a cool experience for a night, but obviously not a place you stay for several days. I want a single room as cheap as possible close to the ueno station. From there it seems easy to get to the airport and to get around the city with subway! I was thinking for example something like Chisun Hotel Ueno or Ueno Terminal Hotel for around 20,000 yen from Monday-Friday. I'm not picky about the standard.

I'm arriving in early June. I'll check up your suggestions so far.

I think it may be Terminal 2. But don't take my word for it. Verify that your flight is on China Eastern Airlines metal (i.e. it's not a code share that uses some other airline's equipment) and check the terminal for the airline that's actually operating the flight on the NRT website:
http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/

Trains to Tokyo start at T1 and then call at T2 before making their way to the city. So you can add a few minutes to the departure times I posted above to get the T2 times.

Not so much, but everyone who needs to communicate will manage.

Some Chisun hotels are quite highly rated by budget travelers. (Others are a little old and tired). Whichever hotel you choose in that price range will give you a tiny room, but as long as you're not planning to spend all your time in the room, that's not such a bad thing. Check the star ratings on Jalan and see the comments on Tripadvisor to make your final choice.

I've not stayed in the Ueno Chisun but From the customer photos in tripadvisor it seems like the same Chisun format I'm familiar with. At 4,000yen a night it is definitely good value.
The empty fridge in the room will help you save money (look around for 2 or 3 litre bottles of your favourite drinks and decant the contents into smaller bottles to take around with you so you don't end up frittering away thousands on the vending machines). Also, by having access to the JR Yamanote line at Ueno you'll end up paying a few hundred less a day on transport than you would by staying at cheaper lodging somewhere like Minowa which gives access only to the Metro lines.
Remember that high end dining is feasible for those on a budget as lunch time prices can be a true bargain. Go for more modest offerings at dinner time, many department stores will offer significant discounts on the deluxe bentos and baked goods just before closing time or there's a bewildering range of curry houses and tonkatsu restaurants and noodle places and all kinds of other delights to choose from at 800yen and under.

I just looked at the Chisun Ueno, and with a 28-day advance booking, it's now ¥5280 for a single. But that's still a very good price. The rooms are tiny, but since you most likely will be using yours only to sleep and bathe, that's not a problem.

From the reviews I've read the Chisun Hotel Ueno seems great. I don't mind the room being small, since I'm not planning to spend much time there anyway. From google maps it looks like a 10 min walk from the Keiseiueno(where the train to the airport goes from, right?) and a little bit less to the subway station which is great. And from the subway map it looks like I can get to the most interesting points in the city with one or two subways, is that right? I'm waiting around a week before I'll book the hotel, since I need to make sure my visa for China is accepted.

For the subway, do you recommend that I buy some sort of day/week etc. ticket or should I just keep buying single tickets? And is the the JR Yamanote line cheaper and/or better then the metro?

As for the food, I think I'll be fine. Wont go to any expensive restaurants anyway. And I'm from Norway, which have a rumor of being the most expensive country in the world, so I guess Tokyo will be around the same. Anything else then sushi that is a must eat in Tokyo?

Keep coming with suggestions, I really appreciate it!

Oh, I was in Norway last summer, and Tokyo is definitely cheaper! If you can't find an evening meal for less than ¥1500 or about 100kr, you aren't really trying. And lunch and breakfast are cheaper.

My usual recommendation for transportation is to buy a Suica card, which is a prepaid card that you can use on all trains, subways, and buses that you are likely to ride. Sometimes the train is more convenient, and sometimes the subway is more convenient. It depends on your destination.

The Suica cards are sold in units of ¥1000 with a ¥500 refundable deposit, and if you run low, you can always add more money to the card at any station.

As you enter the platform area, tap your Suica card on the designated spot on the turnstile, and tap it again when you leave. (In other words, it works like London's Oyster Card.) It automatically figures the fare.

If you can find the book Eating Cheap in Japan, it has very good descriptions of traditional foods.

I like okonomiyaki (somewhere between a crepe and an omelet, filled with meat or seafood and grilled in front of you), tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet, but much lighter than its European counterpart), soba (buckwheat noodles), yakitori (chicken shish kebabs), kamameshi (like a seafood risotto), tempura (breaded and fried seafood or vegetables, again, lighter than European breading) and curry rice (different from Indian curry). But it's fun just to walk around and see the plastic models displayed in the restaurant windows.

For good sushi, either go to the fish market area or to the fish section in the basement of a department store. There is usually a little sushi bar hidden behind a curtain.

Keisei Ueno is the terminus for Keisei main line. That is where you will alight if taking Keisei Sky Liner, City Liner or limited express. It is possible to take the underground passage all the way to the east side of Chuo Dori (exit 1 of the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line Ueno Station), but the elevated walkway is more scenic.

Agree with buying an IC card like Suica or Pasmo. The biggest benefit IMO is it saves you the time and trouble of looking up fares and buying single trip tickets, which may be overwhelming for people not familiar with the concept.

Generally speaking, JR fare is slightly less expensive than the subway.

If you are looking for "good value" sushi then I recommend the Sushi Zanmai chain:

http://www.kiyomura.co.jp/shop/shop21_01-00.html

Ok, sounds like I should buy a Suica card, do they work on the Keisei Main Line as well? And is it different prices on the subway depending on how far you are going? What does a normal trip with the subway usually cost?

Yes X 3
Plug your journeys into http://www.hyperdia.com/ to find the fares. Sometimes a route that uses a mix of railway companies turns out to be quicker than a cheaper route that sticks to one company's lines.

Yes, Suica cards can be used at Keisei stations, but for convenience's sake time, you should just go to the Keisei station's counter or vending machine and buy a Pasmo card there. Suica, issued by JR East, and Pasmo, issued by the consortium made up of subway and private rail companies, may be used on each other's networks and even use each other's ticket machines to add value. Generically they are called IC cards and many stores now accept them as form of payment.

Train fare is determined by distance. A subway (Tokyo Metro, Toei, etc.) trip generally costs between 160 yen and 300 yen. JR East trip costs from 130 yen and up, as they have a more extensive rail network with limited express and shinkansen options.

You can also try conveyor belt sushi.

Suica/Pasmo cards are handy precisely because the fares vary by distance.

In the old days, you used to have to look at the map on the wall, find your starting point and destination, figure out the fare, and stand in line at a machine to buy a single ticket.

Uniformed men stood at the turnstile, punching holes in the tickets. The constant clicking almost sounded like castanets.

Next came single tickets that you inserted in the turnstile to have them punched automatically.

Nowadays, you just tap your card on the turnstile and it automatically figures the fare.

I prefer the subway system. As a means of transport, sushi conveyor belts tend to be slow, and limited in coverage area.

But as long as you only ride the light green plates it's pretty cheap.

Okey, thanks for the answers!

I don't usually plan exactly when to do things, but just to have an idea about how much time I will spend on each place I will set up a suggestion here, that you can criticize:

Monday:
-Arriving at Narita, keisei main line to ueno. Then walk to the hotel and just check out the area around the hotel, grab some dinner.

Tuesday:
- Walk to Asakusa in the morning, see the temple. Maybe walk down to see Edo-Tokyo Museum
- Take the subway to Chiyoda, check out the imperial palace and the area around it.
- Walk to Akihabara and stay there for the rest of the day

Wednesday:
- Take the subway to Odaiba (if possible) and see the buildings here
- Take the subway to Shinjuku, check out the view from tokyo goverment building and explore this area

Thursday:
- Walk to the Yanaka part and see the market
- Take the subway to Shibuya. See the shrines at Harajuku and hopefully some youth culture
- Maybe walk to Minato, see the capsule tower, pokemone center, Sengakuji etc.

Friday:
-Eat breakfeast, then go back to the airport with the keisei main line

So I think this will give me good time to see each part of the city. But is it to much or to little? Any important places I've missed? I also want to see Ghibli Museum, but that might be a bit out of the way?

That is a pretty long walk from Asakusa to Ryogoku. I'd recommend the subway. You will have to change lines at Kuramae.

2.4km according to google maps. And that is no problem for me, so I would prefer that to having to change subways etc. Also the walk is next to Sumida river so hopefully it will be a nice view!

There seems to be quite a lot of walking in that plan - it might be worth knowing about this tourist bus:
http://www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/bus/...ish/index.html

There's also an ordinary bus from Asakusa that passes by Ryogoku stadium - S1 from stop 3 at the corner of Kaminarimon Dori and Kokusai Dori:
http://www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/bus/noriba/asakusa.html

Riding the bus requires a leap of faith ... but hey ... What could possibly go wrong?

The OP has said that he's Norwegian. They have to be some of the most physically active people in the world. A 2.4 km walk should be nothing. It's less than a mile.

I'm actually a fan of walking around Tokyo. Sometimes when I have a spare afternoon, I pick a main thoroughfare and walk its length. I always find something or someone interesting.

Kyoto is another great place for walking around.

It is if you like concrete... and tents.

And the lovely Philippe S+arck designed golden turd

I guess you're American? A little off*, but we appreciate you trying to adapt to metric! :p

* 2.4 kilometers = 1.49129086 mi

I called it a golden turd when I first saw it. I was then accused of having a warped mind but found out that the Japanese call it "kin no unki". I think it is appropriate given the taste of Asahi beer (and its competitors). I am guessing that there is a restaurant/bar inside?

Actually, I recommend taking the boat from Asakusa to Odaiba. You can also get off in Ryogoku. Warning, the Edo Musuem is extremely boring.

Do you like museums in general?

Probably a Harvard grad!:p

The golden turd seems interesting :p

A boat down the river might be a good suggestion, what is usually the price for a ride like that? I do enjoy walking and just watching life around in the city, maybe sit down for some coffee at a restaurant etc., but I guess it will be enough walking in my plan!

300 yen for the short trip from Asakusa to Ryogoku
1,000 yen from Asakusa to Daiba.

http://www.tokyo-park.or.jp/waterbus/course/01.html