19 hours in Tokyo
 

hi folks,

looking for advice on my 19 hour layover in tokyo. here are some of the details after research on the forums:

Mar 29 - Arriving Tokyo Haneda 21:50
Mar 30 - Departing Tokyo Narita 17:10

i hope that the cherry blossom festival will be somewhat in bloom by the time i arrive. been checking out the previous years forecasts and it could be a hit or miss.

1. looking to stay near the shinjuku station area - narrowed down to the southern century tower hotel based on price, proximity, views and TA reviews.
2. once we land, take a bus that will drop us off at the hotel.
3. hit up ichibanya coco curry house for some deliciousness. based on yelp, there is a location inside shinjuku station.
4. recommendations on something to see at night after dinner - shibuya crossing?
4. hit up shinjuku gyoen park at 9am the next morning to possibly catch the cherry blossoms. if not, still worth while to walk through but would appreciate if there is anything else to see.
5. have lunch - torn between sushi or ramen ... unless there is a restaurant that does both that someone can recommend? :)
6. take the NEX to NRT.

i realize that travelling from the airport to hotel and vice versa will chew up time, so the actual time spent doing things will be less.

thanks.

Skytree, Tokyo Tower, etc... could be nice too.

How about hitting a sushi place at the fish market for breakfast and a ramen place for lunch? Personnally I don't have problems eaten raw fish in the morning. YMMV.

I would be *amazed* if there's a restaurant that does both good sushi and good ramen in Tokyo. That's just not how Japanese restaurants generally operate.

As someone who has done this same thing, this is how I like to handle a layover like this:

1) Hotel in the Ginza or Tokyo Station area.

2) Check in to the hotel and then get some yakitori at one of the izakaya around Yurakucho station. Maybe a cocktail at Bar High Five or one of the other cocktail joints in the Ginza.

3) Stick my bag in a locker at Tokyo Station, then get coffee at Turret Coffee, near the market.

4) Breakfast at Tsukiji. I skip the "big two" sushi places in favor of the food stalls lining Shin-Ohashi Dori. Last time I went to a place that served tuna cheeks on rice, fantastic.

5) If I want to stretch my legs I might walk around the Hama Rikyu garden next door.

6) Lunch at Sushi Iwa, in the Ginza. Michelin-starred sushi with set lunches starting around 8k JPY. Alternatively, you're spoiled for ramen choices at Tokyo Ramen Street under Tokyo Station, but the lines can be long (though move fast).

7) Poke around the Ginza (I like to pop into Itoya) and then head back to Tokyo Station, grab my bag and hop on the Narita Express.

love that idea, got a layover in tokyo around 3/20, thanks!

Well I think OP wants to see cherry blossoms, and March 30 is close to the peak of their bloominess, according to forecasts. It's worth staying near Shinjuku Gyoen for that alone, although one would hope that it doesn't rain.

I don't think even the staunchest defenders of CoCo Ichibanya here (...they know who they are) would suggest eating there for your only dinner in Tokyo though. If you want to eat sushi on your first night, Sushi Ten serves dinner until 2am, and is inside the bustling, 21-hour-a-day NeWoman food hall very close to your hotel. Prix-fixe menus are 7000 yen.

Toriyoshi, about five minutes away, is open until 4am, and they serve fantastic chicken wings along with yakitori and good side dishes. Watami is a lively izakaya and it's another late-night option on that side of the station.

There's plenty to see and do in Shinjuku the next day even if it rains - you can compare several different department-store food halls like Takashimaya and Isetan, and check out the new Samurai Museum.

Thank you! I was looking for late night eats for my similar layover this week, I guess Shinjuku is the best place for that for late arrival into the city after 11pm?

Also, is Sushi Ten only for 2+ people? I see on the reservation form there's no single person input.

By the time you finish checking in to your hotel, it will be around 11:30pm.

Explore that night by walking around the Shinjuku station area, possibly including kabuki-cho. You may get stranded if you go to Shibuya. Public transit is mostly closed down by 12:30am, although the last train from Shibuya to Shinjuku is around 12:45. Otherwise, it's taxi only.

Is it feasible to go to Ooedo-Onsen Monogatari in Odaiba after HND arrival? Take the subway there from 11pm and stay until morning. It seems interesting as a place to relax.

Sure - It's feasible, but check the onsen website to make sure that your visit doesn't coincide with the monthly maintenance days when the onsen closes.

If you depart HND at 11:00pm, the shuttle bus won't be operating by the time you get to Shinagawa or Tokyo Teleport:
http://daiba.ooedoonsen.jp/access/im...-modal-5-2.jpg

The onsen is open until 9:00am next day. (Last entry at 7:00)

If you want to use public transit, as much as possible, you could either

(1) Take monorail to Tennozu Isle, then JR Rinkai Line to Tokyo Teleport. Then find a cab at Tokyo Teleport to take you to the the onsen. I feel pretty confident you'll get a cab there ...

or

(2) Take the 23:09 Keikyu line local train to Shimbashi. Change there to Yurikamome line. Get off at Telecom Center station and walk.

The first free shuttle bus from the onsen to Shinagawa next morning is at 8:15 am. If you need to be back at HND earlier, you'll need to take the reverse of (1) or (2) above.

Yeah I looked up the hours and transportation option, there are ways to get there.

But I'm more interested in whether it's worth the trip, I've not been to a large public onsen so in terms of the quality of the facility and food offers there, given the surcharge for overnight stay. Is everything open overnight within the complex?

Also would the lockers be large enough for a carryon suitcase?

There are late-night spots in Shibuya and Marunouchi and other parts of town as well, with varying degrees of tourist-friendliness Actually the west side of Shinjuku is relatively early compared to the east side, but there are a few places. (And sorry I don't know what Sushi Ten's reservation policy is.)

The baths are open all night but many of the other amenities close.

Haven't been to this complex yet. I knew something was under construction around Southern Terrace, but didn't know it was going to be called NewWoman. 7a-4a is very odd hours for this food hall. They appear to have oyster and bockwurst restaurants also, but how many people crave that at 7 in the morning? Also had a look through their roster of stores and restaurants. Perhaps I'm ignorant, but there's not a single tenant/brand there that I'd even heard of other than Dean & Delica and Robuchon. And everything there sounds expensive. I'm skeptical of the concept or its prospect for success, but I'll be sure to check it out next time I'm in Shinjuku. It is good to know there're more early-morning food options around that area.

I've been to Tavern on S inside the food hall and it's very good - fun, casual international cuisine at reasonable prices, US craft beers on tap, decent service, a flashy dining room and a lively atmosphere. There's also a standup bar if you just want a quick drink. Sawamura is also quite good - the original bakery is in Hiroo.

There's a branch of Blue Bottle Coffee downstairs and another third-wave coffee shop up on the second floor. Like most projects from JR East, it's put together very well, and they haven't fallen back on a cookie-cutter shopping-mall template - it's fairly original.

Upstairs from the food hall is a long-distance bus terminal with arrivals all day and night, which is one reason for the extended hours.

Sounds perfect for breakfast or a pre-hangover snack.