Tokyo layover for experts
May 4, 2019 | 2:25 pm
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: WAS
Posts: 892
Okay here's the newest wrinkle. I've been traveling on passport #1 for official business which I can't use for this layover--don't worry it's 100% kosher. Passport #2 (USA) expires in less than 90 days but more than 60. I will clearly have a same-day boarding pass or at least an e-ticket confirmation to show for my outbound flight. Will passport control give me a problem exiting NRT?
May 4, 2019 | 3:00 pm
#17
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hyatt Place
Programs: world hyatt national
Posts: 5,905
Okay here's the newest wrinkle. I've been traveling on passport #1 for official business which I can't use for this layover--don't worry it's 100% kosher. Passport #2 (USA) expires in less than 90 days but more than 60. I will clearly have a same-day boarding pass or at least an e-ticket confirmation to show for my outbound flight. Will passport control give me a problem exiting NRT?
May 5, 2019 | 9:36 pm
#18
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: HKG
Programs: A3, TK *G; JL JGC; SPG,Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,952
Okay here's the newest wrinkle. I've been traveling on passport #1 for official business which I can't use for this layover--don't worry it's 100% kosher. Passport #2 (USA) expires in less than 90 days but more than 60. I will clearly have a same-day boarding pass or at least an e-ticket confirmation to show for my outbound flight. Will passport control give me a problem exiting NRT?
If yes I would think the immigration officer not throwing up a big fuss.
My experience ex-HKG using BNO and Canadian Passport is that CX and the JPN Govt is fine.
The following USA State travel advice shows the same https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...ges/Japan.html
PASSPORT VALIDITY: Duration of intended period of stay
if no, you'll have to tell us what countries are your passports from.
May 5, 2019 | 9:44 pm
#19
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: HKG
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Posts: 9,952
In your position Id look through amazon.jp for pokemon toys and have them delivered to a convenience store some place you know that you will be heading to.
There are a lot of vendors who will have their goods delivered next day, but with three or four days you should be fine. The convenience store should be able to hold on to your item for ten days.
Cant give you Pokemon specific advice, we did this with a Licca doll for a friends kid, a couple of Re-ment sets for mine and another child as well as some out of print books unavailable in the U.K. LapGirl has no interest in Pokemon and is over her Youkai Watch phase. But if you can identify a few things with online shops who will deliver to a combini, thats a lot of running around taken out of your day. Might save a bit of money too.
There are a lot of vendors who will have their goods delivered next day, but with three or four days you should be fine. The convenience store should be able to hold on to your item for ten days.
Cant give you Pokemon specific advice, we did this with a Licca doll for a friends kid, a couple of Re-ment sets for mine and another child as well as some out of print books unavailable in the U.K. LapGirl has no interest in Pokemon and is over her Youkai Watch phase. But if you can identify a few things with online shops who will deliver to a combini, thats a lot of running around taken out of your day. Might save a bit of money too.
Knowing what you have already bought certainly takes the stress out of what you need to shop for after.
May 5, 2019 | 10:48 pm
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: WAS
Posts: 892
weve traveled to Jpn with passport expiring in 3mo. No problem. But your airline may give you a hard time because often they dont know what theyre talking about but still want to give you a hard time. Not saying you have to do it, but if you really want to play it safe, then you could email Japanese consulate and have it documented from them that it will be no problem with your passport situation.
are they both USA passports?
If yes I would think the immigration officer not throwing up a big fuss.
...
The following USA State travel advice shows the same https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...ges/Japan.html
If yes I would think the immigration officer not throwing up a big fuss.
...
The following USA State travel advice shows the same https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...ges/Japan.html
May 6, 2019 | 12:39 am
#21
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hyatt Place
Programs: world hyatt national
Posts: 5,905
May 6, 2019 | 9:22 am
#22
Join Date: May 2001
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Posts: 3,806
May 6, 2019 | 10:47 am
#23
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Body in the UK, Soul everywhere
Programs: Flying Blue Plat, M&M FT, ALL Gold
Posts: 2,388
Ahah, I may check it out them waffles next time I'm in Belgium, if not just for the fun factor of taking a selfie at the station. Thanks for the tip 
@OP You said Wednesday so are you going this week? Let us know how it pans out and what you found there! As an additional late tip, I would try and get yourself 20'000 cash before going. Yes they have a bank (with an honest exchange rate) at the airport, as well as ATMs all over, but you might as well save you those extra 5mns of time, which you will need.
Note that there is a 7-11 with an ATM just in front of Suehirocho subway station, so that's a convenient spot on your way. You will however need to get the subway ticket beforehand, and most subway stations do not take credit cards, so get yourself just a little change before travelling,
Enjoy!
@OP You said Wednesday so are you going this week? Let us know how it pans out and what you found there! As an additional late tip, I would try and get yourself 20'000 cash before going. Yes they have a bank (with an honest exchange rate) at the airport, as well as ATMs all over, but you might as well save you those extra 5mns of time, which you will need.
Note that there is a 7-11 with an ATM just in front of Suehirocho subway station, so that's a convenient spot on your way. You will however need to get the subway ticket beforehand, and most subway stations do not take credit cards, so get yourself just a little change before travelling,
Enjoy!
May 6, 2019 | 1:26 pm
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: WAS
Posts: 892
Again thanks for the flood of great info. Here's my plan as it stands. (Thanks to LapLap for great pre-ordering advice but I just wasn't organized enough to pull it off)
I'm going to just take my rollaboard with me and play a little jazz improv. If I make it to Skyliner in time to catch the 9:17, I'll go to the Ghibli exhibit first. If I miss it, I'll catch the NEX to Tokyo and walk to Pokmon DX from there. So either way it'll be NRT-Skyliner-Ghibli-PokemonDX-NEX-NRT either forwards or backwards. Bonus of dragging the rollaboard is a place to put all the crap-I mean precious gifts--I buy. I'll leave sushi for pre-outbound to NRT if there's time. Will try to catch a 1pmish train back and will shower airside if time permits.
If I can change my INR into JPY in India I can save ATM time as well.
I'm going to just take my rollaboard with me and play a little jazz improv. If I make it to Skyliner in time to catch the 9:17, I'll go to the Ghibli exhibit first. If I miss it, I'll catch the NEX to Tokyo and walk to Pokmon DX from there. So either way it'll be NRT-Skyliner-Ghibli-PokemonDX-NEX-NRT either forwards or backwards. Bonus of dragging the rollaboard is a place to put all the crap-I mean precious gifts--I buy. I'll leave sushi for pre-outbound to NRT if there's time. Will try to catch a 1pmish train back and will shower airside if time permits.
If I can change my INR into JPY in India I can save ATM time as well.
May 8, 2019 | 12:44 am
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: WAS
Posts: 892
Landed 8:00, off plane 8:15, bus transfer put me in T1 8:45. Changed money but finding a way out to immigration & customs took a little time- passport control not much of a problem once I explained it was a same day layover.
At this point its 9:05 and I didnt see an obvious way to store my bag, so had to choose between finding storage and missing the skyliner or taking my roll aboard with me and running to catch the train. I chose the latter and just made it on the 9:11. I just used exact change one way subway tickets instead of getting a suica. Google maps instructions were adequate to take the Ginza line a few stops and then walk a few blocks to the temple complex. Not so fun with the flights of steps to make it up the complex.
The Ghibli exhibit was cool although (not surprisingly) there was no English in the descriptions, but they did give out a little guide in English as I entered. I made it through in about 30 minutes, and while the shop had lots of cute things, the line was too long and I knew I was going to do the bulk of my buying at my other major stop. I left around 11:15.
I stopped at a 7-11 for some onigiri and a can of cold coffee, then back on Ginza line to Nihonbashi. Pokmon DX was incredible- the kids could easily spend hours there. I bought an embarrassingly large amount of stuff, but one thing I wanted (pikachu head plate) was only available if you had cafe reservations, which I would have done on the spot had I know that. At around 12:40, laden with all my stuff and now a large bag of Pokmon gifts, I walked to Tokyo station and headed straight for the JR ticket office. The next NEX was 1:33, and I spent the time figuring out where to go and almost buying more stuff at all the shops downstairs. (My internal monologue is something like- this is so hokey and frivolous and dumb and I MUST HAVE IT ALL)
Had just enough time in T1 to take a fast airside shower and grab some expensive sushi to go before boarding. So Id say it was definitely a success!
Keeping it down to 2-3 things and staying flexible was helpful and less stressful, but if I had managed to store my roll aboard it would have been even better. Also now have extra Rupees and Yen because of bad timing and poor planning with money exchange.
Thanks again for everyones advice.
At this point its 9:05 and I didnt see an obvious way to store my bag, so had to choose between finding storage and missing the skyliner or taking my roll aboard with me and running to catch the train. I chose the latter and just made it on the 9:11. I just used exact change one way subway tickets instead of getting a suica. Google maps instructions were adequate to take the Ginza line a few stops and then walk a few blocks to the temple complex. Not so fun with the flights of steps to make it up the complex.
The Ghibli exhibit was cool although (not surprisingly) there was no English in the descriptions, but they did give out a little guide in English as I entered. I made it through in about 30 minutes, and while the shop had lots of cute things, the line was too long and I knew I was going to do the bulk of my buying at my other major stop. I left around 11:15.
I stopped at a 7-11 for some onigiri and a can of cold coffee, then back on Ginza line to Nihonbashi. Pokmon DX was incredible- the kids could easily spend hours there. I bought an embarrassingly large amount of stuff, but one thing I wanted (pikachu head plate) was only available if you had cafe reservations, which I would have done on the spot had I know that. At around 12:40, laden with all my stuff and now a large bag of Pokmon gifts, I walked to Tokyo station and headed straight for the JR ticket office. The next NEX was 1:33, and I spent the time figuring out where to go and almost buying more stuff at all the shops downstairs. (My internal monologue is something like- this is so hokey and frivolous and dumb and I MUST HAVE IT ALL)
Had just enough time in T1 to take a fast airside shower and grab some expensive sushi to go before boarding. So Id say it was definitely a success!
Keeping it down to 2-3 things and staying flexible was helpful and less stressful, but if I had managed to store my roll aboard it would have been even better. Also now have extra Rupees and Yen because of bad timing and poor planning with money exchange.
Thanks again for everyones advice.
May 8, 2019 | 4:55 am
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 19,078
Well done, Pureboy! I’m sure your kids will be thrilled with their gifts.
You’re all set to refine your layover techniques to near perfection for the next visit. Only problem is that Tokyo changes so quickly there’ll be something else that will need to be avoided and other random opportunities that will be missed or overlooked.
Keeping some flexibility and making the most of the unforeseen and unexpected is always going to be the best way to enjoy Tokyo.
You’re all set to refine your layover techniques to near perfection for the next visit. Only problem is that Tokyo changes so quickly there’ll be something else that will need to be avoided and other random opportunities that will be missed or overlooked.
Keeping some flexibility and making the most of the unforeseen and unexpected is always going to be the best way to enjoy Tokyo.
May 8, 2019 | 2:28 pm
#27
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,546
May 8, 2019 | 2:48 pm
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: WAS
Posts: 892
As for expert mode, definitely a plan I would only advise for someone pretty darn familiar with Tokyo and able to move quickly. I have to say I'm still amazed at how much a smartphone simplifies things. My first trip to Japan in 2000, I was armed only with a guidebook, JTB printouts and tourist maps and somehow did just fine but never needed to rush anywhere.
May 8, 2019 | 3:42 pm
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 19,078
Indeed! One thing I was more sensitive to this time around is how un-accessible Tokyo is to those wheelchair bound and with strollers. I've certainly read your posts about it over the years but it's one of those things you'd expect from a modern city. I would hope they're trying to improve it for the Olympics but didn't see any signs of that.
Come back with a stroller and plenty more hours and you’ll see for yourself.