Could be that since Sea World ended Killer Whale show, suddenly “Tuna Show” became hot item. Cannot beat how tuna winks and smile at you… :p

After arriving at 4 p.m. at NRT are you planning to stay wake till 10 a.m. next day? I do not know where you are arriving from at NRT but do you think you can stay up that long? I am not sure what you mean as “mingle around” but are you hoping to spend over night at Tokyo at bars or other type of social gathering places?

Tokyo is not 24 hrs. city. As public transportation stop running around 12 midnight and 1 a.m., so as many business in Tokyo closes around that time. There are clubs open overnight, but it is not like bars or pubs in the U.S or Europe, clubs in Tokyo tends to be with host and hostess and extremely overpriced drinks.

If you plan to drink overnight, one condition at tuna auction viewing at the fish market is that you are not intoxicated. Being drunk will be reason refuse entrance, and there have been in past some problems people showing up drunk. This is viewing of working fish market, where the place was not designed with visitors in mind. There is no separate stand or segregated area with windows for visitors to view. Visitors will walk right through the area forklifts are constantly going back and forth.

You are asking about mosquito repellent in Tokyo, are you planning to spend overnight outside at Tokyo? If that is your plan then…, I cannot think of the place to hang outside overnight in Tokyo. As I said as business close overnight so as parks and gardens. If you hanging around city parks overnight then that can be good reason police will ask you some questions.

Also, there are ladies who are knowledgeable about Japan post here frequently. :D I am a dude, by the way, so thanks for referring me in correct gender. :)

So... should I stick to Narita then only overnight and get a hotel? Thanks so much! I sorta wanted to see Tokyo.........!!!

Get a hotel near the main station. Take a train when you arrive. Mingle in Tokyo. Early in the morning take the train back to the airport. Depending on luggage situation, can walk to the hotel both ways from the station or take a cab, short distances will be manageable in cost. Get a "return" train ticket and it will be cheaper.

Are 4 hrs enough for Leaving and Checking In again?
 

I want to burn some miles and so i'm planning to fly with EY via AUH to NRT and directly back to AUH with the same plane. This gives me a slot of 4 hrs to get my baggage, clear immigration and re-checkin.


Is this possible or is the time too short?

I was not sure what you really want to do at Tokyo. “Mingle around” was too vague of expression for me to figure out what is your interests.

4 p.m. arrival at NRT means you will arrive at central area of Tokyo past 6 p.m., likely around 7 p.m., then you will start to hit the town. Do you want to go drink at bars, have Japanese meals, museums, take in a scene of Shibuya, Roppongi, etc. where usually seen on tourist guide book…?

Pretty much above things will end around 12 midnight to 1 a.m., you may start to get the feeling that things are starting to wind down past 11 p.m. Which means you have about 4 hours to see around Tokyo. Question is, if you are not planning to get a hotel room, what is your plan from 12 midnight to 10 a.m. departure at NRT?

Yes, as I mentioned before there are area of Tokyo remain kind of active with clubs open, but that likely will not be inexpensive option. Other things mentioned are 24 hrs. onsen spa, Manga Kissa (24 hrs. Japanese cartoon (manga) book reading facility with semi-private walls where you can take a nap), These are suggested as a place to take a nap if you are not planning to get a hotel room, not a place to be active and be social with people. Do you think you can stay wake all night long?

For tuna auction at the fish market, if your arrival to NRT is on Saturday then will be no go as the fish market is closed on Sundays. If your arrival to NRT is on Tuesday then the fish market is closed on about half of Wednesdays, want to check the date. The tuna auction is first coms first serve basis. What I heard is that first person may start to form a line around 2 a.m., definitely by 3 a.m. a line will be forming. Again, what will you do from 12 mid night to 3 a.m.?

Bottom line, if you want to go to central area of Tokyo then get a hotel room in central area of Tokyo. You will have about 4 hours at Tokyo to look around and take in the sight of the town. If you want to throw in tuna auction at the fish market then getting a hotel room may not make sense, but has to figure out what to do from around 12 midnight to 3 a.m. Just wandering around outside around Tokyo till tuna auction is not recommended.

Welcome to FlyerTalk!

Yes, I think it is possible. There have been reports of people doing a mileage run to NRT and turn around back in such short time at other forums of FlyerTalk. There have been no report of having a problem with passport control for such short turn around.

You did not indicate where you are from, but make sure your passport (country of issue) allows no visa entry to Japan.

??
No one who's responded back to you has said you shouldn't go to Tokyo. Please go back and read people's responses to your query, as well as nishimark's link.

After reading it all, I think your plan is best but still trying to evaluate what to do from noon to morning if no hotel. Onsen wise do I need to wear beachwear, I read I have to be nude, but they said valuables stay on the shelf, so no go as I would have my passport and all, I will check if any have lockers although still, is it secure? Also, public transport should cover it all, should I get a card for a day or two or what is the best way. Thank you so much guys!

Also, has anyone used the airport lockers? Is it safe to lock in my laptop as the only valuable.

I think you mean midnight to morning (you said your flight arrives 4pm, leaves the next morning). Again, if it were me, I'd get a hotel room. But if you really don't want to, then spend the wee hours at an onsen. I recommend Ooedo Onsen in Odaiba which I'm pretty sure is still open all night. No beachwear at the onsen. You can don the yukata that they give you when you're not bathing, but obviously you're going to be naked when you bathe.

It's not worth getting any train pass. On the other hand, IC card like Suica can be helpful as it saves you the trouble of dealing with cash and train ticket machines, although you're going to be there for such a short time that I'm not sure it's worth it.

Thank you for the warm welcome and the quick answer!

The visa should be no problem. I'm from Germany and i also fly 3-4 times every year to HND and there were no problems until now. I hope it will work :D

I have used them for almost 72 hours to store my laptop during a weekend trip.

I would say the chance of something happening to your laptop in a coin locker is virtually nonexistent. Still, I'd imagine the terms of use for the locker waives liability for any damaged or stolen valuables....not sure though.

Have a choice arriving in NRT at 14:30 or else 17:30 in July.
Departing again at 22:00. Will have 2 kids (5-7yrs).

Is it better to take the earlier flight and visit the temple and Omotesando street, or take the later flight and just go to the landside mall for a couple of hours.

From what I read, it will take 90mins to get to the temple from landing, which would have me there at 4pm. Is that too late in the day?

No, visiting Narita-san Shinshouji (this is the temple you are referring) at 4 p.m. is not too late. If I were you, my decision will be based on what 5-7 years olds in mood after the flight arrival at NRT.

Visiting the temple will involve some walk. If you take a train from the airport, the temple is about 1 km (0.6 miles) walk from Narita station which is next station of Narita Airport station.

If you decide to take a taxi directly to the temple, then inside ground of the temple will involve about 200 – 400 meters (210 – 430 yards) of walking. If you want to see the entire temple ground then it will be 1200 meters (1300 yards) from the front entrance of the temper to the very back, then walking back same distance.

I do think if your little one will be up to that after the flight arriving at NRT will decide if you want to do visit to the temple.

One thing you may want to consider is that Tokyo is hot and muggy as hell in July, even at 5-6pm. I usually do better in heat and am not particularly prone to sweating. But even then, I find it difficult to bear being outside in Tokyo for even a short while.

So you've got some things to consider, esp when you have kids. Will your kids be tired (ie, what time zone are you coming from)? Do they do okay in heat? Do you plan to shower before the connecting flight (either via lounge access or at NRT's shower facility), or are you okay to fly in your sweaty sticky clothes?

Knowing how oppressive the heat is, I'd personally either just stay in the airport or take a cab to the nearby Aeon mall and hang out there. But don't let me talk you out of it, if you really have a burning desire to go check out Narita and the temple.

One other thing... if your transit occurs 7-9th July, then they're having matsuri (festival) in Narita city. The whole area from around JR Narita Sta up through Omotesando to the temple is matsuri area. I think that would be a neat opportunity for you to see what a typical Japanese matsuri is all about. So if your date matches, then I would try to go see that, the heat notwithstanding.