Transit at NRT
 

I'll be fly through NRT from BKK to DEN in March. I arrive on Thai at 7am and depart on UA at 5pm. Is it possible to leave the airport and head into Tokyo to have lunch and some quick site-seeing? Is it worth the trouble? What are the customs procedures for such a short visit?

Provided that everything is on schedule, you will have enough time to go out of the airport and visit Tokyo and come back. I think it's a lot better than staying in or near the airport.

If you want to take a train, Narita Express or Keisei Skyliner is better than regular trains in the morning, which will be picking up all commuters along the way to Tokyo. Since they begin at NRT, you can take a seat but they will get crowded very bad.

Take the subway/train about three stops into Narita City and see the shrine, walk around the city, have a good lunch, and head back to the airport. It will be much more comfortable than to Tokyo & back if you don't know what you are doing -- unless you are a skilled traveler with a lot of experience, then it is no big deal.

Thanks for the tips! I'm a fairly experienced traveller and have been to Tokyo a couple of times. My travelling companion hasn't been before so I think it's worth a trip into Tokyo.

If you have been in Tokyo and familier with train, etc., you may want to take your companion to newly redeveloped Marunouchi area. You just take Narita Express to Tokyo station and Marunouchi is west side of the station. It has many nice restaurants which serve tasty and reasonable lunch special. After the lunch, you can walk around Marunouchi where is very clean and pretty and also Emperor's palace before heading back to Narita.

ill be in NRT in a few days and similarly have a long layover there, but i will be coming back for a stay later, what is there to do to keep you amused for 8 hours in NRT airport?? any tips and suggestions are most welcome!!