to do at NRT?
 

We arrive NRT after BKK-NRT at 215pm.
Would be nice to have a shower, then keep amused until our 715pm to SFO.

Is there *ANYthing* to do for these 5hrs at NRT??

Go check the airport English web page (do a search or wait for someone to post it here!). If you don't have access to an airline club that has showers, there are facilities where you can take a shower at a reasonable charge -- Y500 (about USD4) for 30 minutes. You can also hire a room to take a nap.

Sounds like United with that schedule, there are showers for use in the Red Carpet Club which you can use as a RCC member, customer travelling in C or F, or *gold on another *A airline.

Well, there are restaurants and shops and a very nice outdoor aircraft viewing lounge, but a better choice would be to take a quick (5 minutes on the train) run into Narita City for a little tourism, shopping or a meal. The Temple is very nice. There is a very informative website with everything you need to know:

http://www.mgnewman.com/narita/

JR

For a first time visitor, I think this is pushing it to go to Narita town with the standard UA 5 hour layover. They will have to clear immigration/customs, get Yen, take the train to and from, check back in, and clear immigration again. Sure, it can be done in this time frame, even without elite status to avoid the long check-in line, but....

You're probably right. I'd do it in a heartbeat, but ... :)

I was figuring baggage checked through, an hour to get through C&I and buy the train ticket and then 2 hours to get back through check-in, leaving an hour and a half plus in town. But then, I always have a few yen in my wallet, know how to use the trains and where they are, and speak just enough Japanese to get in trouble.

OP - probably not such a good idea. The restaurants, shops and viewing patio are still good options.

Here is the afore mentioned website url:

http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/access/

JR

I spoke to a guy some months ago who said he'd installed an audio visual 'art piece' at Narita.

It was an area near the shops which has a few hanging mobiles. Apparently, on certain times of the day (on the hour I think) shutters cover the windows and a whole ‘son et lumiere’ experience kicks off.

Never seen it myself, but I’ve never had THAT much time at NRT to pursue it either. I keep meaning to ask about the timetable but am always too busy with emotional hellos and goodbyes, and in all likelihood I never will get around to it.

Does anybody else know anything about this?

EDIT: Here's the Art work in terminal One (which explains why I've never seen it!) The following was installed in 2002

artists Takuro Osaka, Satoshi Hasegawa, Christophe Charles
art work Sculpture and the lighting direction: Takuro Osaka
title: ADVENT
medium: nylon screen, polarizing glass, wire

Mural: Satoshi Hasegawa
title: SILENT ZOO
medium: wooden panel, paint, black light

Music and Soundscape: Christophe Charles
title: VOYAGER
4 tunes, approximately 4 minutes each

Concept Overview:
Art work installed at the New Tokyo International Airport has a function to enrich its cultural environment and its value as a gateway to other countries. The art work needs to have innovative expressions that reflects our contemporary values as well as the universal appeal that supersedes any particular time frame. It is also important to incorporate and integrate globalism and Japaneseness within the art work.

Given this, Town Art selected two internationally renowned Japanese artists, Takuro Osaka and Hitoshi Hasegawa, and one foreign artist who resides in Japan, Christophe Charles to collaborate on the art work to be installed on the main building of the terminal one. The theme of the art work is "Cosmos."

Theme: "COSMOS"

The word, "Cosmos" inherits the concept of "order," "universe," and "the outer space." Three artists' creativity and collaboration visualize the "outer space" as a manifestation of order and harmony.

Space, the universal that has been there forever, and that will be there forever, is represented by the combination of visuals and sound effects. The magnificent "COSMOS" is realized.

"COSMOS" utilizes different kinds of lights--natural light, artificial light, and black light-- and soundscape to make itself truly multi-faced in time. When the skylight is closed, you hear the sound effects, black lights light up, and murals on the 4th and the 5th floor become visible. Inspired and accompanied by the sound effects, various colors of light dynamically shines through the hanging sculpture at the center. The site itself becomes the 3D art work in which various elements resonate and intertwine.

THANKS everyone. Great info!!