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Re: One night in Japan


You're right about Narita airport being so far out of

Tokyo... actually the closest town is Narita itself

and the closest city is Chiba City (on the Eastern

side of Tokyo Bay). You'll have heard of Chiba if

you've ever read William Gibson's 'Neuromancer'.



The best thing I can recommend that you can do in a

short amount of time is to experience some of the more

easily accessible sides of modern Japanese culture

which - time permitting - will include things like

going to an onsen (thermal bathhouse), an izikaya

(traditional inn), or even pushing the boat out and

venturing into a pachinko parlour and / or love hotel.



(More to follow...)

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Replying to:

I am going to Australia in April, but have a one night stoppover in Japan. We arrive at the international airport at around 6pm and leave at about midday the next day. I have heard that the airport is about 2 hours outside Tokyo, so would rather not bother going all the way in. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how we should spend our time - our hotel is near the airport.

Re: One night in Japan

Given that you're arriving early evening and leaving at midday the next day,

you don't have much time, Dan. I'm guessing that by the time you've passed through

the airport and checked into your hotel,

you'll possibly have two hours or so in the evening and about the same amount the

following morning.



Once you take away the time it takes to go out for an evening meal

and grab breakfast the next day AND get to Narita Airport 90 minutes to two hours before your departure

time, it's fairly ambitious of you to be planning to do much at all in this short slot.



Bear in mind that you will both feel pretty jet-lagged -

flying east and losing time is a whole lot more more difficult for your body to adjust to

than flying west and gaining time - and I'm guessing that unless you have an unusually

restful flight, you won't want to do much more in the evening than have something to eat and crash.



So, on second thoughts, I'm reluctant to recommend travelling even as far as

Chiba City the next morning (over one hour from Narita Airport allowing for the short walk between Narita Keisei station to Narita JR station).



However, There may be time for a stroll around the centre of

Narita City (20-25 minutes by train from Narita airport).



The Tourist Board claims - somewhat optimistically - that:



Narita is the place to go. It became a model area for

international sightseeing because there is so much to see.




I would put this down to Ministry of Culture propaganda. I'm not sure many

people familiar with travelling around Japan would put Narita high up on their

list for 'international sightseeing'.



Still, the Naritasan Shinshoji temple, founded in 940AD and the head temple of the Chisan Buddhist sect, is an easy walk

from the JR station and probably worth a visit.



For lots more information on the Naritasan Shinshoji temple and the surrounding grounds, try the:





Narita City Guide




If you're doing well for time, you can get more of a glimpse of Japanese culture (which may be slightly contrived to suit

the time constraints of airport passengers making a brief stopover in the city),

at the Narita Tourist Pavillion, (advertised as 'A sensationally interesting place'!),

where you can find reconstructions of Edo Period (1600 to mid-1800s) temples and shrines. Admission is free and the pavillion opens at 9.00. If you turn up on a Thursday, a Japanese Tea Ceremony

will take place from 10.300am on the second floor.



For additional information on the ground try the

Narita City Tourist Information Center, located in front of Narita JR Station.