Narita Airport is a major hub airport for both Japan and all of the Asian Pacific rim. Hundreds of flights arrive and depart daily. We have flown here a number of times and on long layovers enjoy visiting both nearby Narita and the Tokyo metropolitan region.
The airport itself has two major terminals (1 and 2) and a bus provides transportation between each one. The airport is modern, has free WiFi in a number of selected WiFi stations and for jet lag weary travelers who need refreshing, you can make use of the day rooms or showers.
For Japan travel and an introduction to Japanese culture consider visiting Narita, which is only about 20 minutes from the airport. From the airport you can take either the JR or Keisei local trains, the Narita City Round Bus or taxi (quite expensive).
Narita is a charming little city with quaint winding streets and lots of shops. This is not Tokyo – while only about 60 kilometers from Tokyo the pace of life here is much slower. The highlight of a visit here is the Narita-san Shinsho Temple. This temple dates back to about 800 AD and features impressive Japanese pagodas and a relaxing park.
The central walking street Omotesando is located next to the temple and has been extensively renovated in recent years. There are about 150 quaint Japanese souvenir shops, restaurants and small vendors. One can easily spend an hour or two in this district – along with shopping for handicrafts, this area boasts good Japanese cuisine including seafood and sushi. Particular dishes of interest are unagi (boiled eel in a sweet sauce), takoyaki (fried balls of octopus typically sold from push carts) and then top off your meal with some delicious Japanese yogurt.
Tokyo has a very well developed and massive metro system and from the Narita airport to the center of Tokyo travel time ranges from about an hour to several hours depending on which train you take. Tokyo is a major International city and an Asian hub city for the Pacific Rim as well as the gateway city for all of Japan. Japan travel starts and ends with Tokyo. With 12 million people in its core and 35 million people as part of the metropolitan region, it is the world’s largest city. It is also the capital city of Japan.
Tokyo has a very well developed and massive metro system and from the Narita airport to the center of Tokyo travel time ranges from about an hour to several hours depending on which train you take. Tokyo is a major International city and an Asian hub city for the Pacific Rim as well as the gateway city for all of Japan. Japan travel starts and ends with Tokyo. With 12 million people in its core and 35 million people as part of the metropolitan region, it is the world’s largest city. It is also the capital city of Japan.
As with other large International cities its best to not see it all on one trip – rather focus one’s efforts on certain parts of the city or just specific attractions. Some of Tokyo’s main highlights are the temples of Asakusa, the gardens and walkways of the Imperial Palace (which feel far removed from the hustle and bustle of urban Tokyo). Part of the attraction of Tokyo is getting an idea of the sheer scope of its size. There are several ways to do this; one is from the top of the Tokyo Tower and another is from the highest spot in the city, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building.
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