Tokyo, Japan overnight?

[fedssocr]

On my way home from my next trip to Thailand I will have an overnight at Tokyo. I assume others of you have experience with this scenario. My Thai flight arrives at NRT around 3:45 PM and my flight home to Washington isn't until 11-ish the next morning. I have never been to Japan. Does it make any sense to go into the city and spend the night there and then head back to the airport in the morning? Or should I just stay in the vicinity of the airport? I know it takes at least an hour or so to get into the city from the airport but it seems like it would be a shame to be that close to Tokyo and not get to see it. It will be late November though so I suppose it will be much cooler than BKK and it will probably be dark before I get into the city.

 

I am guessing I should be able to check my luggage all the way through to my final destination so I should be unencumbered and I imagine I should be able get my boarding pass to IAD when I check in at BKK so I shouldn't have to wait in a check-in line at NRT in the morning, altho since I am in biz class I suppose checkin shouldn't be bad anyway.

 

Any thoughts? Obviously I won't have a ton of time to do much of anything but I would just sort of like to absorb the atmosphere. And if I meet some cute Japanese boy....

[Guest stef]

Hi there. I have done Tokyo to Bangkok Many time and usually stay in Tokyo more than one night. Trust me, it will take you over an hour to get to the city.

Traffic is usually bad during the day. I have done it like may be 10 times, and 9 out of ten, it took me almost 2 hours by bus. ( Buss that directly goes from the airport to the Hilton in Shinjuku area )

Taxi might be a little faster may be but price will be high ( over 100 USD )

 

If you fly Thai Airways, the business class checking is really fast and nice. I don't know about other airline though. The lounge was mixed for all airlines pass immigration. It is to get to the gate when you leave Tokyo. But just be careful with traffic if you decide to go to the city ..

 

Shinjuku Station is where you want to stay if you would want to check the Gay area. It is not really big but it is nice. The massage places are exactly identical to the one you will find in the Gay massage places of Thailand. The prices for an hour was really cheap compared to the life style of Tokyo. I paid like 50 USD for the whole nine yard and I was really happy. My guy was really really good at what he does. And really cute.

 

I can't recall the gay places I have been at ( not at this right moment ) but all of them were like Host Bars. Also they love to dance and get wild at it. And gosh they smoke a lot.. More than French people... If you don't smoke, then you should stick with the massage places

 

One problem though is the English part. Don't expect too many people that speak english. It was really hard to communicate with anyone out there. Much harder than in Thailand when you don't speak Thai. You can have an idea ....

 

Also if you ask anyone for the Gay area, they will look at you like you come from Jupiter. I would suggest you to check the area on mapquest or something like that...

 

If you need more info.. You can email me : stef@gaythailand.com

 

Take care

 

Stef

 

 

[Guest fountainhall]

A one night stop-over in Tokyo can end up being hugely frustrating and very expensive in terms of time (both your inward and outward travel are in the rush hour) and cost. Sorry Steff, the taxi fare from Narita to Shinjuku will be at least US$180 one way - and probably more because the traffic will be slow. That said, if you plan your time very carefully and know exactly what you want to do, you could end up having quite a bit of fun. I can't imagine a night at Narita airport offers much in the way of excitement, unless you have been able to arrange a meeting with airline staff via the internet.

 

Some thoughts on going in to the city. Firstly, if your luggage is not checked through, there are left luggage places at Narita. Secondly, I would not take the airport bus. To save time, I'd take the Narita Express train (less than 10% more expensive than the bus). There's one direct to Shinjuku station every hour and it takes only 1 hr. 15 minutes instead of around 2 hrs 30 mins by bus in the rush hour. The station is immediately under the terminal. Buy a return ticket from Narita so you are guaranteed a seat on a morning train.

 

By the time you get to Shinjuku station, yes it will be dark outside and it will be mobbed by zillions of people. You will have to find one of the 3 main exits (East, South and West), hand in your Narita Express ticket and then find the subway to buy a ticket to backtrack one station to Shinjuku San-chome. This gets you very close to Shinjuku Ni-chome where most of the bars etc. can be found. Also, there is a good and, by Japanese standards, cheapish hotel there (I think it's called the Lorne Hotel, but am not sure!). Should cost not more than 8,000 Yen for the night and it's within easy walking distance of most places you'll want to visit.

 

Before you start on any planning, buy a copy of the excellent Time Out Guide to Tokyo. It has a Gay and Lesbian section that's a must-read for all newcomers to Tokyo. It also highlights those bars where foreigners are made welcome and, importantly, some of the etiquette involved. (The one fault of the book is the lack of really detailed maps

[Guest stef]

A one night stop-over in Tokyo can end up being hugely frustrating and very expensive in terms of time (both your inward and outward travel are in the rush hour) and cost. Sorry Steff, the taxi fare from Narita to Shinjuku will be at least US$180 one way - and probably more because the traffic will be slow.

 

That's correct then, I thought it was around 15 to 20 k Yen but I wasn't sure and I was afraid to get b!@#$ slap for giving the wrong amount. I have done it once ( first time ) and realized it was a little too much lol to my taste. So took the Bus that stop directly to the end of line at the Hilton. Confortable and very quiet.

 

That said, if you plan your time very carefully and know exactly what you want to do, you could end up having quite a bit of fun. I can't imagine a night at Narita airport offers much in the way of excitement, unless you have been able to arrange a meeting with airline staff via the internet.

 

Some thoughts on going in to the city. Firstly, if your luggage is not checked through, there are left luggage places at Narita. Secondly, I would not take the airport bus. To save time, I'd take the Narita Express train (less than 10% more expensive than the bus). There's one direct to Shinjuku station every hour and it takes only 1 hr. 15 minutes instead of around 2 hrs 30 mins by bus in the rush hour. The station is immediately under the terminal. Buy a return ticket from Narita so you are guaranteed a seat on a morning train.

 

By the time you get to Shinjuku station, yes it will be dark outside and it will be mobbed by zillions of people. You will have to find one of the 3 main exits (East, South and West), hand in your Narita Express ticket and then find the subway to buy a ticket to backtrack one station to Shinjuku San-chome. This gets you very close to Shinjuku Ni-chome where most of the bars etc. can be found. Also, there is a good and, by Japanese standards, cheapish hotel there (I think it's called the Lorne Hotel, but am not sure!). Should cost not more than 8,000 Yen for the night and it's within easy walking distance of most places you'll want to visit.

 

Before you start on any planning, buy a copy of the excellent Time Out Guide to Tokyo. It has a Gay and Lesbian section that's a must-read for all newcomers to Tokyo. It also highlights those bars where foreigners are made welcome and, importantly, some of the etiquette involved. (The one fault of the book is the lack of really detailed maps

[fedssocr]

Thanks you guys. I was definitely planning on taking the train back and forth to the airport.

 

I'm really not much of a bar person and I don't smoke so you're right that I will probably avoid them. A massage does sound nice though. And these saunas sound intriguing. I read the Tokyo section on the utopia-asia.com website which seems to have some good info.

 

Mainly I just love cities and thought it would be fun to soak up the atmosphere and energy of Tokyo since I have not been there before.

 

I don't know how "flush with cash" I will be after 3 weeks in Thailand and Cambodia. :-) But having the flight basically be free I do feel free to spend a little on nicer hotels and such, but the idea of $180 on a cab ride is not very appetizing.

 

I have a while to plan so I will keep mulling things over.

 

Glenn

[Guest fountainhall]

Steff - not sure if you were staying at the Hilton. If not, I am sure you know a bus leaves Narita every 10 mnutes and stops at Shinjuku station west side before going on to a variety of hotels.

 

Fedssocr - to soak up an amazing atmosphere, Shinjuku is still the place to be. To the north of the station is a main road Yasukuni-Dori. Walk along the part close to the station and Ni-chome (the gay area) a little further east and be staggered at the amazing array of dazzling neon signs. Take almost any left and walk into Kabuki-cho, a nightlife district where almost anything goes. It's just fun walking around and so different from anywhere else you will have been - but just be careful of your wallet.