In a couple of weeks I have a flight through Narita with a seven-hour layover. Most other times I've gone through there I've been traveling or connecting domestically in Japan, so there's been plenty to do in the airport. But this time I'm going ICN-NRT-ORD on JAL+AA via Terminal 2, so it looks like I'm confined to just a few shops and restaurants on the airside of the terminal.

Is it worth the hassle to go through immigration so I can enjoy what's on landside of the terminal (reflexology, better restaurants, better shopping, etc...) and then go through immigration again to get back to my gate? Is it a hassle at all? In your opinions, is it worth the effort?

 

You�ve been to NRT a few times already, so you must have a general idea of what there is there.
Narita Airport has an excellent web site which catalogues all the shops and attractions in both the terminals � both landside and airside.

Whether it is �worth it� or not it is entirely up to you. If you were to stroll as quickly as you can to Customs and immigration and see what the queues are like for that day at that particular time you can decide for yourself if it�s worth the hassle. To be absolutely safe, plan on one hour to leave the airport and another hour to get back in, this will leave you with 5 hours.

Then, my advice is to forget the airport, get to the Keisei train terminal, buy a 250yen ticket to Narita Town (no more than 15 minutes). Mooch around Narita for 4 hours or so and return on a train that will get you to the airport AT LEAST an hour before your flight departs. There�s an awful lot you can do in Narita for four hours, restaurants, cafes, bars, shops with traditional items, a major temple, even some public baths (take a towel).

 

I'm glad to see this thread. My wife and I have a 9 hour layover in NRT later this year, and have been looking at spending the time in Narita City. It sounds like it is not only doable, but worthwhile. Thanks!

 

I usually book a day-use room at the Narita Hilton. Cost about $60 for 6hours of use.

 

So when I leave the airport, I'll get a transit visa? Do I just tell the immigration guy I'm going to Narita for a few hours?

 

Surely that would depend on where you're from.

 

Just fill in the form as you would for any entry. Length of stay is 1 day.

Lots of Narita City information here.

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

We fairly often do 6 - 7 hour transfers and have enough time to get into Narita City and stroll around. Be sure to have yen because Kansei does not accept credit cards. Trains run every 15 minutes normally.

 

I second LapLap's suggestion of going into Narita town.

Here is another link,
http://www.planetware.com/japan/narita-jpn-kn-nari.htm

 

Clearing NRT customs/immigration should be fast and easy. I did just that last week with my 2.5 hour layover. I needed to go to my favorite cookie store in the shopping mall adjacent to T1 check-in. Yes, these cookies are really worth clearing NRT customs/immigration for Sorry, but I don't know the actual name of the store.

I was able to clear immigration, buy ten boxes of cookies, go through security and clear immigration again (without NRT even questioning it) ... in about 20 minutes total. I then met up with bseller in the NH lounge.

 

We-e-ll, Guess I'll have to go looking next time through.

 

Here is a link to the maker of the cookies. My faves are the half-moon shaped cookies and the checkerboard cookies. Family and friends always give me their orders!
http://kamakuragoro.co.jp/product/product_index.html

The store only sells boxed baked goods. (It does not sell souvenirs or trinkets). The store is closest to the UA check-in counters in T1.

I also found a department store in Shibuya that sells the same cookies. So, if I don't have enough time at NRT to shop, then I try to get the goodies in Shibuya.

 

On transit passes (from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan):

http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/02.html

Scroll to the bottom...