Mike's Japan by Mike Dixon - HTML preview

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5 Narita Stopover

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A lot of people break their journey at Narita, which is Japan's main airport and about an hour away from the centre of Tokyo by train.  There are various possibilities.

You can check into the airline hotel at the edge of the airport and eat in the hotel restaurant with a whole lot of other international travellers.  Alternatively, you can book in and take the next hotel bus to Narita city.

Most buses stop at the main railway station and you can walk through it to the top of the high street, which is packed with tourist shops and eating houses.  You can choose to dine there with other tourists or you can hunt out the places where the locals eat.

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My preference is for the beer halls near the station.  They are in high-rise buildings and you have to look at the advertising signs to find them.  The signs are lavishly illustrated and written in both Japanese and English so you will have no difficulty.  The beer halls sell drinks and snacks from an illustrated menu.  All you have to do is point and hold up one or more fingers to show how many items you want.  Needless to say, places in Narita are accustomed to serving people who can't speak Japanese.

If you have time, stroll down the high street to the magnificent temple gardens (Top image).  These are shut after sunset so you might consider spending a second night in Narita to see them.  You could also take a trip into Tokyo.  As always, surf the net to find places to stay.