Family Trip 2003 to Japan
DAY 2: Arrive in Tokyo

Welcome to Narita Airport

Our flight made great time into Tokyo. We arrived nearly 1 hour early at just before 4pm local time. Our 747 taxied to a "bus" gate. We had to descend air stairs to the waiting busses. Once the bus we boarded was packed, the bus drove along side huge planes to Terminal One. Here we walked towards immigration. Before Immigration we passed through temperature scanners to detect is we might have SARS. We then waited in line to have our passport stamped. 

Keisei Skyliner

Soon we were through customs and in the main terminal area. Mark converted some of our travelers cheques to Japanese Currency. The next step was to get train tickets to Tokyo. Mark decided to use the Keisei Skyliner as our JR Passes would not be validated until the next day. The Keisei Express train is much cheaper then the JR Narita Express. Once 3 tickets were purchased we had to wait 40 minutes before the next departure.

Ginza Subway

Our train arrived at Keisei Ueno Station at just past 6pm. We stopped at the Tourist Information Center to pick up maps and brochures. We than made the short walk to the Ueno Subway Station of the Ginza Line. We bought 3 1000 Yen farecards to use for our stay. It did not take long for a train to come with plenty of open seats. At Shimbashi the train got very crowded. Two stops later it was our station. We had to squeeze out of the train with our suitcases, but we made it.

Next was the walk to the hotel. It turned out that we had to walk the length of the Ginza platform, then also walk the length of the Namboku Line platform before we reached our exit to the street. But once at our exit the hotel was straight across the street.

Capitol Tokyu Hotel

We went to the reception desk to check in at the Capitol Tokyu Hotel. I had a voucher from American Express to stay at this hotel for free for 4 nights (for free courtesy of Membership Rewards Points). They had a problem with the reservation because the reservation was for 2 people, but there were 3 of us. After a lot of discussion they gave us the room key a told us to wait in the room while they figured it out (they wanted to charge us for the additional person). A very courteous Bell Hop showed us to our room on the 8th floor. Our room had two 3/4 beds in it as we had reserved.

Koi Pond

The front desk called us twice trying to charge us for Richard. I explained the AMEX said it was okay as Richard was our son. The finally okayed that, but then they wanted to charge us for a rollaway bed, which might not fit. I told them the plan was to use the existing bedding. That being said the matter was closed with no additional charges. We were able to relax. Our room was nice with a refrigerator and a view of a Koi pond below. We could also see Mark's employer's headquarters, Tokyo Electron down the street in the TBS building.

We were thirsty so at 8:30 we went out and found an AM/PM store in a shopping arcade below the building next door. We bought some drinks, and Mark bought a light meal of soba noodles. By 10:00pm we all went to sleep! It was a long day!

Continue to day 3

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Page last edited on: 03/25/17