You will be able to nap in utter comfort without paying for a whole day at one of the Narita Airport Hotels, which by the way, are another great option if you do want a full night of sleep before that next flight. This site uses cookies for technical and analytical purposes. Buses and trains are available, too, but they have to compete with the notorious Tokyo traffic.

Eat your way through the city with sushi and sashimi dishes galore, as well as other favorites such as okonomiyaki, a grilled cabbage pancake with various savory fillings, and sukiyaki, a Japanese hot pot style soup dish. To get back to the airport, take the Chiyoda line from Meiji-jingumae station to Tokyo station and hop on the Narita Express. With so much to see, you’ll want to pick just one or two sights or neighborhoods to explore. Hop on board a retro bright red and green bus at the JR Narita station to tour the idyllic streets surrounding the station. As you take a stroll down the worn-out roadway, you’ll be taken back in time to an ancient town that has a centuries old history of welcoming visitors from other lands. Copyright Wendy Perrin 2020. If you continue down Omotesando, you’ll come to Naritasan Shinshoji, a large Buddhist temple that sits at the top of a hill. I’m not a travel agent—I’m a journalist who has spent the past 30 years reporting on how to travel smarter. Sign up for Wendy Perrin’s newsletter to get essential travel updates, special offers, and ideas to make your next trip safe but still extraordinary. Any suggestions on things to do would be welcome. Your email address will not be published. Known in Japanese as Rekihaku, the culture-filled space was founded in 1981 as an inter-university research consortium, and opened in 1983. And even if you’re not a shopper, you’ll enjoy browsing the many well-curated shops. It is over one thousand years old and has over forty acres of lush land dotted with Edo-era pagodas, historic 18th to 20th century buildings, as well as a Great Main Hall (Hondo) featuring a central temple image of the deity Fudomyo (God of fire), which is said to have been carved in 810AD by the great Kobo Daishi himself. Nearly all have breakfast included, and several have pools, including the Hotel Nikko. In need of a quick haircut? If you’re flying through Barcelona-El Prat airport (BCN) and have a layover, you’ll probably be tempted to visit the city. Similar discount coupons are also available for the airport’s shower rooms, which regularly cost 1,030 yen for thirty minutes.

The duration of even the longest of layovers can significantly shrink -- so instead of winging it before your impending departure, try making a plan by choosing only the hottest spots to explore and by making sure you fully understand Tokyo’s intricate transit system.