[Sangetsu]

Don't bother with the Narita Express. It's expensive, and difficult to carry luggage on. My last trip on the Narita express was delayed due to a suicide on one of the tracks, and I nearly missed my flight.

The most convenient way to get to Tokyo from Narita is by taking the limousine bus. The bus stop is located right outside the terminal, you can't miss them, they are very large, orange buses that say "Airport Limousine" on the side. The bus ticket counter is also easy to find.

The buses are cheaper than the train, are more convenient for carrying large amounts of luggage, and they cost less. They leave every 5 minutes or so, which is much more often than the train. Bus service begins at about 6 am.

The bus will take you to Tokyo Station. You can take the Yamanote train to Ueno, but it's so close that a taxi will be an easier and not-too-expensive way to get to your ryokan. If you don't speak much Japanese, get a google maps printout showing ryokan's name and address to give to the cab driver.

One thing about taking a taxi in Japan, make sure you know where the nearest landmark is, addresses in Japan are not sequential. The taxi driver will usually know where the landmark is, and once you get there, you give the driver turn-by-turn directions to your destination. It's a crazy system, but it's the way things are done here.