What to do with 21 Hours in Tokyo
 

I am traveling in October. I have a 21 hour layover in Tokyo and I'd like to get as much in as I can. My flight arrives around 6:00 Pm and I leave the next day at around 3:00 PM. Realistically I would probably need to get to the airport by noon.

Please let me know what you would do with such a short amount of time there.

I'm not sure there is much to do late in the evening or early in the morning, but I will go without sleeping if I can find something to do to fill the entire time.

I'll be traveling alone - just to keep that in mind with any tips.

Thank you in advance.

There should also be a place you can store your luggage until you are ready to get back on the plane (for a fee, of course).
Give yourself about 90 minutes to get too and from the airport to central Tokyo.

There are always things open, but if you are planning on staying up all night, I hope it is a weekend.

It is a Friday night - leaving on Saturday.

Good to know there is somewhere to leave my luggage - I hoped there would be.

Thanks for letting me know on travel time in and out of the airport. I think I will probably rent a car. Now I just need to decide where to go and what to do. And then figure out if I can get it all in.

Don't rent a car. Or prepare to add quite a bit to that lead time. It is faster and cheaper to take the train (Narita Express) to Tokyo station and go from there.

If you're young, (or even if you're not) the sight of thousands of people crossing the now-famous Shibuya crossing would be something to see. It's quite a spectacle in an area perfect for a Friday night. It will give you some idea of what young people do there.

I'm not someone who has been in Tokyo much-only 12 days so far (adding 11 more in 21 days!), but I can't imagine missing that place. Anyone beg to differ?

If you decide to crash, there are capsule hotels nearby as well, though I don't know how those really work.

there are storage locker available in narita airport. hop on the limousine bus that will take you directly to shinjuku. When u get to shinjuku, remember where you got off, that is the same place you will get on the bus back to narita.

shinjuku is a fun if you like nightlife. go to the east side of shinjuku station and have fun.

the limo bus are on the west side btw.

The limo bus is surely cheaper than the Narita Express. Good thinking Samokan (though I always like riding the Narita Express when I can).

Bus will run you 3000 yen each way.



Makes stops at various hotels, but the key stop is the bus terminal

It'll drop you in this neck of the woods in Shinjuku

i also like the narita express, but with a big/heavy luggage .. its no fun at all.

the bus although slowler than narita express, is convenient it stops directly at the departure gate in narita and get me to shinjuku without the hassle of stairs :D

It is the best train for big heavy luggage (like Rapito in Kansai) because of the bigger doors and wide space (though fewer seats). However, he is probably going to store his luggage at the airport, so no worries about that.

I still think the bus is a better call. You can see more, even if it is slower, and the seats are more comfortable.

oh i don't mean in the train, i mean going to the train. :D

Aha...yes, it is a further walk than the limo. bus.

Wow, Thanks for all the replies and advice. Based on what I have read elsewhere and your advice I plan to fit the following in:

If I could catch part of a baseball game or a sumo tournament or something out there on Friday night, that would be fun. After that, I would love to see the Shibua(?) intersection, sounds pretty cool. Late in the evening, I think I'll probably end up in the Shinjuko(?) area to take in the night life. The Tsukiji fish market sounds like a pretty cool thing to see - what do you think? I think it would be cool to see one of the shrines, or one of the parks/gardens.

Any suggestions on a whole timeline? Like catch a baseball game first, then nightlife/city type stuff. Then sleep (if I need to and have the time). I know the fish market is only an early AM thing, maybe see a shrine and back to the airport? I'd really love to see some sumo wrestling - I just think that would be a lot of fun and something you don't ever get to see here in the Midwest states.

Thanks again.

I have a feeling that the baseball season would be over by then and the sumo tournament started this week and only runs for about 15 days. I have a feeling you won't be able to attend either spectacle.

Sumo is over about 5pm, even it even is taking place in Tokyo at that time (like was stated, one tourney just started, and there are only 6 a year).

The Shibuya "scramble" intersection is just that, an intersection. It is an experience, but with only 21 hours, I wouldn't make it a priority.

I know the Tsujiki fish market opens early in the morning, not sure how late they are open. Giants baseball games tend to be well attended, and if there is a game that day it will be a playoff game. I wouldn't count on getting in.

Bummer. So, with the likelyhood of no sumo or baseball, any other recommendations? So far the fish market and taking in some of the nightlife are all that is left on my list. Thanks again for your helpful suggestions and all of the info you have provided.

Sumo would have been out of question anyhow due to it being sold out, you would pay a hSefty price for a ticket if you could get one i.e. $250.

Oddly when I there in March I killed both those birds with one TV :cool:

Had sumo matches for awhile then a baseball game, japanese baseball commentary is flipping hilarious, lots of "Hmmmmm"s

Shinjuku nightlife is there and there are an insane amount of clubs and bars but they might not be a big size as your used to.



The "famous" Studio Alta meeting spot by Shinjuku station, it's once huge screen looks quite dated now