#97 Haneda Airport

What you should do before you head to the city center.

After a long flight to Japan, long lines at immigration, and arrival at Haneda or Narita airports, you probably want to move to your hotel as soon as possible, unpack your bags, and rest well. However, in your haste to get to your hotel at the airport, you may miss something and regret it later. This week, I want to share things you should do before leaving the airport, especially if you are arriving at Haneda Airport, which has excellent access to the city center.

Haneda Airport's international terminal is not massive, but quite a few flights arrive in two hours.

IC card ticket “Suica”

• Regardless of the arrival time, buying a ticket in cash is very complicated every time you use public transportation to get to your hotel or city center. However, unlike in Europe and the United States, it is not possible to use a credit card to pass through Japan at an automatic ticket gate.

• For this reason, I would like you to obtain the Suica IC card, which is widely used in the Tokyo metropolitan area, especially in Tokyo. Previously, you could buy Suica cards at any station in the Tokyo metro area. Still, in recent years, only "Welcome Suica" cards for overseas travelers have been sold at limited locations, and missing out on one at Haneda Airport would be a big problem.

  

• The Welcome Suica vending machine is located in the corner of the Tokyo Monorail ticket vending machine, to the left of the exit on the second-floor arrival level of Haneda Airport. No deposit is required; you can charge it with some credit cards. It would help if you first did this upon arrival and exchange money.

• The card is valid for 28 days, including the first day of use. Since this Suica card is non-refundable, please use it before leaving the country. Suica can be used at convenience stores, so you can use it at convenience stores at the airport before leaving the country. You can use them at McDonald's and Starbucks.

Secure a cell phone line

• If you are not participating in a group tour, you must do everything from mapping to transferring information independently. It is possible to roam on a cell phone company's line in your country, but it is expensive in most cases. In this case, you must buy a SIM card sold in Japan or rent a pocket WiFi.

• If you exit Terminal 3 at Haneda Airport and turn right, you will find AnyFoneJapan, Telecom Square, and other companies that provide SIM cards and pocket WiFi. Further to the right is Bic Camera, a general electronics store. If you want to put a local Japanese SIM card in your cell phone, Bic Camera is a more budget-friendly option, with many products.

  

• On the other hand, if you frequently move around in a group and need to access the Internet, mainly when you are in a hotel, you can rent a pocket WiFi and share it among the members. This would cost less than 1,000 yen per day to rent. Choosing according to the length of your stay and the purpose of use is a good idea.

• A local SIM card is less expensive if you stay in Japan for an extended period, and you won’t have to worry about returning rented items.

  

• In any case, the mobile device you bring with you for your trip must be sim-free. Recently, eSim, which allows you to register your SIM card electronically, has been available. You only need an e-mail address and a credit card for payment, which you can easily install. Please try this one as well.

Tourist Information Center

Here, you will find pamphlets with detailed maps of Tokyo in over ten languages. The same pamphlets are also available at various locations in Tokyo, but it is best to get them before you leave the airport.

The Tourist Information Center is at 1 o'clock on the front clock as you exit the building.

This office is open 24 hours a day, and you will find it at 1 o'clock after the exit. It is on the way to the express bus and Keikyu train station. On your way to the hotel, check again where you are going.

Brochure with detailed maps translated into more than ten languages.

Usage of Welcome Suica

Unlike in Europe and the U.S., you can only use your credit card at places where you can pay with a touch panel. It would help if you avoided the hassle of exchanging money or carrying coins around. Having Suica is very convenient. In particular, since most touch-sensitive credit cards are not accepted at station ticket gates, you can use this one card for almost all train ticket gates. Charge a little more so you don't get stuck at the ticket gate because you need more charge. I posted about “Suica” a while ago on my #010 Touch and Go!!. For more details, please refer to it.

Finally

The most accessible public transportation to the city center is the Tokyo Monorail to Hamamatsucho or the Keihin Kyuko Line to Shinagawa Station.

1. Tokyo Monorail: Saves time when going to Shimbashi or Tokyo Station. If you transfer to the Yamanote Line at Hamamatsucho, a special ticket lets you choose your stop for only one section. However, it is only available on weekends and holidays.

   

2. Keihin Kyuko: The most convenient way to Shinjuku is via Shinagawa Station or along the Toei Subway Asakusa Line.

3. Express Bus: There are frequent buses to the bus terminal at Shinjuku Station.

4. Domestic Transit: Buses leave almost every 5 minutes from the 1st floor of Terminal 3. The order of stops is JAL Terminal 1 first, then ANA Terminal 2. Then ANA's Terminal 2 is next. So, as you know, some international flights have recently departed and landed from Terminal 2.

I hope that this information will be helpful to you at Terminal 3 of Haneda Airport.