Landing at Narita Prior to landing, the flight attendants on your flight will hand out two forms to fill out. Fill in your immigration and customs forms (front and back) before landing in Tokyo. (1) Immigration Form: One is the Embarkation/Disembarkation Card, a rectangular document with a detachment in the middle. This form is for the immigration authorities. (2) Customs Form: Another is the Declaration Form for Japanese customs authorities that has the words Customs Declaration at the top. NOTE: Some travelers on certain flights, or arriving from certain countries, must also fill out a yellow Quarantine Form from the Ministry of Health and submit it upon arrival. (Should not need to worry about this!) Immigration Form: Fill in your immigration from (front and back) before landing in Tokyo. For address in Japan just put hotel name (not hotel address) example: Avanshell Hotel Akasaka Embarkation: To go aboard a vessel or aircraft, (this is your return flight information) Disembarkation: To leave a vehicle or aircraft (this is your arrival to Japan information)
Customs Form: Read both sides of the customs form and answer the questions. Pay close attention to the duty-free allowances. If you are carrying anything in excess of the duty-free allowance you have to declare it
Narita Airport: You will need to know what terminal you are flying into Terminal 1 or Terminal 2. Delta = Terminal 1 American Airlines = Terminal 2 There are good pictures to guide you through process in link below. You can practice See link for help: LINK: Airport Guide : Arrival & Departure Procedures NARITA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT OFFICIAL WEBSITE Getting Bus Ticket: After you get bags and go through customs you will enter in main airport. Go directly to Limousine Bus desk to get bus ticket to Akasaka / ANA Hotel (3,100 Yen / approx. $26) Helpful LINK: https://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/information/ Getting to Avanshell: When you get to ANA Hotel just ask taxi cab to Avanshell Hotel (it s about 900 Yen / $9)
Going to Yamanashi: Nonstop Highway Bus from Narita( 成田 ) to Kofu( 甲府 ) Bus Arrival / Departure Schedules: Chiba Kotsu Ticket Counter and Yamanashi Kotsu Both run the direct bus service to Kofu. The ticket counter is at the front of the main entrance. Chiba Kostu Phone / Hours +81(0)476-22-0783 (6:00-23:00) You can check the location of bus stop (see picture). (Chiba Kotsu Bus Stop @ Terminal 2 Stop #11 ) Please note that bus stop number is different at each terminal. Fare: 4,300JPY Approximate duration: 3.5 hours
Important tips when Travelling within Japan Kofu, Japan: First Arrival will be at Terminal 1 of Tokyo-Narita Airport. After clearing customs and picking up all luggage s, on the North end of the terminal is a Citibank ATM tucked behind the stairs. This is international and will allow money to be with-drawn on US based ATM / debit cards (item #2 near the top of the arrival map shown below). Restrooms are near here as well. Map of Narita Arrival Area Terminal 1 South Second: At the really far end of the South Terminal (back by where we arrived by customs), is the ABC phone. Renting this phone was easy, straight forward, with English papers that explained everything. Very friendly, helpful staff and the phone worked well also. ABC Phone Far end of South Arrival. The south arrival hall ABC phone is behind, Citibank ATM down at the end. Within the South Arrival area of Terminal 1, the Train goes downstairs and the international departure is upstairs. Also there is a money exchange here on the left for the end of the trip. Restrooms are at the far end in the above picture as is the Citibank International ATM. Note: Money can only be obtained at international ATMs at Post Offices (Red T ) or I heard at some 7-11s.
Get an international phone, which is more expensive but can call US cell phones in Japan. Also get the insurance to cover the phone if lost or stolen. Third: Leaving NRT by Train: Narita Express or N EX After collecting cash (about 20,000 to start), and a phone (the Japan number will be printed on the outside of the case), head downstairs to the train area to get the tickets. I picked the counter nearest the gates over platform 1 and 2 as the Travel Center was swamped with a very long line out the door into the hall. Double click to open in Acrobat Reader Train access gate purchase ticket first to gain access. Head to a counter and ask for Kofu, or show them the Google map with Kofu printed both in Japanese and English. They will then inform you that you ll change at Shinjuku (normal). You ll get 3 tickets, 1 NRT T1 to Kofu, 1 Upgrade on N EX and 1 Upgrade to Kofu (ask for reserved seats more, but quieter and more relaxed). Payment can be done with a credit card. The NRT to Kofu ticket is the only one needed to gain entrance to the train through gate machine. The other two indicate the car / reserved seat. The example below shows the reverse trip. Kofu to NRT Terminal 1 Kofu to Shinjuku Shinjuku to NRT Terminal 1 Only the complete ticket showing the entire trip is needed to gain entrance to the trains. The other two are to show the conductor if asked, but mainly to guide to the car / seat. Note the train number, car number, seat number are listed in the line under the date. So for Kofu to Shinjuku, Train 14, Car 3, Seat 9A is listed. From Shinjuku to NRT Terminal 1, it
is listed as Train 33, Car 2, Seat 8D. All cars will have an external label on the car and overhead signs indicating the car. Inside, cars are also identified by the number at each end of the car by the doors. From NRT Terminal 1 to Kofu, it is the same idea, just in reverse. Only use the complete trip ticket to gain entrance initially, use it again to leave the train station. Use the following machine, place the ticket in at the front, then it will pop out at the end and you can walk through. At the end of the trip, the machine will keep the ticket upon exiting. The trip to Kofu changes trains at Shinjuku: Inside the N EX 4 Languages Double Click to open in Acrobat Reader N EX Train at Shinjuku Station The N EX had the most information on the overhead displays. This information included the next station, current location on the tracks, and what some of the current news was. The Kaiji or the Azusa didn t have this detail, but after a while the different stations could be understood. And on each station platform, under the Japanese name was the English version of the name. Following the Shinjuku map, the N EX will arrive / leave on platform 5 or 6. Then at Shinjuku the transfer will be either to an Azusa, a Super Azusa (even more limited than an Azusa), or a Kaiji train using the Chuo line to Kofu. Following the station map, these trains leave either on platform 9 or 10. Azusa or Super Azusa Train Kaiji Train
Shinjuku Station Main Hallway The south hallway won t have as much, but will list the next train on each platform. Don t always trust the map, verify the next platform by reading the overhead signs checking the time and the train numbers. They will flip between Japanese and English. In this example at Shinjuku station, Narita Express is leaving on Platform 5 at 14:10 and 14:40, while the train to Kofu is leaving at 14:30. Shinjuku Station Japanese Shinjuku Station - English There should be 30 35 minutes between when the train arrives and when the next one leaves. On the train, drink holders are provided as well as electrical power usually in or around the arm rest of the seat you are sitting in. Vending machines or Kiosks are easy to use, just put in or give the amount requested and press the button. Definitely get something to drink during the train trip.
Money: Money is clearly marked making it easy to determine the amount required for a vending machine, when paying a bill or purchasing an item. Generally drinks were 100 to 150. 1000 would take care of two days meals at the cafeteria, with a coffee or tea after. Power: Power is dual plug, 100 V, 50 Hz, so most US based items will work. But a ground to two prong adapter may be needed in certain situations, and check the item you ll want to use just to make sure. Arrival at Kofu Station: Double click to open with Acrobat Reader Upon arriving, there are two immediate meal options: McDonalds and Starbucks. Both have English menus and the staff is used to pointing to the menu where items are listed both in Japanese and English. Starbucks is at the far left end of the square; McDonald s is immediately to the right. And down the street is Japanese fare as well.
Going from Kofu to Nirasaki: To get from Kofu to Nirasaki, purchase a local ticket (not Limited or Limited Express) from either the person at the counter or from a machine. Make sure to pick the local Suica machine. This will allow you to pick 230 which is the cost of a one way ticket between Nirasaki and Kofu (either direction). Limited / Shikansen Ticketing Machine Local Ticketing Machine Select 230 Select Lower left blue for a receipt After selecting 230, click the blue on the lower left which is the option to get a receipt. These options can also be viewed in English, which is available in the upper right and says English. After making the two selections (amount and receipt) deposit money using the bill reader and / or the coin slots. Once 230 has been received, the ticket will print followed by the receipt, followed by any change due. Nirasaki is the 3 rd station down the line from Kofu. Many students will also be using the train at this time and stations are clearly announced. The smaller ticket is then used to gain entrance through the ticket gates, and is then given to the official at Nirasaki. When returning to Kofu, show the ticket to the official who should stamp it, then run it through the machine at Kofu to be allowed to exit. Run it through in the direction indicated by the arrow.
Local Train Kofu to Nirasaki at Nirasaki Station TEL operates two locations at Nirasaki, the Hosaka plant and the Fuji plant. Check before leaving to see which plant to go to as it will determine which bus to get on. In Nirasaki TEL contracts with the city to provide free bus service for TEL employees from the Nirasaki train station to both the Hosaka and Fuji plants. Check the TEL schedule to see when the earliest bus would arrive at the station. To catch the bus at Nirasaki station, exit then turn left and proceed to the end of the sidewalk (follow everyone else down). At the end of the bus waiting platforms, the TEL bus will arrive and will indicate in the back window TEL Only and later it also indicated Hosaka. Can ask others in the area to make sure the proper bus is boarded (also just say Hosaka or Fuji to the driver and he will reply with Hai or point to the proper bus. Meals at TEL: A meal card needs to be purchased first before eating. Then food is selected, the meal eaten and the amount totaled after eating. Then a coffee or tea can be purchased again using the meal card. Most of the Japanese put 1000 on the card, then restock it with 1000 when the balance is too low to be used again for a meal. Each time the card is used, the amount of the meal will be deducted from the total. Travel Web Sites: http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/index.html : JR East - Chuo line, Azusa, Kaiji, Narita Express and Shinkansen schedules, timetables, maps, fares and destinations. http://www.hyperdia.com/: Local train schedule, fares, stations. Use to determine cost, schedule and station, then can use to purchase the local train ticket for the amount listed. http://www.wunderground.com/: Great for Japan weather, typhoon information and accurate forecasts.
Lastly: TEL buildings don t allow outside shoes inside. Everyone must change into a building shoe so wear socks. My size 11 shoe translated to a size 28 there. The Hosaka plant is a great location for pictures of Mt. Fuji on clear days. Mt. Fuji from the TEL Hosaka location. Return Trip: Plan on plenty of time to return the ABC phone, change money back, go through ticketing, customs and security which took about an hour to complete. The blue trains were chosen then only had 1.5 hours remaining.
Returning Home to USA: