I was skeptical at first, but I was able to make the most out of a 13-hour layover in Haneda. Though many recommended focusing on 1 or 2 spots, I was able to fit in 5 places that I wanted to hit in Tokyo. Here’s how it turned out:
4:00 to 5:25 am – Arrived at Handa at 4 am. Immigration was done in less than 30 minutes. I was ready to start my journey, but the first train (Keikyu Line) out of Haneda was not until 5:25. As such, I was able to leisurely store my backpack in a locker and make my first vending machine purchase!
5:25 to 6:00 am – Took the Keikyu line to Tsukiji Outer Market (the only place with open restaurants at 6 am). Arrived at the Higashi-ginza stop, walked towards Tsukiji on a dark and cold morning, smiling as I recognized the streets of Ginza from a previous trip.
6:15 to 7:30 am – Walked around the Outer Market, had a chirashi breakfast at Sushizanmai, and lined up for a stick of sweet tamagoyaki. One stall serving hot (gyu?) rice bowls had a long line. Took the Asakusa line to the Senso-ji Temple.
8:00 to 10:10 am – Arrived at a quiet Asakusa (most shops were still closed), visited the temples and took selfies with the giant lanterns. I had time to hang out at Tully’s to replenish caffeine levels and recharge a dying phone. By 9:30, the main street was starting to get packed as more stalls began to open. After having my fix of my favorite warabimochi at Sawawa Asakusa, I headed for Akihabara.
10:30 am to 12:00 pm – Arrived at Electric Town when most shops were only starting to roll up their gates. Although Kotobukiya and Mandarake were still shuttered, I enjoyed the 7-floor ascent at Bic Camera. Next stop: Takeshita St. via the JY Yamanote line to the Harajuku station.
12:30 to 1:30 pm – Arrived at the mouth of Takeshita St. and walked from Harajuku to Shibuya. While Takeshita was cute, I enjoyed Meiji-Dori more, especially the Jordan World of Flight and Toy Sapiens stores.
1:30 to 2:30 pm – Hoped to have ramen at Ichiran, but both Shibuya branches had an hour to 2-hour wait! Found a vending machine ramen place near the crossing instead (which was mid) then walked around the area and did some last-minute shopping at UniQlo. After crossing the scramble, took the JY Yamanote line to the airport from Shibuya Station.
3:00 to 5:30 pm – Arrived at HND 2.5 hours before my flight. Was kinda bummed to be super early since immigration took only 10 minutes. I was in front of my gate and duty-free shopping by 3:30. Perhaps next time, I could spend an hour more in the city – what do you guys think?
Super helpful game-changing tips:
\- Make sure to get your QR code in advance from Visit Japan Web to expedite the immigration process.
\- Chat with the friendly people at the airport’s Tourist Info. They are open early and will help you map out your journey and navigate the trains.
\- Add and preload a SUICA card to your Apple Wallet (iPhone users). This made commuting such a breeze (I spent about 1,700 yen during this trip).
\- For UniQlo users, their clothes are about 30-50% cheaper in Japan. Time to stock up on those Heat Techs and Airisms!
If you’re planning a short trip for a long layover, I hope this helps. I also did a similar 13-hour layover blitz in Seoul, which I chronicled in /KoreaTravel.
by masterpiecemaker