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Going to Shibuya -- need advice

HelloKyoto

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Hi everyone,
I am planning my first trip to Japan this November. I am very excited. It will be my 30th birthday. I will be there for probably less than 5 days. I want to go to Shibuya and do some sightseeing there.

Since this is my first time in the country and my Japanese is poor, I am worried about getting from the Narita airport to Shibuya. So I have a few questions:

What is the easiest + least expensive way to get there for me?

Do I have to worry about arriving at night? Or do the trains run 24/7?

Is it safe to arrive at night. I haven't booked my flight yet and I am wondering if I should stick to a daytime arrival, so I can avoid getting lost in the middle of the night in a city I have never been to.

Do I have to make an advance registration with the train or is it okay for me to arrive there and buy a ticket at anytime?

Thanks for the help.
 

I would take the Narita Express to Tokyo Station, get off there and take the Yamanote Line to Shibuya Station. You can also take the Keisei Line from Narita Airport to Ueno Station, but you have to do some walking to get to the Yamanote Line (the stations are separate). It is a little cheaper. The N'Ex (Narita Express) is around 2,940 yen (about $27.00). The Keisei Line is about 1,000 yen less, but it takes longer. You can buy a ticket for the train at the airport any time. No problem.

You don't have to worry about train service. They usually run until about midnight. A 10:00 am departure from L.A. will get you into Narita at about 3-4:00 PM Tokyo time the next day. It is about 11 hours going to Japan from L.A. and 9 hours coming back.
 
Thanks Armand! I remember you from "crazy tokyo sushi".

I am a little worried about the trip but I will take your advice.
 
HelloKyoto said:
Thanks Armand! I remember you from "crazy tokyo sushi".
I am a little worried about the trip but I will take your advice.
Click to expand...

Yup, that be me.

It is really not that difficult. Just make sure you have some good maps, including one of the Tokyo subway system. Do you already have your lodging reserved?

You can get a lot of free maps from the Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO). They've an office in Los Angeles. Give them a call and tell them what you need and they'll send it. Check out this thread: Finding your way: Maps!
 
Nothing is reserved yet. Do you have any recommendations on hotels? I will try to get those maps from the JNTO. Thanks a lot.
 
HelloKyoto said:
Nothing is reserved yet. Do you have any recommendations on hotels? I will try to get those maps from the JNTO. Thanks a lot.
Click to expand...

Hotel Fukudaya in Shibuya is a ryokan that's reasonably-priced for a "Japanese experiene." I stayed there in 2001. Tokyo Japan Hotel Fukudaya

In April, I stayed at the Asia Center of Japan near the Aoyama I-chome and Nogisaka subway stations. It is also reasonable for a western-style hotel.

Since this is your first time in Japan, I would recommend Hotel Fukudaya.
 
Hotel Fukudaya looks great. The prices are great. I will get one of those Japanese rooms for sure. Thank you again. I have to make my reservations.
 
HelloKyoto said:
Hotel Fukudaya looks great. The prices are great. I will get one of those Japanese rooms for sure. Thank you again. I have to make my reservations.
Click to expand...

One word of advice: print off a map to have handy with you when you take a taxi from Shibuya station to go to the inn. Not all cabbies know where it is. It is on a little side street about a 15 min. walk from the station, but with luggage you'd want to take a cab there (under $5.00). It was a couple of blocks from a Denny's, in case you have to have a western-style breakfast. There's also a handy AM-PM Mini Mart down the block. The people who run the inn are very nice.
 
You can also take an airport limousine bus directly to the Shibuya area. If you like, I'll hunt up the details for you later. It's too late to do it tonight.
 
Unfortunately, Fukudaya is all booked up for the days I am going. Would you be able to recommend another place? I think I would enjoy staying at a ryokan. Thanks.
 
Shibuya doesn't have much in the way of Ryokan... not that I'm aware of. If you just need a place to crash, there's a hotel back by the Starbucks. I can't recall the name of it, although I think it's Shibuya New City hotel. It's a bed and a bathroom in the 10,000 yen range.

As for transport there, I personally hate the buses, but I'm 6'3". There are quite a few Narita Express trains that stop in Shibuya. I recommend those, but that's me.
 
HelloKyoto said:
Unfortunately, Fukudaya is all booked up for the days I am going. Would you be able to recommend another place? I think I would enjoy staying at a ryokan. Thanks.
Click to expand...

That's too bad. I mentioned the Asia Center of Japan, but that's a hotel. They're reasonable, though.

I personally don't know of other ryokans in Shibuya, but I am sure there are.
Down in Shinagawa, which is off the JR Gotanda station on the Yamanote line is Ryokan Sansui-so. Their number is 03-3441-7475.

Try the Welcome Inns website: itcj.jp for more inns.
 
A Japanese-style hotel in Bunkyo-ku
Ryokan TSUTAYA
http://www.tsutaya-r.com/english.html
HOMEIKAN
旅館鳳明館（RYOKAN HOMEIKAN）

Ryokan TAIEIKAN
http://homepage3.nifty.com/taieikan/

A Japanese-style hotel near Ochanomizu Station
Ryokan RYUMEIKAN-HONTEN
http://www.ryumeikan.co.jp/honten_eng.htm


Kudankaikan
A price of here is high.
However, I want to stay sometime.
http://www.kudankaikan.or.jp/index.html

A Japanese-style hotel of the Nippombashi neighborhood.
Sumisho-hotel
http://www.sumisho-hotel.co.jp/eng/home_e.html

A Japanese-style hotel of the Ueno neighborhood
SAWANOYA RYOKAN
http://www.tctv.ne.jp/members/sawanoya/

SUIGETU HOTEL OHGAI SOU
A price of here is high.
However, bathing is possible here.
Only bathing is 1000 yen.
http://www.ohgai.co.jp/index-e.html

ANDON RYOKAN
http://www.andon.co.jp/
 
I found out that Hotel Fukudaya is able to accomodate me, but only with a Western-style room. Do you think I should still stay there or is it really worth getting a Japanese room? I was thinking of staying in Shibuya.. How far are those other Ryokans from Shibuya?

Thanks.
 

The ones near Gotanda station are only 4 stops from Shibuya (just minutes) on the Yamanote line. Not far at all by train.

Western or Japanese room? How desperate are you to try Japanese style? I had a Japanese room when I stayed there and liked it. What you can do is take the Western room and ask them to put you on a list for an opening for a Japanese room. Chances are, one will open up.
 
I wouldn't push for one room or the other. I've been here over a dozen times and have yet to stay in a Japanese style room. Most of my Japanese colleagues don't stay in ryokans so why should I? Also, don't be limited to staying in Shibuya. With the subways/trains you can sleep just about anywhere. Personally I like the Tokyo Tower area when I stay in Tokyo (the Hamamatsucho area just seems like a nice quiet neighborhood).
 
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