City guide
NRT: Getting Tokyo Right on a Tight Schedule
People write off Narita connections because it's 60km from Tokyo. Those people are wrong. The Narita Express runs on schedule, takes 53 minutes, and drops you at Shinjuku. Six hours is enough.
Getting in
The N'EX (Narita Express) runs every 30 minutes. A round-trip N'EX Tokyo ticket for visitors is ¥4,070. JR East also offers a Suica card at arrivals. Load it and use it on any JR or metro line.
Japan transit visa
Most western passports (US, EU, UK, Australia, Canada) enter Japan visa-free for up to 90 days. No transit visa needed. Just an onward ticket.
Six hours in Tokyo
Take the N'EX to Shinjuku. Walk west to the Shinjuku Gyoen garden (¥500). Eat ramen at Fuunji (a 5-minute walk from the park). Get back on the train. That's the loop. It works.
Honestly
If you have more than 8 hours, also see the Meiji Shrine in Harajuku. It's on the Yamanote Line, same loop. Tokyo rewards people who don't overthink it.