So you’ve arrived at Tokyo Haneda Airport for your big Japan trip. Congratulations! You’re already within reach of the best sights and sounds in the world’s largest city. But before you get too excited, you must first navigate Haneda Airport itself. And we’re here to help you!
This will serve as your quick guide to your first few hours at Tokyo Haneda Airport. If it’s just your first time travelling to Tokyo and Japan in general, this guide is perfect for you. So pack up your bags, and let’s go!
Tokyo Haneda Airport terminals
Starting off, which terminal did you land on? It’s easy enough to know, as it’s clearly stated in your boarding pass. For international tourists, you likely land in either of two main terminals: Terminal 2 and Terminal 3.
There’s a free shuttle bus at Tokyo Haneda Airport for transferring to different terminals. So take note of this if you ever need to switch terminals! And if you need help, just ask. A lot of the staff at Haneda can speak English at least.
Withdraw cash–Japan is not as cashless as you might think!
Another contradiction about Japan is that the country is still basically a cash-based society. Unless you’re at a relatively modern establishment or a convenience store, most businesses will only accept cash. So good thing is that Tokyo Haneda Airport has no shortage of ATMs and money-changing kiosks. Haneda also tends to have good exchange rates, so you’re getting a good deal.
As an international tourist, you’ll need an ATM that has English support. So look for 7-11 or 7-Bank ATMs (yes, 7-11 has banks here indeed) as they have that. Not to mention, these ATMs will be at a lot of convenience stores all around the country.
Once again: bring cash whenever you’re out and about on your tour of Tokyo. Trust us, it will make things much, much easier.
Get your first Japan SIM–and never trust public Wi-Fi
Japan has a reputation for being hi-tech, but believe us: public Wi-Fi here is incredibly unreliable. It’s a contradiction that locals have to live with–and tourists have to manage. Fortunately, it’s easy and cheap to get a Japanese SIM at Haneda.
You can get yours at Haneda’s very own Bic Camera store inside the airport. Bic Camera is one of Japan’s biggest tech stores, so you won’t be running out of choices there. The SIM cards come in various types, most of them sorted by how many GB of data you have access to. So pick one that suits your travel needs: mostly for translator and maps purposes!
There’s also an option to rent pocket Wi-Fi if you want it. But if you ask us, a SIM is the more convenient one. At the end of the day, however, the choice is yours.
Buy a Welcome Suica Card
Tokyo Haneda Airport has a direct train and bus link to the entire city. But since you’re in Japan, you’re likely going to travel a lot via train. So it’s important to get your own Suica card ASAP–especially the red-colored Welcome Suica.
Welcome Suica is intended mostly for tourists and first-time travelers to Japan. You can easily buy this at a special red-colored ticket vending machine at Haneda Terminal 3 that also has “Welcome Suica” plastered on it. It’s hard to miss!
The Welcome Suica will last you 28 days and you can buy as much credit in it as you can. With it, you can easily go to almost any place in Tokyo be it bus or train. But remember to use all the credits up before you leave! After 28 days, the card will deactivate and any remaining balance will be rendered unusable. It is also non-refundable, so remember that one critically important bit!
Download these apps ASAP
To make your Tokyo tour far more convenient, you need to have these apps on your phone:
- Google Maps: this will help you so much, especially with navigating the incredibly complicated Tokyo train system. Of course, you can also use it to find nearby restaurants and attractions.
- Uber/Go Taxi: Uber is available in Tokyo, but it is not as common and can be expensive. That said, Go is a popular Japanese alternative as well. This is also safer, as it makes it easy to avoid scam taxis that have been popping up in Japan lately.
- Xe: this will help you view real-time, accurate exchange rates faster than just typing it up on Google.
How to get to the city center from Tokyo Haneda Airport
Public mass transport in Japan is a point of national pride. As such, there are many convenient ways to travel from Haneda to the city center. These are as follows:
- Keikyuu Line: This train line offers an affordable, direct route to the city center. It stops at two major stations: Asakusa and Shinagawa, where there would be transfers to other major train lines like the Ginza and the Yamanote lines.
- Tokyo MonoRail: We at Howzit recommend this one as it comes with designated storage spaces for big luggage. Plus, it offers amazing views as you ride towards Central Tokyo!
- Airport Limousine Bus: This bus is one of the more mid-priced options, but you’ll surely be riding into Central Tokyo in relative comfort.
And there you have it! Follow this guide and before you know it, you’ll be kicking it back at your accommodation and preparing for a tour of beautiful Tokyo.
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