This time I'll be taking a look at how to get to and from Haneda Airport. Haneda is located within Tokyo itself and is a much more convenient option (if available when booking) for arriving in Tokyo.
Note, Haneda was meant as a domestic terminal initially. International flights do land here, but most of them, especially the cheaper ones, come in at inconvenient times, early morning or very late at night. Flights landing after 11:30pm in Tokyo will see passengers with limited options for transport to the city.
Getting to Tokyo from Haneda will take you less than 30 minutes. It's a short trip to Shinagawa or Hamamatsucho station from where you can get onto the Yamanote Line (Tokyo's circle line) for quick access to every other major station in the city.
Option 1: Monorail
Running every 3 - 5 minutes and costing just 490 yen, this trip can take between 15 - 20 minutes. Stopping at JR Hamamatsucho Station where you can hop on the Yamanote Line and zip off to any of the other big stations.
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Hi there, you may have noticed I have done some redecorating of the blog recently. That's all thanks to my wonderful creative director Ms. Nori Kato.
What you might not know is that I run this blog almost entirely off of my smartphone. My laptop broke over two years ago and I didn't see the need to replace it!
Affiliate Sponsorship
Anyway, you can see another recent addition to the blog on the right hand side of the posts. I'm very happy to announce that Zen Sankei International is now an official affiliate sponsorship partner for Doryoku.
You can check out their full line up at the online store (
www.zen-sankei.com/onlineshop).
Sankei who might not be so well known internationally are in fact one of the biggest suppliers here in Japan. They have a ton of local distributors here and a lot of my favorite stores carry their shinai. I have used a couple of their mid priced models (Sae, Ryu, Ryu-Oh and Zen) which have all been fantastic and durable. Though I think the Sae is a bit fragile and should be used with a lighter touch!
I'm very excited about the partnership, and I hope to be able to bring you some more reviews of their equipment as Sankei continue to grow their brand internationally.
With the 16th World Kendo Championship fast approaching, teams and spectators are beginning to prepare their trips to Tokyo. In response to some email requests, I'll do my best to create a guide to getting around Tokyo.
First of all I'll cover the first stage of your journey. From one of Tokyo's two international airports, Narita in neighboring Chiba Prefecture. One thing to point out, most of the transport in Tokyo is 100% legitimate, you wont have to worry about bartering for fares or no meter taxis.
From Nartia there are a number of options. There are always promotions and special ticket discounts going so please keep an eye on the websites linked blow.
Option 1: JR Trains.
From Narita the nicest way to reach most of the major stations in Tokyo and Yokohama is by taking the Narita Express (N'EX). This is a "bullet train" and although it doesn't reach the high speeds you might expect, it is one of the quickest options.
Right now, tourists can get a two week return pass for just ￥4000 (regular one way passes are ￥3020)
This is an absolute BARGIN and I think it should be high on most peoples lists.
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| Look at that BEAST! Awesome looking train. |
The Sobu line Rapid service is another popular choice. This is basically a regular commuter train that anyone can ride. There are reserved seats, and regular standing/seating carriages. I used this the most in the past, and at ￥1320 each way, it is a great cheap option.
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