Tom's Travel Tips for Travelers to KEK

Other Links for KEK visitors:
Hitchhiker's Guide to KEK
KEK visitor info page

General Japan Links

• The SF Office of the Japan National Tourist Office
• Nippon Telephone & Telegraph's (NTT)  Japan General Information
• Schauwecker's Guide to Japan
• Train Guide for Japan

Money:
I always change at Narita: no fees, best rate. There are two banks open at the customs area until ~21:00 when the last plane gets in.  If you are arriving later and need money, there are cash machines that take US ATM or credit cards just around the corner to the right as you leave customs in Terminal #1 (United and NW). While there are many cash machines around Japan I am told that almost NONE of them take US cards.

Hotels:
There are lots of links around for expensive (>20,000Yen) hotels; for example, the Japanese Hotel Association site (which only lists the Dai-ichi in Tsukuba!) However, I have found one link for the cheaper Business hotels in Tokyo.  I have a verbal rec from Theo K. for one of them: Akasaka Youkou Hotel (Akasaka) [3 min from Akasaka Station, phone:03-3586-4050, price:8,900 Yen]. I came across the link to similarly priced business hotels when trying to search the web for this one. The Business Hotel Guide covers all Japan, but most of the pages (except for phone numbers and prices) are in Japanese, which neither my browser nor I understand. As there are some direct hyperlinks to some hotels, you may want to give it a try.

Transportation:

Narita to/from Tsukuba
as of 07/16/99
cost 2540 Y
Notes: You no longer need prior reservations to get from Tsukuba to Narita. United and NW arrive at (North) Terminal #1 (recently remodeled).  Buy tickets just to the left of where you exit customs.

JR Buses Tokyo to/from KEK
as of 7/18/99
cost 1470 Y
Notes: 

There are lots of buses from KEK to Tsukuba Center, from which you can get a bus to Tokyo.  Buses for Tokyo leave Tsukuba Center every ~10 minutes and cost 1250Y. The bus timetable below are for the much less frequent buses run by JR that go between Tsukuba Mountain and Tokyo and stop at the KEK stop. These buses are the most convenient and cheapest solution if the timetable is OK for you.   The buses are  blue and white, and have JR Kanto and a sort of bird symbol painted on the front; they have pullman seats with head cushions, , and look nicer than the city buses; you enter in the front.  Driver will make change. You say: "Tokyo-eki kudasai?"   In Tokyo the bus stops first at Ueno Station; if you're going to be taking the subway anyway or want to be in that part of town, you can get off there.

Buses back to Tsukuba do not stop at Ueno.  Get them at the South Yaesu (not Maronouchi) side of Tokyo-eki, upstream of the cab lines.  The bus stop for Tsukuba is #2.  Tickets are issued from machines near the bus stop (sort of in the building) near stop #1.  Two lines form: the left line (as you wait on it) is for Tsukuba Center; the right line is for Mt. Tsukuba (and KEK). Say, "Tsukuba-san ikimas-ka?" if unsure.

Note that this bus runs within a mile of both the Tremont hotel and the SLAC rental house.  Check the Tsukuba transportation map for details.

Tsukuba Center to/from KEK
as of 7/18/98
cost 430 Y
Notes:  Buses are blue-ish and have a front door and either a rear or middle door.   Enter from the rear and TAKE A TICKET from the dispenser.  It has a number which indicates where you got on.  At the front of the bus is  a big electronic board.  Look under your number and you will see the price you need to pay to get off the bus at whatever stop your on.  There are push buttons by every seat to announce your desire to stop to the driver.  Leave by the front.  Drop your ticket in the till with your cash.  Exact change (or above) required, but the till will eat 1000 Y notes and give you ten 100 Y coins.  The KEK stop (coming from Tsukuba) is just past the entrance.  The preceding stop is in front of an ESSO station.

Tremont Hotel to/from KEK
as of 7/18/99
cost 280 Y
Notes:  Buses work as described above.  To get to the Tremont hotel bus stop, cross the main drag (Hiratsuka-Dori, Hway#24 (?)) in front of the hotel (i.e. go ~ north) and then turn left to be on the side of the street where the traffic is going north.  Walk about two blocks. Pass one bus stop (labeled CAMPUS BUS) and go to the second, almost identical stop (also labeled CAMPUS BUS), about 50 m further on.  This stop has a freestanding sign board with the times of the public bus.  The campus buses don't have the machines to issue tickets.

KEISEI Line from Tokyo to Narita
as of 7/18/99
cost 1000 Y
Notes:  Based on the advice of a Japanese friend, I took this train from Tokyo to Narita.  It's cheap: only 1000 Y and doesn't require a resevation, which I believe the usual JR train does require.  The train is called the NARITA SKYLINER.  I picked it up at NIPPORI station, track #2 (Take JR Yamanote lineto Nippori, walk up stairs and over towards Track#2 (well labelled); just before a gate with a guy taking tickets is a cashier's window on the left; say "Limited Express no Narita, kudasai" and hand him 1000Y);  you can get at at UENO station as well.  It's a first class operation with announcements in English and LED displays listing the upcoming trains.  It comes in two flavors: The Skyliner Super Express, for which you pay a 920Y supplement, and the Limited Express ( 1000 Y).  The difference amounts to only 10 minutes.  Order of stops: Nippori, Ueno, Aoto, Takasago, Yawata, Funabashi, Tsudanuma, Yachiyodai, Katsutadai, Sakura [P.S. The National Museum of Japanese History is a 20 min. walk from this stop - I highly recommend it], Narita, Narita Term. #2, Narita term. #1.  I took the 12:32 Limited Express on a weekend and got to the Terminal #1 at 13:44.  The trains run all day. 

New in 1999: The Kesei Line Web Page with all current times and prices for the Narita train in English!

JR Line to and from Tokyo / Narita

The JR Narita Express (English language) web page has all the information you need to take the either the JR Narita Express (2980Y) or the normal "Airport Narita" rapid train (1280Y) to and from the Tokyo area.  Note that some of the trains go to Shinjuku and Ikebukero as well as Tokyo-eki, which may be convenient.    The NEX trains have the same schedule weekends and weekdays. The guide says that the schedule for the normal train is valid for weekdays only; my impression is that the trains also run on weekends but sometimes originate from or go to different stations which may result in minor (?) schedule changes.

The SF Office of the Japan National Tourist Office has maintains the times and fares for the Narita Express Trains to/from Tokyo/Shinjuku/Ikebukero.

Tokyo City Air Terminal:  Tokyo / Narita

All I know is the partial schedule I have below, from which I gather that buses leave every 10 minutes and it takes an hour.  If you want to dump your bags or avoid airport check-in or avoid the often long lines at Narita immigration control, or want to leave from this part of the city, this is an option.  I believe the cost is 2700Y.

Limo Bus Service from Keio Plaza Hotel @ Shinjuku to Narita

There is a service from this big hotel @ Shinjuku.  If you are at Shinjuku and for some reason can't get a reservation on the Narita Express I guess it is an option.   All I know is a partial schedule.  I think the price is 2900Y with buses leaving every 15-30 minutes. [JR NEX to Shinjuku is 3050Y].

Tokyo Subway system

The Tokyo (Teito?) Metropolitan Transit Authority Web page is in English with complete maps and prices.

Last edited 12/04/02
Comments to Tom Markiewicz