[Japan 2019] From Narita International Airport (NRT) to Tokyo Ikebukuro Station (By Keisei Skyliner)
By Elin Chow - Monday, May 13, 2019
Photo By: Elin Chow
But before that, we have to get to Tokyo first since Narita Airport is not located inside Tokyo. The Airport is actually located in the Chiba Prefecture, about 60 km away from Tokyo. It is a little far from Tokyo, but fortunately, it is not very difficult to get to.
To get to Ikebukuro Station, you will need to alight at Nippori Station and transfer to the JR Yamanote Line. It will take as little as 36 minutes to get from Narita Airport Terminal 2 station to Nippori Station and 41 minutes to Keisei Ueno Station by the Keisei Skyliner. From Nippori Station, it will take about 13 minutes to get to Ikebukuro Station (without factoring the few minutes needed for transfer).
The Keisei Skyliner operates three train services each hour throughout the day. It is one of the fastest high-speed trains in Japan (exclude bullet train) at 160 km/h.
However, the easier and more convenient way to get from Narita Airport to Ikebukuro Station is by the Narita Express (NEX) operated by JR East.It is slightly more expensive and takes more time than the Keisei Skyliner. But the good thing is, it takes you directly from Narita Airport to Ikebukuro Station (without the need to transfer) in around 90 minutes.
The Narita Express operates at speeds up 130 km/hr with trains running every 30 to 60 minutes throughout the day. You can use JR Pass on Narita Express, so this will be good option for those who have one.
Ticket Price
For those are planning to take the Keisei Skyliner, please remember to purchase your ticket online or through a designated travel agency before arriving in Japan in order to get the best deals. The discounted tickets are available for non-Japanese citizens visiting Japan only.
For us, we purchased a one way ticket from Narita Airport to Nippori Station since we will be flying home from Osaka, so there is no point buying a round trip ticket. A regular one way ticket costs 2,470 Yen if you purchase on-site on the day and a discounted one costs 2,200 Yen. By purchasing the ticket in advance online, we saved 270 Yen per person.
Please note that all seats on the Keisei Skyliner are reserved, so you will be guaranteed a seat. You can purchase the discounted ticket up to 30 days in advance via Keisei Skyliner website or through any of the designated travel agencies
However, it is easier to buy your ticket online.
You will need to fill up your personal information such as name, date of birth, credit card number etc) in the online booking form. Once you made the payment, you should receive an e-voucher in your email with an ID number that you will need when you exchange an actual train ticket.
Ticket Exchange
However, if you arrive outside of the operating hours, you will need to go to the Keisei Ticket and Liner counter instead.
Transferring at Nippori Station
Arriving at Ikebukuro Station
Ikebukuro Station is the second busiest train station in Japan. We were awed by its massive size with hundreds of people rushing past us every second. The exit names signs in the station are confusing and unhelpful. Even Google map was not working well inside the station too. It was incredibly frustrating, especially we cannot seem to find our way to our hotel while dragging our luggage through the crowds.
Ichiran Ramen
Ichiran Ikebukuro is located about 10 minutes walk away from our hotel, near the Ikebukuro Station East Exit. I have read that there is always a long queuing time to get a seat at the restaurant, but I guess we were really lucky because we did not even have to queue. The restaurant was pretty empty when we arrived, probably because we visited during non-peak time.
At the entrance, you will find a vending machine for you to place your order. The menu is very limited, offering only 1 type of soup ramen - Tonkotsu. To order, simply feed your money into the machine, press the photo button and flashing button below to receive your change.
We chose an empty booth and sit down. There will be an order sheet for you on the table for you to customize your ramen. You can choose the level of spiciness, the firmness of the noodles, the richness of the broth, whether you want pork and spring onions based on your preference. Simply press the call button in front of you when you are done. The staff will collect your sheet from the small window and prepare your order according to your preference.
However, the bowl of noodles looks very underwhelming. It comes with only two tiny pieces of pork with very little green spring onions. The broth was a little too watery and not rich enough. There was nothing special and fantastic to rave about. The meat were very disappointing as well. They were very thin, a little rough and almost flavorless. The noodles were okay. They were smooth and thin, with a very firm texture.
I actually like that you can customize your own ramen at Ichiran. But unfortunately, I have to admit that they are a bit overrated. It is definitely not the best Ramen place in Japan because I have tasted better ones . Even though it was quite an unique experience, it is not worth queuing hours for it.
The good thing about Ichiran is that it is open 24 hours everyday, so you do not have to worry being hungry at odd hours.
The restaurant has started to get packed when we finished eating. It was nearly time for lunch. I guess avoiding lunch and dinner hours would help you to avoid long queue. You might also want to visit a less popular branch because popular branches like Shibuya and Shinjuku are known for long queues.
After filling our stomach, we were ready to explore the city. Our first stop of the day was to visit Shinjuku Gyoen, one of the popular spot in Tokyo for cherry blossoms viewing. So stay tuned!
If you are interested to know more about our trip, you may want to check out our 9D8N Tokyo - Kyoto - Osaka Trip Itinerary + Overview for the list of attractions that we had visited during our 9 days in Japan. For anyone planning your first trip to Japan but have no idea where to start, you should read my "How To Plan A Trip To Japan" post.
Be sure to follow me on Facebook |Twitter | Instagram for the latest updates on my 9 days adventures in Japan! You might also want to check My Wanderlust page for some of my other travel adventures.