Narita, Japan

A couple weeks ago I made a quick trip to Japan. Leaving SEATAC on Sunday, 4/19, a little after two in the afternoon I arrived at Narita Airport on Monday (because of the International Date Line) afternoon about 1645. I left Narita at 1715 on Tuesday and arrived back in Seattle at 0930 Tuesday morning, again because of the IDL.

I was carrying only a backpack so went through customs and immigration quickly and went out to the waiting area for local buses thinking I would catch the bus for the hotel where I wanted to stay. When I got the the bus stop I found that I'd missed the bus by four minutes. Now you might think it strange that I would say I missed the bus by four minutes but in Japan the buses and trains operate on a pretty rigid schedule. The bus was not there, the posted schedule said it would leave at 1720, I was there at 1724 so I had missed it by four minutes.

Before leaving home I had researched hotels in the airport area and decided on the U-City Hotel in Narita City. It was what is called a "businessman's hotel" which caters to businessmen who might have to spend the night in the city instead of going home. Often this happens when the boss spends a little too much time drinking, eating and discussing business at some local establishment. The salaryman can't leave for home until the boss does so off to the hotel he goes instead of home. . .

In any case I found the rates to be satisfactory (around $52) and it wasn't far from the train station so I decided it would be a good place to spend the night before heading back to Seattle the next day. I asked Ikuko if she thought I should make a reservation but she said it shouldn't be a problem getting a room.

Since the scheduled bus had gone and there wasn't another due for a little over two hours I decided to go back inside the airport baggage area, down one floor and catch the train. There are two lines serving Narita Airport, the JNR (Japan National Railway) Line and the Keisei Line. Either would have worked to get me to Narita City but the Keisei line was scheduled to leave at 1727, fifteen minutes earlier than the JNR so that's the way I went.

It's been awhile since I've traveled by train there but I've found that Japan is quite accommodating to visitors. I went to the information desk and asked (in English) where to buy a ticket and which track. The girl staffing the desk was quite helpful and sent me off in the right direction.

Bought my ticket and went through the automatic turnstile where regular riders hold their pass against the reader but occasional riders like me insert their ticket into a slot, pick it up at the other end of the console and proceed to the right track.

While I was waiting for the train I looked around the track area and found NO graffiti; brightly lit, clean waiting areas; well behaved passengers reading their email, books or even the paper and the station master walking up and down the platform checking his watch.

Narita Airport Station is the end of that line so the train pulled in about ten minutes early and discharged inbound passengers. Outbound passengers got on and waited quietly until 1727, on the dot, when the station master blew his whistle and the train pulled out. The second stop down the line was mine so I got off and walked to the hotel through a misty rain.

At the "furanto" front desk, I asked (again, in English) if I could get a room for the night. Asked if I had a reservation, I had to say no. Well, it turned out they were full so I asked if they could recommend another hotel nearby, in the same price range and within walking distance.

The friendly clerk asked me to wait a minute and disappeared into the back room. When she came back she said her boss said it was OK and she would give me a room. By this time it was after six and the room they gave me was actually a three person room. I guess the boss decided they wouldn't get a party of three that night and besides the foreigner had thrown himself on their mercy so I got the room. It would have been pretty crowded if there were three people staying since the room was only about 11 by 16 feet.

A businessman's hotel is pretty basic but even there they honor the Japanese custom of furnishing amenities. There was a sleeping kimono with obi (belt) and disposable slippers on each bed.

Three-man room

On the counter next to the TV was a hot pot with tea, instant coffee, sugar, creamer and stirrers.

Hot pot with green and black tea, coffee, sugar and creamer

In the bathroom was the usual selection of soaps and towels but with the uniquely Japanese selection of disposable toothbrush and toothpaste, razor and shaving cream, hairbrush and comb, shower head cover, q-tips and gauze pads. At the front desk there were complimentary makeup remover and facial products for the ladies. Of course, the toilet seat was heated and there were buttons for back wash, front wash, air dry and I'm not sure what else.

Standard amenities in the bathroom

On the counter next to the TV there was a spray bottle filled with disinfectant sitting on a small sign which said: "The water is fit to drink. No smoking in the room. Use the spray bottle to kill germs and help combat the spread of influenza.

Room cautions and guidance

TV and fridge

Under the kimono and slippers on the bed was a notice that the bathroom ventilator would be cleaned.

Another gave notice that the water would be off for an hour around midnight. 

In Japanese the word for water is "mizu" and it means cold or room temperature water. Hot water is "ou" so when the words are translated literally, as is often the case, the language seems a little stilted.

I found it interesting and comforting that the hotel management would go to the trouble of translating (literal translation though it might be) and then make a trip to a foreigner's assigned room to place the signs instead of just giving notice at the front desk as an American hotel might do. I have never seen such individual signs in an American hotel, even in English, let alone any foreign language. They just post a notice in the elevator and let it go at that.

In fairness I must say I admire the person in charge at SEATAC airport here in Seattle where verbal announcements on the two underground shuttle trains are broadcast in English, Japanese, Chinese and a couple other languages depending on incoming international flights.

I have said more than once that travel is a broadening experience. Travel in Japan is especially nice for a foreigner since the local people really go out of their way to help. I'll have to go back again soon.