The day finally arrived—travel day to Japan. After all the planning, packing, and anticipation, it was time to go. I’ll admit, I was a little nervous heading to the airport. The news had been warning about long TSA lines due to staffing issues, and I braced myself for delays. But to my surprise—no lines at all. Being TSA PreCheck approved definitely helped, and we breezed right through.
I came fully prepared for the 11-hour flight. Think: neck cushion, foot sling, inflatable pillow, eye mask, and earplugs—the whole setup. Honestly, one of the best parts? The in-flight entertainment. There were actually a few movies I’d been wanting to see, which made the time go by faster.
Flying to Tokyo means crossing the International Date Line, so you essentially lose a day. It’s a strange feeling. We landed around 3:45 PM local time, but to our bodies it felt more like 2:00 AM—and I had only managed a few hours of sleep on the plane.
Customs & Arrival Tips
Once we landed, it was time to go through customs—and this is where things slowed down a bit.
Tip #1: Use the Visit Japan Web app—and make sure you have your QR code ready.
I had filled everything out online before leaving, thinking I was ahead of the game. But at the airport, they specifically asked for a QR code, which I didn’t have easily accessible. That meant I had to fill out a paper form on the spot, adding time to the process—and the lines were long.
After that, it was a quick process of fingerprinting, a photo, and passport control before heading to baggage claim.
We must have been among the last to arrive at the carousel—our suitcases were the only ones left, sitting there waiting for us on a stopped belt. Of course, there was another form to fill out.
Tip #2: Grab the English form and read it carefully before filling it out.
It sounds simple, but after a long flight and zero sleep, even basic instructions take extra effort.
One final check, and we were officially in Japan.
Getting Connected & Getting Moving
Next stop: getting my phone set up. Mine was paid off and ready to go, but my husband’s wasn’t, so we needed a SIM card. I had considered setting up an eSIM before leaving but felt a little unsure about it, so we decided to handle it at the airport.
There were multiple counters, and honestly, I didn’t notice much difference between them—so I just picked one. At first, the agent told me my phone wasn’t unlocked (it was), but I couldn’t immediately find the confirmation email or screenshot. That meant logging into my carrier account on the spot and going through the unlock process again. It took a bit of time, but the staff member was patient and efficient, and we eventually got it sorted.
With phones ready, it was time to tackle the trains.
There are plenty of helpful staff around the station, which is great because it can feel overwhelming at first. We planned to take the Narita Express and then transfer to a JR line to reach our hotel. Not feeling confident with the ticket machines, we went straight to a service counter and purchased our tickets there.
After asking a few questions (and getting a lot of helpful guidance), we found our train. The Narita Express was comfortable, with assigned seating for the 1 hour and 15-minute ride to Shinagawa Station, where we transferred to another line.
Arrival at the Hotel
By the time we arrived, it was dark, and the jet lag had definitely hit. Between the long travel day and hauling large suitcases and carry-ons, we were exhausted.
When we exited the station, we saw a line of people waiting for taxis and decided that was our best option—even though our hotel was only about a 5–10 minute walk away.
We stayed at a small boutique hotel in Ebisu, a quieter, trendy neighborhood not far from the buzz of Shibuya. Check-in was quick and easy, and we were happy to finally be in our room.
Like many hotels in Tokyo, the room was compact—very compact. There wasn’t much space for luggage, and we joked that the bathroom felt almost as big as the rest of the room. We also had a moment of confusion (and laughter) when we realized the shower and toilet were in full view… until we discovered the pull-down blinds. Problem solved.
First Night in Japan
Even though we were completely exhausted, we were also too excited to just go straight to sleep. So we headed out for a quick walk to find something to eat.
It was a little overwhelming at first—new place, new culture, lots of options—but we ended up at a casual food hall nearby. We kept it simple with a light meal, navigated the no-tipping culture, paid our bill, and called it a night.
Back at the hotel, we crashed almost immediately.
Jet lag was real, but so was the excitement.
And with a full day ahead of us tomorrow, this was just the beginning of our Japan adventure.
