Tokyo Layover

Yes. The US State Department says US citizens need no visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days, and that the passport must be valid for the entire stay. The UK Foreign Office describes it as a visa on arrival for up to 90 days that you do not need to apply for before you travel. Both nationalities give fingerprints and a photo at immigration.

The State Department links to Visit Japan Web for arrival procedures; filling it in before you land speeds up immigration and customs. Japan has no electronic travel authorization in force for US or UK visitors on the official pages we checked in October 2026. Our transit visa guide tracks any change.

Narita asks international passengers to arrive at least two hours before departure, and earlier if the airline opens check-in sooner. Use the same two hours at Haneda.

Haneda. Shinagawa is 11 minutes from Terminal 3 and Asakusa 34, according to Keikyu. With an hour to land and clear immigration, two hours back at the airport and about an hour of travel there and back, a 6-hour Haneda layover leaves about two hours in the city.

Narita. The Skyliner takes 41 minutes from Terminal 2·3 to Ueno, plus the walk to the platform and the wait for a reserved-seat train. Count on close to three hours of travel there and back, so a 9-hour Narita layover leaves about three hours in Tokyo. Under that, stay airside.

Never plan a short layover that switches airports: Haneda's own estimate for the train from Haneda to Narita is about 1 hour 45 minutes.

From Haneda. The Keikyu Line runs from Haneda Airport Terminal 3 station to Shinagawa in 11 minutes, Shimbashi in 21, Higashi-ginza in 23 and Asakusa in 34. Keikyu's fare table lists $2.10 (£1.60; ¥330) to Shinagawa with a paper ticket, slightly less on an IC card. The Tokyo Monorail to Hamamatsucho is the alternative. Haneda also runs flat-rate taxis to most of Tokyo's 23 wards at a fare approved by the transport ministry, with tolls added; the airport page does not print the fares.

From Narita. The Keisei Skyliner runs from Narita Airport Terminal 1 and Airport Terminal 2·3 stations to Nippori and Keisei Ueno, all seats reserved. The ticket is $8.10 (£6.10; ¥1,280) fare plus a $8.20 (£6.20; ¥1,300) Skyliner charge, $16.30 (£12.20; ¥2,580) in total. JR's Narita Express to Tokyo Station is the other fast option; JR East's site could not be reached to confirm its fare.

Haneda only. Ride the Keikyu Line straight through to Asakusa, 34 minutes, walk through the Kaminarimon gate and Nakamise-dori to Senso-ji, and ride back. Or get off at Higashi-ginza for an early sushi lunch in Ginza and a walk along Chuo-dori.

At Narita, 6 hours is not enough to reach Tokyo. Use the Terminal 1 Dayroom after security for a nap room or shower instead.

Twelve hours works from either airport. From Narita, the Skyliner to Ueno puts you a short ride from Asakusa and Senso-ji and from Ameya-Yokocho market by Ueno station. From Haneda, start in Asakusa, then ride to Shibuya for the scramble crossing and dinner before heading back.

Narita's own Transit & Stay Program is the other option: airport-promoted tours near Narita to historic temples, traditional townscapes, fermentation culture and kimono experiences, with advance reservation. The town of Narita, around the Naritasan Shinshoji temple, is far closer than central Tokyo.

With a full day, book a hotel in Ginza, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Tokyo Station or Asakusa and follow our 24-hour Tokyo plan. Leave the big bag at the airport: Haneda's Terminal 3 storage counter is open 24 hours.

If you would rather sleep airside on an overnight Haneda connection, the Royal Park Hotel's transit rooms in Terminal 3 save you immigration twice. Compare Tokyo with Seoul Incheon and Hong Kong in our best stopover cities ranking.

Narita Airport Transit & Stay Program. Reception counters sit on Level 1 of Terminal 1's Central Building and Terminal 2's Main Building, before security. Advance reservation is required, and the airport's page does not say whether the tours are free, so treat them as paid until you see a price on the booking page.

Airlines. We found no free Tokyo stopover from Japan's two big carriers. ANA's US site markets multi-city stopovers to more than 40 Japanese destinations "at an affordable price", which means a discounted onward domestic leg, not a free hotel. JAL's site blocked access when we checked. We found no free city tour run by Haneda itself. See our stopover programs guide for airlines that pay for your night.

Haneda Terminal 3. The Royal Park Hotel Tokyo Haneda runs a transit section on 3F in the airside area, open 24 hours, alongside its landside hotel on the departure level. Shower rooms in T3 are open 24 hours at $9.50 (£7.10; ¥1,500) for 30 minutes, and the landside observation deck is open around the clock.

Narita Terminal 1. The Dayroom on 3F after security, for departing and transit passengers, has nap rooms from $19 (£14.20; ¥3,000) for the first hour and showers from $9.50 (£7.10; ¥1,500) for 30 minutes, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. The nine hours capsule hotel in Terminal 2's basement is landside; day use starts at $9.50 (£7.10; ¥1,500) for the first hour.

Luggage. Haneda's T3 storage on the 2F arrival lobby charges $5.10 (£3.80; ¥800) per small item and $6.30 (£4.70; ¥1,000) per medium item per 24 hours. At Narita, JAL ABC and Sagawa run storage counters in Terminal 1; the airport says rates vary by company.

US passport

Free to leave. No visa required for tourist stays of up to 90 days (US passport); passport valid for the whole stay; fingerprints and photo taken on arrival; Visit Japan Web for arrival procedures

UK passport

Free to leave. Permission to stay for up to 90 days is granted on arrival for tourism (GOV.UK calls it a visa on arrival); nothing to apply for before travel

Into town from HND

11 min by Keikyu Line from Haneda Airport Terminal 3 station to Shinagawa, $2.10 (£1.60; ¥330)

Into town from NRT

41 min by Keisei Skyliner from Airport Terminal 2·3 station to Keisei Ueno (reserved seats), $16.30 (£12.20; ¥2,580)

Stopover program

No program found. No free Tokyo stopover program verified: ANA's US site markets multi-city stopovers to more than 40 Japanese destinations 'at an affordable price', but lists no free hotel or free Tokyo stop; JAL's site blocked access when checked

Transit tour

Narita Airport Transit & Stay Program: Airport-promoted tours for layovers and short stays near Narita (temples, traditional townscapes, fermentation culture, kimono experiences), with reception counters on Level 1 of Terminals 1 and 2 before security; advance reservation required; the airport page does not say whether tours are free

Left luggage

Haneda Terminal 3: Temporary Baggage Storage, 2F Arrival Lobby, 24 hours; Narita: JAL ABC and Sagawa counters in Terminal 1 (and in T2 and T3) Haneda T3: $5.10 (£3.80; ¥800) per small item (under 120 cm) per 24 hours, $6.30 (£4.70; ¥1,000) medium; Narita charges vary by company

Airside hotel

The Royal Park Hotel Tokyo Haneda (Transit), Terminal 3

Best months for walking around by our weather score: April, May, November. Daytime highs and lows, rain days (1 mm or more) and sunshine hours are 2016–2025 averages for Tokyo (Open-Meteo historical weather archive).

Tokyo Layover 5 Hours Tour by Private Vehicle

From $627 per group of up to 9 (a midnight or early-morning version is from $775), so it only makes sense for a family or group; water, snacks and Wi-Fi are included. Haneda only, with no Narita pickup on the page. Sights on the route are free, so there are no hidden entry fees.

5 hours

4.9★★★★★★★★★★(51 reviews)

Reserve

Rating as shown on Viator

Tokyo: Shinjuku Sumo Show & Experience with Photo

It is a staged show, not a tournament: real tournaments run in Tokyo only in January, May and September. Up to six guests per show can try a bout, picked by lottery. Late entry may be refused. The $45 was a sale price (crossed-out $65) on the day we checked.

75 minutes

4.9★★★★★★★★★★(8,141 reviews)

Reserve

Rating as shown on GetYourGuide

Tokyo Bar Hopping in Shinjuku: Free-flow, Full Dinner, Golden Gai

Included: dinner, two drinks at the first bar, all-you-can-drink at the second and one drink at the last. Meet at the black pillar at the Omoide Yokocho entrance. Over-20s only.

3 hours

4.9★★★★★★★★★★(4,053 reviews)

Reserve

Rating as shown on Viator

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