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By Air

Flying time to Tokyo is 13¾ hours from New York, 12¾ hours from Chicago, 9 1/2 hours from Los Angeles. Japan Airlines' GPS systems allow a more direct routing, which reduces its flight times by about 30 minutes. Your trip east, because of tailwinds, will be about 45 minutes shorter.

You can fly nonstop to Tokyo from Chicago, Detroit, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland (OR), Seattle, Minneapolis, and Washington D.C. Because of the distance, fares to Japan from the United States tend to be expensive, usually between $900 and $1,200 for a seat in coach. But it's possible to get a round trip ticket for as low as $700 from a discount travel Web site, depending on the time of year.

If you travel frequently, look into the TSA's Registered Traveler program. The program, which is still being tested in several U.S. airports, is designed to cut down on gridlock at security checkpoints by allowing prescreened travelers to pass quickly through kiosks that scan an iris and/or a fingerprint. How sci-fi is that?

Airports

Tokyo has two airports, Narita (NRT) and Haneda (HND). Narita, officially the New Tokyo International Airport in Narita, is the major gateway to Japan, serving all international flights, except those operated by (Taiwan's) China Airways, which berths at Haneda. Narita is 80 km (50 mi) northeast of Tokyo and has two fairly well-developed terminals, plus a central building of shops and restaurants. Traffic in and out of the airport is high, especially in December and August, when millions of Japanese take holidays abroad. Customs clearance delays of an hour or more are not uncommon.

Haneda is just 20 km (12.5 mi) from Tokyo and despite having been relegated to mainly domestic flights after Narita opened in 1978, it is Japan's biggest and busiest airport and one of the five busiest in the world. In addition to an array of restaurants and other amenities, its Bird View platforms are open 8 to 8 and offer travelers with extra time a chance to watch planes come and go. Accommodations such as Haneda Excel Hotel Tokyu (03/5756-6000) are also nearby.

Both terminals at Narita have ATMs and money exchange counters in the lobbies near Customs. Both terminals also have a Japan National Tourist Organization's Tourist Information Center, where you can get free maps, brochures, and other visitor information. Directly across from the customs-area exits at both terminals are the ticket counters for airport buses to Tokyo. The airport also offers free observation decks facing runways in Terminal 1 and 2. They are open from 8 to 8. If flight delays give you more time than you know what to do with, a 15-minute bus ride from Terminal 2 will get you to the Aviation Museum, which sports a fifth-floor observation deck, restaurants, and open air deck. It's open from 10 AM to 5 PM. Needless to say there's a myriad of nearby hotels from the five-star Hilton Narita Hotel Tokyo to the no-star Niko Narita Hotel.

Airport Information

Haneda Airport (HND) (03/5757-8111. www.tokyo-airport-bldg.co.jp). Narita Airport (NRT) (0476/34-5000. www.narita-airport.or.jp).

Transferring from Narita Airport to Tokyo

Directly across from the customs-area exits at both terminals are the ticket counters for buses to Tokyo. Buses leave from platforms just outside terminal exits, exactly on schedule; the departure time is on the ticket. The Friendly Airport Limousine offers the only shuttle bus service from Narita to Tokyo. Different buses stop at various major hotels in the $$$$ category and at the JR Tokyo and Shinjuku train stations.

Japan Railways trains stop at both Narita Airport terminals. The fastest and most comfortable is the Narita Limited Express (NEX), which makes 23 runs a day in each direction. Trains from the airport go directly to the central Tokyo station in just under an hour, then continue to Yokohama and Ofuna.

The Keisei Skyliner train runs every 20-30 minutes between the airport terminals and Keisei-Ueno station. The trip takes 57 minutes and costs ¥1,920 ($17). The first Skyliner leaves Narita for Ueno at 9:21 AM, the last at 9:59 PM. There's also an early train from the airport, called the Morning Liner, which leaves at 7:49 AM and costs ¥1,400. From Ueno to Narita, the first Skyliner is at 6:32 AM, the last at 5:21 PM. All Skyliner seats are reserved. It only makes sense to take the Keisei, however, if your final destination is in the Ueno area; otherwise, you must change to the Tokyo subway system or the Japan Railways loop line at Ueno (the station is adjacent to Keisei-Ueno station) or take a cab to your hotel.

You can take a taxi from Narita Airport to central Tokyo, but it'll cost you ¥20,000 (about $180) or more, depending on traffic and where you're going. Private car service is also very expensive; from Narita Airport to the Imperial Hotel downtown, for example, will set you back about ¥35,000.

Contacts

Friendly Airport Limousine a.k.a Airport Limousine (03/3665-7232; 03/3665-7220 in Tokyo; 0476/32-8080 for Terminal 1; 0476/34-6311 for Terminal 2. www.limousinebus.co.jp). IAE Co (0476/32-7954 for Terminal 1; 0476/34-6886 for Terminal 2). Japan Railways (03/3423-0111 for JR East InfoLine. weekdays 10-6). Keisei Railway (03/3831-0131 for Ueno information counter; 0476/32-8505 at Narita Airport).

Transferring from Haneda Airport to Tokyo

The monorail from Haneda Airport to Hamamatsu-cho station in Tokyo is the fastest and cheapest way into town; the journey takes about 30 minutes, and trains run approximately every 4 to 5 minutes; the fare is ¥470 ($4). From Hamamatsu-cho station, change to a JR train or take a taxi to your destination.

A taxi to the center of Tokyo takes about 40 minutes; the fare is approximately ¥8,000 ($73).

Contact

Tokyo Monorail Co., Ltd (03/3434-3171).

Transfers Between Airports

The most convenient and affordable way to shuttle between the two airports is by way of Airport Transport Service Co., which is known as Friendly Airport Limousine buses or just Airport Limousine bus. The service runs hourly throughout the day and costs [y]3,000. The Narita Express train from Narita Airport or the Keikyu-Kuko Line Express and Tokyo Monorail from Haneda will get you from one airport to the in 90 minutes for around [y]3,300 but expect to navigate at least two transfers to different train lines in crowded unfamiliar stations. A taxi will make the trip for about [y]35,000.

Contacts

Airport Transport Service Co (03/3665 -- 7232; 03/3665-7220 in Tokyo; 0476/32-8080 for Terminal 1; 0476/34-6311 for Terminal 2. www.limousinebus.co.jp).

Flights

Japan Airlines (JAL) and United Airlines are the major carriers between North America and Narita Airport in Tokyo; Northwest, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, and All Nippon Airways (ANA) also link North American cities with Tokyo. Most of these airlines also fly into and out of Japan's number two international airport, Kansai International Airport, located south of Osaka.

Airline Contacts

All Nippon Airways (800/235-9262 in U.S.; 0120/02-9709 in Japan for domestic flights; 0120/02-9333 in Japan for international flights. www.anaskyweb.com). American Airlines (800/433-7300; 0120/000-860 in Japan. www.aa.com). Continental Airlines (800/231-0856 for international reservations; 0354/64-5050 in Tokyo. www.continental.com). Delta Airlines (800/241-4141 for international reservations. www.delta.com). Japan Airlines (800/525-3663; 0120/255-931 international in Japan; 0120/255-971 domestic in Japan. www.jal.co.jp). Northwest Airlines (800/225-2525; 0120/120-747 in Japan. www.nwa.com). United Airlines (800/538-2929 for international reservations; 0120/114-466 in Japan. www.united.com).