I now host the more detailed ISAS FAQ, which has been created by Paul Hilton and updated by Chris Baluta in the web page form (more history to this FAQ is included in the page itself).
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do not need a visa to enter Japan for 90 days or less,
provided that you have an onward/return ticket and
are not employed by a Japanese company or organization
(that is, your salary is paid for by a non-Japanese entity).
US civil servants travelling on official business is
an important exception.
See, for example, US State Department site or the Embassy of Japan (in Washington, DC) site. |
You're most likely arriving into The New Tokyo International Airport at Narita. There are two terminals at Narita, each with its own train station and bus terminal. I have a partial list of which airlines goes to which terminal.
Unfortunately, ISAS is located on the other side of Tokyo. If you're travelling directly to ISAS, you should count on about 3 hrs; if you're staying in Machida, you may well be able to do it in 2.5 hrs.
Many visitors to ISAS uses Hotel the Ellcy Machida (this site is in Japanese) or other hotels near Machida station. ISAS has negotiated a discount rate at the Ellcy; at last check, it was 9,450 yen per night (9,000 plus 5% tax). Note that the exchange rate can be volatile; as of mid February, 2007, it is about 120 yens to a dollar. They have free broadband internet access in the room at the Ellcy. Each guest room is wired with cable, and guests can check out the cable modem. However, currently, they only have a limited number of cable modems.
Another possible choice is Central Hotel Machida. Their standard single rooms are tiny. Go for Deluxe Single B, or perhaps Deluxe Single A.
There is a schematic map of Machida area on this Japanese-language page. The top half of the image is a schematic map of the railway networks on the western side of Tokyo (Machida is showin with a red star). The bottom half shows the Machida area. The horizontal line is the Odakyu railway line. The vertical striped line on the left is the JR Yokoyama line. The blue lines show the network of elevated pedestrian walkways. The direct bus from Narita (see below) will arrive in the middle of this network, underneath the Odakyu line tracks. Central Hotel Machida is shown with the red star, and is somewhat offset from the main street, so it is easy to overshoot.
Longer-term visitors may want to save money by staying at the ISAS lodge (very spartan) or the "Weekly Mansion" in Machida.
By far the simplest way is via the direct bus (3500 Yen) (see an up-to-date timetable). After you exit the customs area at Narita, you can buy the bus tickets from the Keisei Bus ticket counter inside the building, then catch the bus itself just outside from stop 5.
This is not the quickest way, though, taking about 2 hr 30 min, via a couple of intermediate stops in Sagami Ohno; also the buses are not very frequent. Also, many people have found the bus to be uncomfortable (not enough leg room etc.).
It might be a good way from Machida to Narita, as it only takes 2 hr 10 min in that direction (the buses start from Sagami Ohno, thus no intermediate stops in this direction), although you need to make a reservation.
There are other ways to get to Machida.
There are frequent airport limousine bus service between Narita and Shinjuku (3000 Yen, 85 min, once every 15 min or so). You can also take the JR Narita Express trains but they are more expensive (about 3110 Yen, 95 min, once every hour or so). You can then take the Odakyu line (Limited Express for extra money but reserved seating, or other trains which are always crowded) to Machida in about 35 min. The biggest drawback is the Shinjuku station: changing from JR to Odakyu line is well signposted and not too complicated. If you ever get lost, though, it can overwhelm a jet-lagged "gaijin" (foreigner).
However, at least one experienced Japan traveller likes this route on his way back (but not on his way to).
The airport bus station is on the island underneath the Odakyu line, where it crosses above the street that parallels the JR line. If you're doing this, this map might come in handy.
From Machida, take the JR Yokoyama line local train towards Hachioji or Hashimoto two stations to Fuchinobe (rapid trains do not stop at Fuchinobe). Take the south exit. You can walk to ISAS from there in about 20 minutes (see the map of Fuchinobe/ISAS area), take a taxi (see the China Pete's link below), or take the ISAS shuttle bus that runs between 8:00 and 9:50am (and between 5:10 and 8:20pm).
New as of March 2005: the special ATM in Machida that accepted US bank cards does not exist any more (note that most Japanese ATMs only accept Japanese bankcards). However, the post office ATMs accept US bank cards.
Here is a guide for travellers to Uchinoura Space Center that I put together for people who visited Kagoshima to view the Astro-E2/Suzaku launch.
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This file was last modified on
Tuesday, 20-Feb-2007 14:11:10 EST