We were beyond excited as we set off for our much-anticipated Japan trip in 2025! Our journey began with a flight from Honolulu to Narita, Japan, on Hawaiian Airlines. We arrived at the airport a solid three hours early for our 11:30 AM flight — and it was a ghost town! Seriously, we might have been the first ones there for our flight. With plenty of time to spare, we got settled and prepared for the long journey ahead.
After a smooth check-in process, we boarded the Hawaiian Airlines flight, ready for our 9-hour trip. Hawaiian Airlines definitely took care of us on board. We were each provided with a pillow, a blanket (wrapped neatly in plastic), and a little kit with eye shades, ear plugs, and ear buds. These came in super handy during the flight, especially when it came to blocking out the noise and catching some much-needed rest.
As for entertainment, we were pleasantly surprised to find that Wi-Fi was available, and there was also a wide selection of movies to choose from.
The flight attendants were very attentive, making sure we were comfortable. We were served two meals during the journey, though we didn’t eat much — after all, we knew we'd be indulging in some of the best food in the world once we landed in Tokyo!
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| Meal #1 - shoyu chicken |
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| Son's Meal #1 - Yakisoba |
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| Meal #2 - sandwich |
We arrived at Narita on time (actually a little early!) and were thrilled to get our first taste of Japan.
As we walked through the terminal, we couldn’t help but be excited to see a 7-Eleven right there in the airport! We’ve heard so much about the wonders of Japanese convenience stores, so naturally, we had to check it out. We grabbed a couple of snacks to tide us over until dinner — the convenience and variety were impressive.
After collecting our luggage from baggage claim, I made a quick stop at the JAL ABC counter to pick up the Wi-Fi router I had rented through Japan-wireless.com (a must for staying connected during our trip). I pre-ordered this on the website and had it shipped to the JAL ABC counter at the airport. There is an option to have it mailed to the hotel, but I figured it's better to have it at the airport so that we have connectivity as we navigate our way from the train station to our hotel.
With our router in hand, we headed to the Keisei ticket counter, where we showed our QR code to get our tickets for the Keisei Skyliner, a fast and economical way to travel from Narita to Ueno, Tokyo. By pre-paying for a round trip online beforehand, you can save a little bit on the fare.
The Skyliner ride was smooth and efficient — only 45 minutes to Ueno Station, which is widely used by both locals and visitors. We were impressed by how easy and affordable the journey was. Once we arrived at Ueno Station, we made our way to our hotel, the Mamaru Tokyo Ueno East Hotel. We chose this hotel because it can accommodate families in a single room — something that can be hard to find in many places in Japan! It is also located close to the Ueno Train Station which was also a selling point for us. It turned out to be a great place to stay and I would highly recommend it!
By the time we checked into our hotel, it was already 7 PM local time. After a long day of traveling, we were hungry and tired, but we knew we needed a great meal to end our first day in Tokyo. We decided to take a walk and find a local restaurant. Our decision led us to Tempura Miwa, and wow, what a fantastic choice!
Our first experience with Japan’s famous vending machine ordering system was… an adventure! It took us a little while to figure out how to place our order, but once we got the hang of it, it was smooth sailing. We received our tickets from the machine and entered the restaurant. Within minutes, our delicious tempura was served — the food was fresh, crispy, and full of flavor. We were amazed by how efficient the whole process was.
After our meal, we headed back to the hotel, completely satisfied and ready for a good night’s rest. It was a long day, but an exciting one, and we couldn’t wait to start exploring Tokyo the next day.
Stay tuned for my next post where we share our first full day in Tokyo....
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