"On our layovers we normally go to the Flyers Lounge which is on the right hand side of the High Street before you get to the noodle bar and it is upstairs. There is a kids amusement arcade underneath it and to the left of the stairs.
"We go there as there is always a happy hour between 6 and 7pm. You don't have to be airline crew to drink there. We then normally go for something to eat and it is either the "Western Beggar" which is down the first side street on the left or we walk further down and go to the new curry house which is just before the fork in the road going to the temple. (it is also on the right hand side)
"Sometimes we go to the "Red Lion or Lion Bar" which is on the left hand side of the High Street just before the first bend and opposite the mini stop shop. They do a great Teriyaki Chicken and fries in there and it is run by the Mayor of Narita's wife.
"After this we usually go to the singing bar which is past the station (the one next to the Colorado cafe). You walk up from the station turn left in the opposite direction of the temple and it is on your left immediately before a hotel whose name I can't recall. You'll know it's the singing bar as the stairs are really steep and you have to defy gravity walking up them. God only knows how we get down them again as we are usually much the worse for wear at this stage. have you ever drunk "Lemon High's" when in Narita? If not I
"At 11pm, the guy that owns the famous "Truck" runs a karaoke bus down to the truck and it picks up opposite Macdonald's in front of the cigarette cabin. We stay there till either 1am or 3 am when the same Guy runs us all back to our respective Hotel's that are within the local area. It's great and it always guarantees him business.
"That takes care of the night life however...if we are feeling flush we go to the Chrysanthemum Restaurant and then end up back at the crew room in the hotel. Our hotel is mainly air crew and has a lot of things geared up around us all as we arrive en masse at all times of the day and night. There is a free courtesy bus in and out of town twice an hour and also to the airport."
From a Virgin Atlantic Flight Attendant
And, here's a report from John Whitely:I recently spend a couple of days in Narita courtesy of Virgin Atlantic, the suggestions from the Virgin Flight Attendant on your page were very useful. A brief synopsis follows...
Arriving at Narita airport at 9.00am from London , my first plan was to check into a hotel, sleep for a couple of hours and then hit the town. The Virgin crew recommended the Hotel Narita Tokyu, the place they stay in, and told me I could probably get a reduced rate. Being a typical Brit, I expected all the locals to speak English. How wrong I was. Trying to tell a taxi driver to take me to a hotel whos name I wasn't quite sure of was a challenge. After a 2000 YEN ride, I arrived at the Tokyu where they do speak good english.
I don't actually work for an airline, but tried convincing the receptionist that I did, to get a reduced rate. After a pleasant barter, and a promise that next time I visited Narita I would bring my Crew ID card (must get one!), they agreed to a rate of 6380 YEN per night room only. The room was OK (not that I could complain!) but the bathroom was quite a shock. The whole room was actually moulded together, bath and all, from what looked like one piece of plastic. Apologees for the graphic detail, but I was amazed at the array of buttons next to the toilet. When you sit down it starts making a 'watery' noise. Press the button marked 3>- for a surprise. Moving on... My 2 hour rest finished at 7pm when I realised I had just spent half of my time in Japan asleep - bugger!
The Tokyu run courtesy buses to town and to the airport (if I had know I could have saved myself a taxi driver sign language course and 2000 YEN the night before.) They operate once or twice an hour (they will give you a timetable when you check in). I took the bus in to Narita town (only a couple of miles) where it drops you off at one of the two railway stations - the place looked just like any town around the world. To get to any lively area, you need to walk up the steps, through the station and out the other side. It then changes into an array of narrow streets crammed with restaurants and bars.
To get to the Flyers Bar, turn right out of the station, past McDonalds, over the crossroads and keep going for about 500 yards. It is on the right hand side and has a white tiled floor outside. Don't expect too much - it's tiny, the floor is covered in nut shells, but the guy who runs the place (apologees but I forgot his name) was really friendly, spoke good English, and can arrange to export a nearly new Japanese car for you if that's your thing! Sapporo beer was between 400-550 YEN depending on the happy hour status. Being the Flyers bar, expect to see crew, crew and more crew. From there we went to the place Richard Branson has a stake in. It's called Bharge Inn and is a little further down the road on the same side. A pretty decent pub with food and dancing. I'm told it was supposed to be called the Virgin, but Japanese can't pronounce their V's. Not too sure if that's accurate. Can't remember too much more of it, beer was flowing.
The minibus for The Truck was due to leave from the Bharge Inn at 11.30pm, but we had to go find the driver who was still necking beer in the pub! I was too wasted by that time to notice. The Truck was 'interesting'. It isn't actually a truck anymore, more like a portacabin where you just sing, chat, flirt and get drunk. Whenever I've been to a karaoke bar, the DJ introduces you by your name and what you're singing. Here they just play song after song (apparently requested), and either the person closest to the mikes, or the person who's had most to drink gets up and sings (that should read 'sings?'). Can't remember too much more of that night, but from a guys perspective there were some gorgeous, 'talented' crew members out for a good laugh!!! Minibuses (again free) for the main hotels leave the Truck at 1.30am and 3.00am. I didn't miss one so can't tell you what happens if you do.
Next morning - major headache. Decided to try and shop, so got bus back into town. Could not really find anything I wanted to buy. A few souvenierish type shops, a couple of large department stores but that was about it. Either I didn't look hard enough or Narita is no shopping MECCA.
The only other place I can remember visiting was 'The Cage' - another singing bar. Turn left from the station (opposite direction to McDonalds) and it's about 100 yards down on the left. Other comments about the steepness of the steps were not exaggerated! If you are looking for a less hectic karaoke bar with a much bigger songlist than the Truck - this is the place for you. Be prepared to be accosted by a waitress (nice looking though) as soon as you walk in, as they insist you buy at least one drink. (Hey, it's a karaoke bar, why wouldn't you?) Just when I though I'd seen enough singing, The Truck minibus picked me up from outside The Cage to prove yet again that I'm a trustee of modern chemistry.
A long way to go for 2 nights, but a good laugh!