Tired, Hungry, and in Transit: A Quick Stop at Haneda, Japan Terminal 3
I had a short layover at Haneda Airport flying from Honolulu to Bangkok. Just a few hours—not enough to leave the airport, but enough to feel that “now what?” moment once I landed. If you’ve got a similar stop and you’re not entering Japan, everything you’ll need is in Terminal 3. It’s the international terminal, and honestly, it’s set up pretty well for layovers like this. Here’s how I made the most of it.
Terminal 3 is the one you want
If you’re in transit and staying airside, Terminal 3 has everything. You don’t need to pass through immigration, which saves time and hassle. Inside, you’ve got:
Duty-free shops with Japanese snacks, souvenirs, and high-end brands
UNIQLO for a quick clothing fix
Bookstores, drugstores, and convenience shops
About a dozen restaurants, ranging from ramen to burgers
A transit hotel right inside the terminal
It’s clean, modern, easy to navigate, and there’s Wi-Fi everywhere. No complaints.
Udon stop: Tsurutontan
I was starving after that red-eye from Honolulu and found myself at Tsurutontan. The queue looked long at first, but it wraps around the corner and moves fast. Ordering is done through a tablet, all in English, so super easy. The portion sizes? Massive. You can get up to 2.5 servings of noodles for free, but unless you're starving, one or 1.5 is plenty. I went a bit overboard and nearly had to roll myself to the gate. The soup was honestly amazing. Proper depth of flavor, not too salty, and way more satisfying than I expected for airport food. Definitely worth it if you’re hungry and have a bit of time.
Reflexology at Raffine
My back was shot from the flight, so I stopped by Raffine for a reflexology session. Kito, the therapist, knew exactly what he was doing. It helped so much before the long Bangkok leg. They serve you ginger tea at the end which was a nice touch. Feels small and personal. That said, this particular location is tiny and gets busy fast. If you don’t have a booking, you might get turned away. If that happens, they have bigger branches in Terminal 1 and 2, and there’s a free shuttle between terminals.
Where I stayed: The Royal Park Hotel Tokyo Haneda
If you’re crashing overnight or catching an early flight, I’d really recommend this hotel. It’s literally in Terminal 3, right next to check-in. You don’t even need to step outside.Check-in and checkout are both done via machines. Super fast. The staff were helpful and even took my luggage before check-in so I could move around freely. Room was small but spotless. Quiet, too, unless your neighbor sets their alarm for 5am. One weird thing—some of the rooms are below reception, some are above, and the elevators can be a bit annoying. If someone else presses a different floor, your selection gets canceled. Not a dealbreaker, just mildly frustrating. But the location alone makes it worth it. Price was also better than a lot of hotels nearby that don’t have the same convenience.
