ARRIVAL GUIDE for FGL STUDENTS

A. Transportation from Narita Airport to Station As most International flights arrive at Narita Airport, we will explain the detailed directions from Narita Airport here. Students who will take an international flight directly arriving at Sendai Airport, skip to “B. Arrival in Sendai”. If your flight arrives at Haneda Airport or any other airports, skip to “Transfer to the Tohoku at ”. The Pocket Guide is also useful as it contains all essential information on arrival to .

Pocket Guide for International Students: http://sup.bureau.tohoku.ac.jp/images/PocketGuide.pdf

Students who will take an international flight arriving at Narita Airport or Haneda Airport, take the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Sendai. It usually takes about four hours from Narita Airport, and three hours from Haneda Airport to including the time for transfers.

Arrival Procedures & Airport Guide Instructions for arrival procedures are available at the Narita Airport website: https://www.narita-airport.jp/en/step

Trains from Airport to Tokyo Station There are various transport options from Narita Airport to Tokyo Station, such as express trains, local trains, limousine bus, etc. We recommend “Narita Express” (also called “N’EX”) which is special express trains operated by JR. N’EX may not be the cheapest option, but it’s the easiest, most trouble-free way for those travelling to Japan for the first time.

N’EX operates from Narita Airport to major stations in the Tokyo area including Tokyo Station. Tokyo Station is NOT the final stop, so be sure to get off the train at Tokyo Station.

This train is designed to accommodate travelers carrying suitcases with luggage areas. All seats are reserved so you don’t have to fight for a seat like you do on regular trains. From the airport to Tokyo Station, it takes about 60 minutes and the fare is 3,020 yen.

N’EX website: http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/nex/index.html

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Other Transport Options to Get to Tokyo Station

If you’d prefer other cheaper transport options, useful links are listed below.

 Limousine Bus website: http://accessnarita.jp/en/home/

 You can search for routes and fares of local trains here: https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/?sub_lang=nosub

Buying Train Tickets If you decided to take N’EX, you need to buy tickets for two trains: “N’EX” and “Tohoku Shinkansen”. Since you will need to transfer from N’EX to the Tohoku Shinkansen at Tokyo Station, it will be easier if you purchase tickets for the entire trip at Narita Airport. You can purchase tickets at JR ticket machines or over the counter at the JR ticket office.

From To Type of Train

Narita Airport ➝ Tokyo …… Narita Express (N’EX) Tokyo ➝ Sendai ..….. Tohoku Shinkansen

Transfer to the Tohoku Shinkansen at Tokyo Station Tokyo Station is somewhat complicated. Please follow the signs for the Tohoku Shinkansen. From Tokyo to Sendai, it takes about two hours by the Shinkansen. For more information about the Tohoku Shinkansen, please visit: http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/index.html In addition, we highly recommend getting a , the IC card, from a JR ticket machine and charge about 3000 yen for starters while you’re at Tokyo Station.

B. Arrival in Sendai Students who will take an international flight directly arriving at Sendai Airport, take a train to Sendai Station. The train station is attached to the airport, and can be found easily if you follow the signs. Sendai Airport is located at about 30 km south of downtown Sendai where the Tohoku University campuses are located. It takes 20-25 minutes to Sendai Station.

Buying Food at Sendai Station Once you arrive at Sendai Station, don’t head straight to the UH Aobayama dormitory just yet. We highly recommend getting yourself some food for the day and next day because there is no grocery stores around the dormitory. After getting through the ticket gates of Shinkansen, you are on the 3rd floor of Sendai Station. Take the escalator (pictured left) down to the 2nd floor. There are some areas where you can buy food but it can 2

two be tricky to figure out which way to go if you’re new in Sendai. Here are three areas:

○1 After getting off the escalator, take a right and

you’ll see some shops that sell Bento boxes. They could be pricier, but that’s the closest area.

○2 If you go left and walk down the aisle toward

East exit (pictured top left), there is an area (pictured middle left) on your left where they sell variety of food to go including pastries, sushi rolls, Chinese food, salads, etc. There is also a grocery store down the hall called “Seijo Ishii” where you can buy almost anything such as prepared foods and pastries.

○3 There is another area called “S-PAL Kitchen”

in Basement Level 1 where you can buy fresh fruits, vegetables, and dairy products in addition to more prepared foods, but it’s a little far compared to the first two areas. Easiest way to get there is find Exit 2-5 for West Exit on the second floor. Take the escalator next to that exit down to the first floor (picture 1 below). Then take another escalator that you see in front of you that goes down to B1F (picture 2). Take a left (picture 3) and go straight and you will see many shops (picture 4).

1 2 AREA UNDER CONSTRUCTION

3 3 4 Transfer to the Subway Tozai Line at Sendai Station There are some ways to get to the gates of Subway Tozai Line but it’s not easy to find a way even if you follow the signs. The following is the easiest and fastest way to get there with a heavy suitcase in your hand.

1. First, make sure you’re on the second 2. Take West Exit. There are West Exit 2-2, floor of Sendai Station. 2-3, 2-4, and 2-5, but either one is fine.

3. Now you’re outside and you should be 4. Take this elevator down to B1F. able to see a huge department store, “LOFT”. Find the elevator that is located on the left side of LOFT.

6. If you have a Suica, you can just go 5. Get off the elevator and you will see through the gate with it. If you don’t, buy the gates for subways on your left. a ticket for 250 yen. 4

C. Directions to University Dormitory The University House Aobayama (UHA) can be easily accessed by the Subway Tozai Line. From Sendai Station, get on the train bound for Yagiyama Zoological Park and get off at Aobayama Station. It takes 9 minutes and the fare is 250 yen. The UHA is a 10 minute walk from Aobayama Station.

Kawauchi Campus Sendai Station

Aobayama Campus

Aobayama Station

Katahira Campus

University House Aobayama

Directions from Aobayama Station to the UHA:

1. After you pass ticket 2. Go behind the building you 3. Go along this way. gates, take South Exit 1. see on your right.

This building

4. Take the path on your 5. Go up the slope all the 6. Go to the administration left and you can see the way to the top. office to check in. UHA on top of the hill. 5

If you’d prefer to take a taxi from Sendai station and get straight to the administration office, print out this page and show it to your driver. The taxi stand is on the first floor just outside of Sendai Station. It takes about 20 minutes and costs about 2500 yen.

とうほくだいがく あおばやま ねが 東北大学ユニバーシティハウス青葉山までお願いします。

Please go to the University House Aobayama.

タクシー運転手さんへ

地下鉄青葉山駅から宮教大方面へ道なりに進み、宮教大の入り口を 過ぎて 700m程行った角を左折してください。目印は右手に小さな駐 車場があるところです。その後、2つめの角を左折し突き当たりで降ろ してください。

行き先 : 東北大学ユニバーシティ・ハウス青葉山 Destination: University House Aobayama

住所: 仙台市青葉区荒巻字青葉468-1 Address: 468-1 , Aramaki aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi

TEL : 022-795-3242

宮教大

地下鉄青葉山駅

Aobayama Sta.

東北大学ユニバーシティハウス青葉山・管理棟

University House Aobayama Administration Office

ここで降ろしてください Please drop me off here.

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D. Other Information on Housing Please check the TU Support website for the up-to-date information. http://sup.bureau.tohoku.ac.jp/news/index_en.html

E. General Tohoku University Information Please refer to the following URL for general information of Tohoku University.

Annual Review 2016 https://www.tohoku.ac.jp/en/about/images/tu_annualreview2016_e.pdf

F. Contact Information

FGL Undergraduate Admissions Office (aka FGL Office), Tohoku University Address: 41 Kawauchi, Aoba-ku, Sendai (仙台市青葉区川内 41) Counter 6-B, 2nd floor of building A01 on Kawauchi campus Tel: +81-22-795-3242 Fax: +81-22-795-7826 Email: [email protected] Office hours: 8:30-17:00 weekdays; closed on weekends and national holidays * English speaking staff is NOT available during 12:30 - 1:30 pm. http://www.insc.tohoku.ac.jp/english/degree/undergraduate-english/

University House Aobayama (UHA) Address: 468-1 Aoba, Aramaki aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai (仙台市青葉区荒巻字青葉 468-1) *As the UHA Administration Office hasn’t opened yet, phone number is TBA. It will be updated once it’s open. In the meantime, please contact the FGL Office for emergency.

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