Ota (大田) Ward is a suburban area of Tokyo, located between Shinagawa and Kawasaki.

Understand

The name "Ota" is a combination of Omori and Kamata, two former wards which merged to form Ota Ward. Omori and Kamata remain the major urban centers in the ward.

Get in

By air

Ota is home to Tokyo International Airport, also known as Haneda Airport. Haneda is the busiest airport in Asia.

The Keikyu Airport Line offers a quick connection from Haneda to Keikyu Kamata, with onward connections available to central Tokyo and Yokohama. The train stops running between 12:20am and 5:30am but taxis are still available.

By train

The main train stations in Ota are Omori (JR Keihin-Tohoku) Kamata (JR Keihin-Tohoku, Tokyu Ikegami and Tokyu Tamagawa lines) and Keikyu Kamata (Keikyu Main Line and Keikyu Airport Line).

The eastern, predominantly industrial side of the ward is served by the Tokyo Monorail, which runs from Haneda Airport to Hamamatsucho Station in Minato Ward.

See

• 1 Zenpou-Koenfun tumulus. Built during the 4th and 5th centuries, many tumulus can be seen throughout several parks around Tamagawa station. A free small museum shows replicas of swords and other objects found in the graves, get the free English pamphlet before going around the tumulus, as you might miss them: they just look like small hills. Free. (updated Sep 2015)

Ikegami Honmon-ji

• 2 Ikegami Honmon-ji (池上本門寺). A large temple with a five-story pagoda. It hosts a lantern festival called O-Eshiki every year from 11 to 13 October. Free. (updated Oct 2015)

Do

• 1 Tamagawa River. It stretches from Haneda Airport to Kawasaki city and beyond. A great place for a jog or a bicycle ride with the locals. Best time to see it is in spring when all the cherry trees are in bloom. Free. (updated Sep 2015)

Buy

• Granduo Kamata. Located right inside JR Kamata Station and split into East and West buildings, Granduo is a typical department store that has some good and reasonably priced restaurants and take-home food on the top and basement floors. 

• Don Quijote (Located right outside the West Exit of JR Kamata Station). A 24-hour discount store that sells everything from grocery items to clothing, bicycles, electronics, jewelry, and gag gifts. 

• Tsutaya (Located inside JR Kamata Station). Tsutaya is a major video and music rental store located right inside JR Kamata Station. 

Drink

Labeled a "widely known secret", Kamata has transformed itself in recent years into an entertainment hub with a ton of drinking establishments clustered around JR Kamata station.

• Select Bar, 5-45-1 YM Building 1F, Kamata (East exit of Kamata station, head south and turn right at third crossing. Second building to the left), ☏ +81 3-3737-5016. Opens at 5PM daily, closed on Sundays and public holidays. One of the most popular 'standing bars' and frequented by Japanese and foreigners alike. All drinks and food is priced ¥300. They serve great meatloaf which fits well with a couple of beers. 

Apart from Kamata, you'll mostly find small bars serving the locals, those having a few beers before going home. If you're looking for a wild night out, then you're in the wrong neighborhood. However, there is a good atmosphere and prices are reasonable.

• Shot Bar St. Elmo's, 2-3-4 2F, Sanno, Ota (West side of Omori station, across the street and 100 m left. On second floor), ☏ +81 3-5709-3172. Open daily between 6PM-3AM except Sundays. A low-key bar located in Omori serving excellent drinks, free traditional bar snacks are usually served 

Sleep

The main reason to stay in Ota is if you have an early flight out from Haneda Airport.

Budget

• First Cabin Haneda Terminal 1, Haneda Airport Terminal 1, 1F. A slightly upscale capsule "cabin" hotel with both "business" (a bed and nothing more) and "first class" (a tiny bit of space next to your bed) sections. In true capsule hotel style, there's only a curtain instead of a door, and showers/baths are shared. Separate male and female sections. Free shuttle buses to other terminals. ¥800/1000 hourly in business/first during the day, overnight stays only from ¥5000/6000 between 7 PM and 10 AM. 

Mid-range

• Hotel Urbain Kamata Annex, 4-23-13 Kamata Ota-ku (two minutes on foot from Keikyu Kamata Station (turn left at the West Exit, then turn right at the line of taxis and head down the part of the road that the 7-Eleven is on; it's on the right side of the street), ten minutes from Haneda airport), ☏ +81 3-3732-5123. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. standard rate is ¥8000 for a single room, however, booking through Rakuten Travel brings down the rate to ¥6000.. 

• Hotel JAL City Haneda Tokyo, Ota. The closest reasonable hotel to Haneda Airport, overlooking the maintenance facilities on the west side of the airfield. Walking distance to Keikyu Anamoriinari stn, regular free shuttle bus to the airport. From 12,000 yen/15,000 yen (sgl./dbl.). 

Splurge

• Haneda Excel Hotel Tokyu, inside Terminal 2 at Haneda Airport. Single rooms start around ¥20,000. 

• Apa Hotel Keikyu Kamata-Ekimae (formerly Ohfu Hotel Tokyo), 4-18-24 Kamata Ota-ku (two minutes on foot from Keikyu Kamata Station (West Exit), ten minutes from Haneda airport), ☏ +81 3-5713-3939, fax: +81 3-6662-8441, info@ohfuhotel-kamata.com. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 10AM. 95 rooms From 12,000 yen/18,000 yen (sgl./dbl.). 
• Royal Park Hotel The Haneda. Opened 2014 in Haneda Airport's International Terminal. Convenient for transfers, early starts and late arrivals, but rooms are small, so not the best option of stays of over one night. Some rooms are accessible directly from transit, without clearing immigration. From ¥12,500/15,500 single/double.