It's interesting to see figure out what Phil probably did. Here is my take on it:
1. Ready to leave Kuroshima after last check-in around 840pm. I would have taken a train or been driven to a hotel adjacent to Narita airport to avoid any issues the next morning. Note that my analysis has the teams taking an extended pit stop of 16 hours, so they will not catch up to Phil until the Lijiang mat.
2. Most logical choice of several for NRT KMG:
NH919 NRT PVG 0950 11155, connecting with CZ6799 1420 1745
3. Phil would probably have overnighted in Kunming and flew KMG LJG 0715 0805. Since Kunming and Lijiang are at the far west of a one-time-zone China, sunrise would be 735am.
4. The mat in Lijiang occurs before noon on 11/28. Phil would then have these choices flying LJG KMG:
CZ3688 1605 1655
FM9452 1840 1935
MU8452 1905 2000
5. He would then be ready and rejuvenated for the Kunming tasks on 11/29 after the teams arrived on the train.