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About
The city of Narita is currently most well known as being the city near Narita International Airport. It is approximately 60 kilometers (38 miles) East and slightly north from Tokyo. It has a population of around 130,000 people with many working at or in relation to the airport and tourism. There are many hotels in town along with the famous Naritasan temple complex and tourist street(s) and shops that lead up to it. Although many foreigners visit Narita because it it close to the airport, many Japanese people visit Narita because of Naritasan and the famous shopping street. On the weekends and holidays the main shopping street can get absolutely packed with both overseas and Japanese tourists.
The famous Narita shopping street is called Omotesando Street (see map below) and starts just a few minutes walk from Narita Station. The walk from Narita Station (or Keisei Narita Station) is approximately 1.5 kilometers (.9 of a mile) to Naritasan down Omotesando Street. It starts off flat but then veers down a hill where at the bottom is the entrance gate to Naritasan. Along Omotesando Street you can find a variety of traditional Japanese goods to buy as gifts and lots of food items. Narita City is famous for Fresh Water Eel dishes and you'll see and smell many of these shops lining Omotesando Street (many right across the street from the Narita Tourist Pavilion). Fresh Water Eel is an aquired taste and may not be for everyone but once you learn to like it, it's great! Although... not cheap. Most small Fresh Water Eel plates start at around 2,000 yen and can go up to 5,000 yen. Another popular food item in Narita is Japanese sweets, usually based on chestnuts and mixed in a variety of styles but most famously the Kuri-Yokan which is Chestnuts inside sweet bean paste. Definitely stop in at Nagomi-Yoneya [map] as they have some free samples to try. Kuri Yokan is wonderful, buy a couple boxes to take home with you.
Before the airport was built, the Narita area had a long "Pre-Airport" history. Archaeologists have even found stone tools dating back to some 30,000 years ago in the Narita area! In the early centuries people lived around Narita and usually farmed as the area is located roughly equal distances from the Pacific Ocean and Tokyo Bay making it a "Stop Over" between the growing Tokyo Bay people and those that lived on the coast. Around 700 the Emperor requested many farms switch to ranches in order to supply and support a steady horse population. Then in 939 Taira no Masakado, a powerful lord in the region, decided he wanted to be the ruler of Japan so he started a minor rebellion in the region. The Emperor immediately dispatched an army from Kyoto and smashed Taira no Masakado's army and killing him in 940. Naritasan and more specifically the main temple within the Naritasan complex called Shinshoji was built to commemorate the victory of the Emperor over Taira no Masakado.
When the international airport was built it caused major controversy in the region as the government required land and had to take farmers land by Eminent domain laws. It was quite a violent and fascinating tale that lasted for decades while the airport was being built. If your interested, you might be interested in reading about it more on Wikipedia, it's called the Sanrizuka struggle. A search on YouTube will also bring up many videos along with this mini-documentary The Extremely Violent History Behind Tokyo's Narita International Airport.
Access
The Narita Express (or NEX) and Skyliner are not shown in the graphic because in most cases (except evening NEX trains) you'll have to go to Terminal 2 first and then come back a station. However riding a direct JR Rapid train from Tokyo (as shown in the graphic) will take about the same time and a lot less hassle. Direct JR Ltd. Rapid trains (Sobu Line Rapid) headed for the airport that will stop in Narita leave once an hour from Tokyo Station.
- Narita Express or NEX homepage - to view Timetables & exact pricing. The Narita Express trains only stop at Narita Station in the evening (from about 7:00 p.m. on). During the day the NEX skips Narita and goes directly to airport Terminal 1 & 2.
- Skyliner homepage - to view Timetables & exact pricing. The Skyliner also skips Narita Station or rather Keisei Nartia Station.
The graphic above is a simplified "Quick Glance" at transportation options. Due to fluctuating schedules & pricing, Times & Costs are subject to change.
Hotels & Lodging
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Area Map
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Attractions
Here is a list of some of the top Attractions in & nearby Narita. View all Attractions in Narita.
Katori Shrine
Hours: Always open
Cost: Free
Map: Google Map
Katori Shrine is a very important Shinto shrine in Chiba Japan as it is one of only three shrines given the label "Jingu" predating the Edo Era (the other two shrines are Ise Shrine and near by Kashima Shrine). A "Jingu" level ranked shrine protects the nation and appeases the gods. It is also the... more details
Kashima Shrine
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Cost: Free for the grounds. Treasure Exhibit - 15+: 300 yen, Under 13: 100 yen (free on Saturdays and Sundays)
Map: Google Map
Kashima Shrine or Kashima Jingu is a very important and powerful Shinto Shrine in Japan. It is located in Ibaraki Prefecture, North-East of Tokyo, and can be reached in about a 2 hours by train or direct bus. Kashima Shrine, along with Ise Grand Shrine and near by Katori Shrine, is one of only thr... more details
Naritasan
Hours: Always open
Cost: Free
Map: Google Map
Naritasan or the full name of Naritasan Shinshoji Temple (in Japanese; Naritasan Shinshouji, 成田山新勝寺) is a large Buddhist temple complex in Narita City close to Narita International Airport which is about an hour East of Tokyo. It is very popular with Japanese and foreign tourists alike... more details
Sawara and Little Edo
Hours: This is a Area, therefore each establishment has it's own hours but generally shops in Japan generally open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. while restaurants are generally open until 9:00 p.m. or 10:00 p.m.
Cost: Each establishment's cost is different.
Map: Google Map
Sawara is the name of the main train station in Katori City. It is about 70 kilometers from Tokyo in a northeastern direction in the prefecture of Chiba and only 15 kilometers from Narita International Airport. There is an area in Katori City (near Sawara Station) called the "Suigo District" which... more details
Tsukamoto Museum
Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Closed: Weekends, Mondays, public holidays, and New Year holidays. Open third Saturday of every month if not a public holiday.
Cost: Free
Map: Google Map
Tsukamoto Art Museum is a small private collection of Japanese Katana swords out in Chiba Prefecture in the town of Sakura. Admission is free and curators are anxious and happy to answer any questions you may have. The Museum also responds to requests for valuations and other advice about Japanese... more details
Kawamura Memorial DIC Museum of Art
Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (last admission 4:30 p.m.)
Closed: Mondays (except national holidays, then closed next non-holiday), Year End and New Year Holidays. Also during exhibit changes.
Cost: 18+: Generally around 1,000 yen. | Under 18: Generally around 600 yen.
Map: Google Map
The Kawamura Memorial DIC Museum of Art is a "World Class" art museum in the city of Sakura out in Chiba Prefecture near Narita International Airport. Although the museum is is too far to walk to from any train station, there is a free shuttle bus from Sakura Station which will get you to the muse... more details
