Naritasan

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free

Attractions > Other Cities and Areas > Shrines Temples > Chiba

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Naritasan Shinshoji Temple main grounds

About

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. It is also close enough to Narita International Airport that if you just have a short layover in Japan and want to get out and catch a glimpse of historic Japan, it's a convenient attraction to visit. To get to the temple complex you need to get to Narita Station (10 min. by train from the airport) and then walk 30 min. (about a kilometer / half a mile) along a a traditional Japanese street lined with tourist shops, stores and restaurants. The temple complex itself is quite large with many buildings and has a large inner garden area. Both the walk to the temple and walking around the temple is hilly with many stairs so it can be quite tiring. If you go during the summer months be sure to wear a sun hat or carry a sun umbrella as the sun and heat is intense.

The walk from Narita Station or Keisei Narita Station will bring you down a hill to the entrance gate of the Naritasan complex. There may be some food stalls in or around the entrance gate which is traditional for a temple complex of this size. Once you pass through the main gate you will have to climb some steep stairs, pass through another beautiful old gate with a huge lantern hanging above the pass through entrance. Once again you'll climb some stairs and once you reach the top you will be on the main temple grounds where the main Shinshoji temple and pagoda is. If you continue in to the complex, off to the right is a large park/garden while off to the left will take you around to some more temple structures.

Naritasan is a Shingon Buddhist temple and was founded in 940 by Kanchou Daisoujou, a disciple of Koubou Daishi and is a main temple for the Chisan branch of the New Shingon sect. The temple was built to commemorate the victory of the forces sent from the Emporer at the time to suppress a revolt by the powerful Kanto region samurai Taira no Masakado. 　Naritasan is one of the most famous temples in the Kanto area. The temple is dedicated to the god Aacala (fire god) who is usually depicted holding a sword and rope and surrounded by flames.