After you’ve finished exploring Narita Airport, the fun doesn’t end there. There are still other things you can do near Narita Airport. Here are the things you can do that we recommend you check out to make the most of your trip!
Fun Things to Do Near Narita Airport
There’s a plethora of exciting and fun activities to enjoy near Narita Airport, and we’ve compiled a list of the top 7 things to do. So, whether you have a long layover or just want to explore the area, check out our recommendations for an unforgettable experience.
1. Naritasan Temple
Whether or not you have been to a temple before, you must know that the Japanese are well-known as the home of many of these historic structures. In Narita City stands Naritasan Temple, a Buddhist temple complex. This building was built back in 940 to worship Kobo Daishi, one of the most influential figures in Japan’s religious history.
This spot is the most popular tourist attraction in Narita city. It is perfect if you have around 3 hours to take a leisurely walk and interact with the locals. Here, you can also taste some traditional snacks, enjoy some meals, and buy souvenirs at Omotesando, the one-kilometer-long street filled with stores, restaurants, and shops that have been part of Naritasan for centuries.
This spot is around 7.8 km away from Narita Airport, and you can get here by Keisei Narita or JR Narita. Other methods will be using taxis or even walking if you have a lot of time at your disposal.
2. Sawara Town
Around 20 kilometers Southeast of Narita Airport lies Sawara Town, a small town part of Narita City during the Edo Period. Known as the transport hub for rice shipments during the Said period, this town has preserved and restored some of the facilities from back in the days, so much so as this town is nicknamed “Little Edo.”
There is plenty of points of interest in this town. Starting from Ja Ja Bridge, spouts a waterfall twice an hour into the canal below it. The next one is the Tadataka Museum, a museum dedicated to displaying the works of Ino Tadataka. This surveyor was famous for creating an accurate map of the Entire Japanese Archipelago during the Tokugawa Shogunate.
To reach Sawara Town, JR Line from Narita Station could be your option, as it offers the fastest and relatively cheap method of transportation. Usually, it would take around 30 minutes and around $4 to reach this town.
3. National Museum of Japanese History
The Japanese Government built the National Museum of Japanese History to preserve Japan’s history. This museum is also known as Rekihaku. The main goal of this museum is to display the complete history of the Japanese people.
There are two types of exhibitions in this museum. The first is the permanent exhibition, which includes six galleries in its arsenal, each covering each period from prehistoric to modern Japan. This place is truly a heaven for historical enthusiasts due to its presentation of numerous cultural artifacts.
The second exhibition is displayed in the seventh gallery. It is a temporary exhibition that you can enter for an additional fee. There is also a small section of the museum called “The Botanical Garden of Everyday Life” that introduces plants living close to Japanese culture.
Located around 21 km from the Narita Airport, you can use either Keisei Railway or JR to reach this location. It takes around 20 minutes to get to designated stations, and you can take a bus to the museum by bus from there onwards.
4. Katori Shrine
Katori Shrine will be the perfect destination if you want to snap a picture or two as a good memory while visiting Japan. This Shinto Shrine outside Sawara Town is a head shrine of around 400 Shinto Shrines across Japan.
The oldest building in this shrine, the black-painted main building, and the Vermillion Sakuramon Gate date back to their creations in 1700. Aside from those structures, other attractions include various shops and restaurants around the shrine’s parking lot. Additionally, there is a festival held in this shrine every April 14, and every 12 years, there is a three-day Grand Festival.
This shrine is 20 kilometers away from Narita Airport. There are options for a bus ride that can reach this destination in around 15 minutes and a taxi, which usually takes approximately 10 minutes from Sawara Station, that can be reached from JR Narita Line in 30 minutes.
5. Aeronautical Museum
Also known as The Museum of Aeronautical Sciences or Kōkū Kagaku Hakubutsukan, this building is located just outside Narita Airport. This building is located at the southern end of its main runway.
Full-scale replicas are among the most popular when it comes to the attractions of this museum. Another point of interest would be the outdoor observation deck on the third floor, which offers a view of the southern end of Narita Airport’s runway. Above it is a restaurant where you can grab a meal, and the fifth floor offers an indoor observatory modeled after a flight control tower.
Instead of trains, you can get to this museum by JR and Narita Airport buses. Both buses depart from airport terminals 1 and 2 once per hour, the difference being that less than half of the Narita buses stop at the museum.
6. Boso no Mura Museum
Boso no Mura is both a village and a museum. This village is deliberately reproduced as close as possible to its Edo Period counterpart. Here, you can immerse yourself in various workshops in the village, such as traditional papermaking, blacksmithing, tea ceremony, and even trying on Japanese armor.
There also exists burial mounds from the Kofun Period around the open-air museum. Alongside mounds, you can also view several artifacts from the same period being displayed in Fudoki-no-oka-Shiryokan, an archeological museum. Finally, some pit houses reconstructed from the Jomon Period, Edo Periods, and a school from Meiji Period can be found next to the archeological museum.
To reach this museum, take a bus bound for Ryukakujidai-Shako, continue to the Ryukakijidai-Ni-Chome bus stop, and walk afterward. Another option is to take JR Narita Line to Ajiki Station and take a Chiba Kotsu bus to Ryukakujidai-Shako.
7. Aeon Narita
Eon Narita is a must-visit when shopping is part of your to-do list. This shopping mall has everything from fashion to fresh foods and even home improvement. Whatever you need, you can find it here.
Additionally, this mall is to house various tax-free items, an indoor restaurant, and even a CAPCOM game arcade. If you are eager to grab a bite that doesn’t involve sitting in a restaurant, there are many coffee shops and a food court to enjoy.
To reach this mall, you can use a bus from Narita Airport can reach this establishment in 20-25 minutes and depart every 1-2 hours. You can also get access by train from Narita station, which is 15 minutes away from this spot.
Aren’t these places wonderful? They are always waiting for your visit when you have reached Narita Airport. Speaking of Narita Airport and Japan, don’t forget to book a ticket for your next vacation with Airpaz.com and check out what deals we have to wait for you. See you there!
