Narita in Chiba Prefecture
Narita has been cursed for so long as that so-called “Tokyo” airport that’s a $200 cab ride from Tokyo, many people don’t know that Narita is also the name of the nearest town, which is still quaintly Japanese, the home of a fabulous temple and garden, and host to the annual taiko drum festival that’s this month’s Japanagram Seasonal Secret.
The main street is lined with lovely old traditional buildings, many of which are homes to shops selling the local handcrafts and food delicacies.
Barbecued eel is one of them, and if you love unagi, head straight for one of the restaurants where they still prepare it fresh from the tank…
and turn it into everything from sushi to the traditional strips of eel grilled in BBQ sauce and served over a box of rice.
But what built this town was pilgrimage to the powerful Narita Shinshō-ji Temple that dominates the tallest hill, where its venerable gate still welcomes the faithful…
and their sandals have been given as offerings to prove it.
Through the gate, we’re rewarded by this glittering three-story pagoda
the temple’s imposing Peace Pagoda…
and the Kōmyō-dō hall, that’s been standing here since 1701.
But not everything at Narita Shinshō-ji is old—check out their o-mikuji vending machines that will tell you your future for a few hundred yen…
and the fully-automated conveyor belt crematorium for all your sacred trash incineration needs.
But even though the temple is filled with delightful distractions, it’s the vast garden beyond that beckons me on into its forested glades, with miles of beautiful stone pathways…
worn stepping stones crossing koi ponds…
to waterfall-fed vistas…
and shady pergolas out in the middle of the lake.
If you’re there for the taiko festival at the end of April, you may see some of the ancient wisteria vines in bloom…
and sit for a while in their fragrant shade.
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Here’s where Narita is:
Because the town of Narita is near the airport, there are a number of affordable, fast trains that go there from Tokyo, making it one of the closer places to get a taste of bygone Japan. To figure out how to get to Narita from where you are, use the Japan Navigation phone app, plugging in your location, travel date and preferred arrival/departure time. Here’s where to get the app and how to use it.
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly Japanagram newsletter, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
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