Narita
Japan · Country profile
Narita is the commuter city of the great international airport that bears its name, the quiet gateway town of the east of the Tokyo region that pairs the colossal terminals of the global hub with a surprisingly mellow historic heart, built around the great Buddhist temple of the Shinshoji and the long nostalgic street of the approach. Because the airport was built in the early seventies outside the old town, the city keeps two very different lives: the vast transit world of the runways, the hotels and the shopping of the terminals on one side, and the serene lanes of the temple, the gardens, the sake breweries and the old houses on the other. Most travellers simply pass through on their way to the capital, but those who pause find a genuinely pleasant little city, with the enormous national museum of Japanese history and a beautifully kept shrine, pagoda and approach along the upper street. Peaceful, approachable and rich in small delights, Narita is the airport city that turns a layover into a visit.
About Narita
Narita is a city in Japan. The city's documented population is around 131,852 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Japanese Yen (JPY) and Japanese is spoken; the dialling code is +81. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: Narita International Airport.
The Temple of the Shinshoji and the Street of the Approach
The city splits neatly into three pieces: the airport world of the terminals and the hotels of the business quarter, the compact historic core around the great temple with its approach street of souvenir shops and snack stalls, and the sprawling suburbs and the river towns that connect them. The essential days move between the temple, the pagoda and the old lanes, the arcade of the approach with its roasted rice crackers and its crafts, and the great museums of the history and the aeronautics of the country, with the shrine of the hillside above the town for the views. Very few visitors linger beyond a night, which keeps the old centre calm and genuinely local, even as the biggest hub of the region hums on its doorstep.
The Museum of the Science and the Terraces of the Aviation
The weather follows the temperate pattern of the east of the country, with the hot, humid summers, the crisp, dry winters with their occasional frost, and the glorious cherry blossom season of the spring and the golden autumn days. The airport express and the local line connect the city with the capital in under an hour, so travellers commonly stay near the terminals or in the town and commute in. The temple and its approach, the great history museum of the town, and the airfield at the aviation museum complete the core visits. Comfortable walking shoes, small change for the approach stalls and a lightweight layer for the changeable hours of the year complete the simple preparation for this gateway town.
The Sake of the Breweries and the Shrines of the Katori
The temple of the Shinshoji has stood at its hill since the tenth century, and its tower, its treasure hall, its gardens and the long approach street of the upper town make a genuinely beautiful half day, with the local snack of the town, the famously crunchy grilled rice cracker, sold all the way up the lane. The aviation-themed museum at the airport, the huge glass hangar with the retired airliners of the world and the observation decks, is a hidden delight for plane lovers, while the national museum of Japanese history, with its vast collection of the rice, the pottery and the daily life of the eras, ranks among the great museums of the country. To the east of the city, the Buddhist sanctuary of the Katori and the shrines of the Chiba countryside sit in deep green forest, and the wineries of the region are the prime grape lands of the east of the island. Calm, surprising and easy to reach, Narita is the ordinary town that quietly charms the traveller on the way through the biggest gateway of Japan.
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- Country
- Japan
- Population
- 131,852
- Coordinates
- 35.7647, 140.3864
- Capital
- Tokyo
- Region
- Asia
- Currency
- Japanese Yen (JPY)
- Languages
- Japanese
- Calling code
- +81
- Country code
- JP
Entry requirements for Japan
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Japan for tourism.
Getting to Narita
Airports we list for Narita:
Other airports in the area:
Cities in Japan
Other cities we cover in Japan:
Frequently asked questions
Is Narita the capital of Japan?
No — the capital of Japan is Tokyo.
What currency do I need in Narita?
The local currency is the Japanese Yen (JPY). Languages spoken in Japan include Japanese.
What is the dialling code for Japan?
The international dialling code for Japan is +81.
Which airport should I fly into for Narita?
Narita International Airport (NRT) is the airport we list for Narita.
How far is Narita from the nearest airport?
Narita is about 60 km from Tokyo Haneda Airport.
Do I need a visa to visit Japan?
It depends on your passport. Among the origins we track, travellers from United Kingdom and United States currently enter Japan visa-free for tourism. Use the entry requirements tool to check your own nationality and purpose of travel.
Flying out of Narita? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.