Narita (成田市, Narita-shi) is a city in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of 30 November 2020, the city had an estimated population of 131,852 in 63,098 households and a population density of 620 persons per km². The total area of the city is 213.84 square kilometres (82.56 sq mi). It is the site of Narita International Airport, one of the two main international airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area.
Many shops on the main street sell unagi (うなぎ) broiled eel in a sweet sauce. It can be expensive for a standard plate (unaju (うな重), layered on rice, is ¥1500) but it is quite tasty. Look for the guys cleaning and chopping the eels right by the street-side.
Another great option is takoyaki (たこ焼き), or fried octopus balls. These are popular on the go treats, going for ¥360 for ten small takoyaki. Order zenbu (全部) to get all the toppings. There is a stand right by the Keisei line station main exit (left as you are leaving). Look for the little cartoon octopus pulling a cart of fried balls.
Don't forget to get a hot and sweet dorayaki (どら焼き), or sweet red bean pancake from a little shop across the main street.
If you are going into Narita, make sure to get some Japanese yen (¥) as most places will not take foreign currency. The 7-Eleven outside of the west gate of JR Narita station takes foreign cards 24 hours a day (except Mastercard, Maestro and Cirrus), and there is also a post office with ATM a few blocks down the street from the am/pm store. For those with UnionPay or Discover cards, the Mitsubishi-UFJ ATMs located on the second floor of terminal 2 or the departure area of terminal 1 of the airport will probably be more convenient (you must push the "English" button to start; the machine will not recognize any non-Japanese cards in Japanese language mode). Also allow a bit of time for exchanging back leftover currency on departure as this is not something you can do at an ATM! There is a Mizuho Bank dedicated cash exchange machine in the airport, however, it only exchanges in "money packs" and rates are unfavorable.
Besides the AEON mall, there are souvenir stores on the road leading to the temple, as well as a reasonably interesting "100 yen" store — which actually sells items for ¥110 including consumption tax — along the way.
Narita has a lot of hotels in the vicinity and they are often cheaper than hotels in central Tokyo thus it may be worthwhile staying out at the airport on your first/last night. If you want to get a cheap rate, however, do book in advance as rates and availability for walk up customers are highly variable.
= The main airport for Narita is, of course, Narita Airport. The easiest way into Narita city from the airport is to take the Keisei Line service which leaves every 20 minutes. The fare is ¥250 and the ride takes about ten minutes. Local buses are available for use from the train station. Do not take train services from the airport labeled as “Narita Sky Access Line", as they do not go to Narita City. Also note that in order to access the Main Line platforms where trains to Narita depart from, you must go through a second ticket gate.
A direct taxi ride from the airport to Narita city costs approximately ¥3500; it will be cheaper if you go into town by train, and then take a taxi from there.
Local buses also run directly from the airport to some of the city's main attractions.
Once you have arrived in the center of town, local buses are available for use. Some destinations, on the other hand (like the temple) are easily reached by walking.
Buses operated by Narita Kuko Kotsu are mainly useful for accessing the Aviation Museum and industrial areas around the airport. Fares for this line range from ¥150 to ¥420 depending on distance.
Take your passport with you for re-entry to the airport.
Narita town is very charming with lots of quaint winding old streets lined with old wooden shops. The pace of life here is dramatically different to that of nearby Tokyo and is very relaxed. Naritasan is one of the most-visited temples in Japan. Its major annual festivals, with parades and traditional performances, give you a glimpse into a historical Japan. The city is a major congregation point for airline staff too so you can take it that most of the foreigners in town are air crew. This means there's a bit more to Narita's nightlife than may seem at first in this sleepy town.
