Narita

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'Narita, there is something besides the airport!'


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Narita City

The city of Narita （成田） is located between the Tone River and Lake Imba in the northern part of Chiba Prefecture, where the huge Hokuso Plateau sweeps wide (Narita on google maps). Centered around Narita-san Shinshōji Temple and the Sogo Reido sanctuary, Narita has been a center of prosperity and site of pilgrimage in the region for over 1000 years. Now, approximately 120,000 people live in the city, which is about 213 sq km in area. After the opening of Narita International Airport, Narita has become known as an international cultural city, and 10 millions tourists visit it every year. In March 2006, the city merged with neighboring towns, Shimofusa and Taei, and continues to evolve today.


Websites of Interest:

Places of interest

Narita-san Shinshōji Temple

Founded in 940AD, Narita-san Shinshōji is the Head temple of the Chizan School of JShingon sect of Japanese Buddhism and has 65 affiliate temples throughout Japan. Enshrining a statue of "Fudōmyōō" said made by Kobo Daishi (sometimes known as Kūkai, the Shingon sect's founder) as the main deity, the Fudōmyōō has attracted widespread popularity since the Edo era and is known as "Narita no Ofudōsama." http://www.naritasan.or.jp/english/index.html

The temple is the site of many festivals throughout the year (see events)

Narita-san park and Calligraphy Museum

A large park and garden area located on the hill at the rear of the main buildings at Naritasan Shinshoji Temple,. Surrounding the park's beautiful pond are cherry, plum, maple, and many others kinds of trees, which create a variety of scenery during the four seasons of the year. At the Calligraphy Museum on the park, about 200 outstanding examples of calligraphy are on display, and many more eminent masterpieces are stored.

Narita Tourist Pavilion

Exhibits show various aspects of Japanese tradition and culture, such as the hand-pulled festival floats used in the Narita Gion Festival.

Chiba Prefectural Boso-no-Mura

A large historic park (a.k.a "open air museum") where the streets and the houses of samurai and farmers in the Boso area from the late Edo period to the early Meiji period have been reproduced. Visitors to the park can experience traditional living and learn such traditional crafts as papermaking. Website: http://www.city.narita.chiba.jp/english/welcome/sightseeguide/05_boso_mura.html

More!!!

http://www.nrtk.jp/ht/e/places.html∞ http://www.city.narita.chiba.jp/english/welcome/sightseeguide/index.html∞

Events

A Lot of Good Festivals Throughout the Year

Narita Gion Festival, Narita Taiko Festival, Setsubun, Oshōgatsu, and more.

see: http://www.nrtk.jp/ht/e/events.html for more info on Narita Events!


Bars, Restaurants, etc.

The Barge Inn

The Barge Inn is a traditional 18th century British Pub located on historic Omotesandō Street in the heart of Narita City. It is British designed, built and managed. The Barge Inn offers fine all-day dining, a good selection of domestic and imported beers and wines available. Decorated with imported antiques and candle lit at night, the Barge features a beautiful open terrace, huge welcoming bar, fireplace, buffet dining display, games and dancing areas.

Definite gaijin bar feel, but potentially of the classier, more authentically "just a pub" sort. Lots of different beers on tap. A great place to hang out.

Trivia: It's owned by Virgin - see if you can spot the pun.

Teco Teco

Brazilian Restaurant owned and managed by a Brazilian cook. The word that comes to my mind about this place is "Meat Festival" It is yummy as well as incredibly cheap and the plates are huge!

Easylife Cafe

Everything is made with organic food. Good and healthy, and also, one of the rare vegetarian places in Chiba.

Kawatoyo

On Omotesandō Street, near the temple. The best eel restaurant of the city according to the teachers at my school. Very fresh - the eels are killed in front of you.

Keawjal

A Thai restaurant in Aeon shopping center. Reasonable prices and a lot of choice.


Places NOT to go

NOTE: Opinions represented are those of wiki editors, not necessarily of the site owners.

Kusukusu A small izakaya between the Keisei and the JR stations, in front of the conbini AM/PM offering cheap lunch sets but definitely NOT gaijin friendly. The owner shall not refuse to serve you (because she probably doesn't speak a word of English) but shall be so mean to you that you shall understand pretty quickly that you are not welcome.

Tsuki no ya Opposite the MacDonald, a yakitori place way too expensive for just yakitori.


How to get there

By train

From the airport, the town of Narita is just one stop from Terminal 2 on the Keisei line. From Tokyo, take either the JR Sobu Line bound to Narita from Tokyo Station, the Joban/Narita or Keisei line from Ueno Station. It is possible to change to the Keisei line in Funabashi, Tsudanuma and Toyo Katsutadai using Tokyo Metro's Tozai line. You can also transfer from the Toei Asakusa to Keisei line in Oshiage.


Local Foreign Community

ALT Situation

As of January 2009, there were 4 ALTs at Narita Kokusai - 1 JET, 1 WI-ALT, 2 private.

Airport and Surrounding Business Staff

The airport and surrounding international businesses employ a lot of foreigners. Walking the streets of Narita, you might see so many foreigners that you'll wonder if you are in Tokyo. On the plus side, that means it's a good place to meet people, and a good place to find foreign foods. (Check out the massive Aeon Shopping Center.)

Talking about Foreign Foods

There are two Kaldi Coffee Farm Import shops, one in the AEON Shopping Center, and the other one in the department store Bon Belta http://www.bonbelta.co.jp/dis.php?bshop=B000063&bshop_j=7

The liquor store YAMAYA by the AEON has tons of different alcohols you wouldn't expect to find in Japan (Suze? Ricard?) AND also a lot of import foods (Bounty? Provence Herbs?) http://www.yamaya.jp/pages/store/store/530naritatsuchiya.html

The favorite supermarket of the foreign community in Narita is probably Niku no Hanamasa. Loads of meat (if you want to buy a whole sheep, this is the place you might want to go) but also lots of import foods at reasonable price (cheese in bigger portions, lentils and other peas from Brazil, tons of surgelate food, etc...). http://www.hanamasa.co.jp/stores/s4136.html

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