The city that Tokyo’s most well known airport is named after doesn’t really come across as a destination by itself. For most visitors, it is just a transiting point for another flight, or a getting off point to get into Tokyo. I had a chance to visit this city when I had to layover for a night during my visit to Hokkaido. I found that it is an interesting place to visit without the crowds and exuding its own small city charm.
We were put up at one of the airport hotels and we took a bus into Narita. It is a pretty small city by Tokyo standards and the main attractions are the shopping street, Omotesandō (表参道), and Naritasan Temple.
The main gate leading into Naritasan Temple.
After visiting the temple, we walked back to the bus station. Along the way through Omotesandō we also looked for a restaurant to have lunch and satisfy our hunger pangs. Well, we found this seemingly popular Unagi restaurant along the street. Unagi is Japanese freshwater eel which is marinated and grilled, and usually served with rice.
If you have to layover in Narita for a night then the city is worth a short visit. Not too much to occupy your time compared to Tokyo but the small town charm is there, without the hustle and bustle of crowds.
Beyond the Little Red Dot 