ExperienceTokyo.Net - Narita Temple

Airports are "transits", Not "destinations", right?

Narita is where you land. Its the airport. You only see Narita when you get down from your flight and then head out back. Rest of the time tourists and new comers to Japan head out to Kyoto when, say for example someone mentions the word “Autumn”. I did that too, Autumn in Tokyo meant Nikko, Okutama area etc. In 2002, I remember, I was told by a friend that the Narita Temple near the international airport also was a beautiful spot to visit for Autumn colors. Am like "huh?, the airport?" and he doubled down on that fact that I should go visit once. Not believing him I did some fact finding online on my dial up connection for the Narita Temple website in 2001. See the below site screenshot (2001, its 18 years OLD) from Naritasan Shinshoji Temple which is still in my photos collection!! Reminds me that what an oldie I am. Update : Its 25 years now in 2026 since I first went there.

Naritasan Shinshoji Temple - Website Photo from 2001!!!!

Walking through some shopping lanes you will be guided to this main gate of the temple which was quite pleasant on an autumn morning.

I went to the Narita City and learned that Naritasan Shinshoji Temple is a quite OLD temple, one founded way back in 940!!! Wonder if anybody would have noted its existence if the Japanese government had not built an international airport in the 1960’s here. Just look at the beautiful colors and the backdrop of the shrine. What you see in Kyoto is no different colors and Narita san has been my favorite spot since my first visit here.Access wise, you can get down at Narita Station the one before you go to the Airport, or from the airport you can take the Keisei line which runs from both terminals to Narita Station for ¥250 yen to Narita Town. Narita City operates its own tourist bus from the airport. Location of the Naritasan Temple :

I had no expectations in my first visit to Narita and the autumn colors and the beautiful temples in the vicinity was kind of a “discovery” that year. The lions on guard at the entrance of the shrine.. There is also a pond with many turtles in these in the days of summer basking in the sun.

The temple complex is quite wide and has a forest running all around with autumn color leaves which you can enjoy. It is amazing to know that a word class international airport (one of the busy airport) is just in the vicinity.

It took nearly three hours to go round the temple complex, with a visit to the main shrine, going around the woods, visiting the pond and taking strolls in the backside gardens with fountains. All the area was in beautiful colors (visit mid November, the best time of the year) Beautiful water streams with the fall leaves on top of a stone gathering moss. No airplane noise in this neighborhood and real bliss. Kyoto Autumn is beautiful, but if you need a quick escape and experience you can even plan one during your transit from the airport due to the proximity of the Narita san to the airport.Autumn leaves float on a water used to wash hands while entering the temple.The road to walk on was completely strewn by the leaves all around and the cracking noise of the dry leaves with no heavy crowds like in Kyoto is an additional benefit you can get from such offbeat locations. We had lunch at an Indian restaurant here. I met a cabin attendant on a British Airways flight last summer and he said that all the British Airways crew usually have their food here when they travel to Japan and stay in close vicinity of the airport. WOW didn’t know that one… Waited until the evening dusk and the returned back home without burning a hole in my pocket as Kyoto does the moment you get onto a bullet train. The shrine at night was shining with the floodlights and the full moon which was there in the sky by coincidence that day.

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