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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Narita
成田市
Stay one night in Narita town only if you land late or leave early; otherwise sleep in Tokyo and treat the airport as a transfer.
Narita is a small city 70 km northeast of Tokyo that exists for most travellers as an airport. The town itself has one real sight, the Naritasan Shinshō-ji temple at the end of a 1 km shopping street, plus a cluster of crew bars and hotels that are cheaper than central Tokyo. Two nights is the maximum that makes sense; one is usually enough.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 成田市
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), New Year and Golden Week
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥6,000–10,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥10,000–17,000 excl. bed · High ¥17,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ¥400–700 |
| Unaju (eel on rice) | about ¥1,500 |
| Takoyaki, ten pieces | about ¥360 |
| Ramen with beef or chicken | about ¥1,000 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can at a konbini | ¥500–800 / ¥250–350 |
| Keisei train, airport to Keisei Narita | ¥250 |
| Museum entry (aeronautical science) | ¥700 adults |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NRT · Narita International Airport
- Keisei line to Keisei Narita station, about 10 min, ¥250; taxi about ¥3,500
Typical fares
- NRT → Keisei Narita, Keisei
- ¥250, about 10 min
- NRT → Narita town, taxi
- about ¥3,500
- Keisei Narita → Ueno
- ¥810 commuter, about 60 min
- JR Narita → Tokyo Station
- ¥1,110, about 75 min
Get around
The town centre is walkable: stations to temple is about 1 km along Omote-sandō. Local buses (Narita Kuko Kotsu) cover the airport-side sights, ¥150–420 by distance. Trains: Keisei to the airport every 20 min; JR Sobu Line and the peak-only Narita Express link to Tokyo.The town centre is walkable: stations to temple is about 0.6 mi along Omote-sandō. Local buses (Narita Kuko Kotsu) cover the airport-side sights, ¥150–420 by distance. Trains: Keisei to the airport every 20 min; JR Sobu Line and the peak-only Narita Express link to Tokyo.
See and do
Known for
- Naritasan Shinshō-ji temple
- Omote-sandō approach street
- Narita International Airport
- Unagi (grilled eel) and airport-crew bars
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | Keisei limited express from Keisei Narita to Ueno, or JR Sobu Line to Tokyo Station | About 1 h 15 min |
| Sakura-no-Yama (Cherry Blossom Hill) | Taxi or long walk from the airport side; no bus service | About 30 min by car |
| Museum of Aeronautical Science | Keisei or JR bus from airport terminal stops, about 15 min | About 45 min from town |
| Bōsō no Mura | Drive or bus from nearby stations, 15 min by car from Narita station | About 45 min |
Sleep
- Around Keisei Narita and JR Narita stations
- Hotels, the start of Omote-sandō and the Keisei line to the airport; best for one night with bags.
- Omote-sandō / temple approach
- Guesthouses and small inns on the shopping street; 10–15 min walk from the stations.
- Airport hotels (Narita and Tomisato)
- Shuttle-bus properties for early departures; nothing to walk to.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| This one, please | これをくださいkore o kudasai |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- Keisei trains labelled Sky Access or Access Route serve the airport, not Narita town: check the destination before boarding.
- At Keisei Narita you pass a second ticket gate for the Main Line platforms.
- Carry your passport for airport re-entry.
- Most shops take cash; use the 7-Eleven ATM by JR Narita west gate or airport terminal ATMs for foreign cards.
- Airport hotels sit in industrial areas with no evening walk; eat before you shuttle.
Very safe by any standard; the real risks are missing your flight, summer heat, and drinking too long in the crew bars before an early departure.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Narita yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Naritasan Shinshō-ji temple
- Omote-sandō approach street
- Narita International Airport
- Unagi (grilled eel) and airport-crew bars
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Narita City official site: www.city.narita.chiba.jp/
- Narita Tourist Association: www.nrtk.jp/
- Wikivoyage: Narita, revision 5236883 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5236883
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/narita). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.