Narita Airport Layover Guide: Visit Naritasan Temple (10 Mins Away)

Do you have a long layover (3+ hours) at Narita Airport? Don’t spend it sitting on a bench!

Just 10 minutes by train from the airport lies one of Japan’s most famous and historical temples: Naritasan Shinshoji Temple (成田山新勝寺).

Here is a quick guide on how to turn your boring wait into a mini Japanese adventure.

Step 1: Store Your Luggage

First, leave your heavy suitcases at the airport! There are many Coin Lockers and Baggage Storage Counters at Narita Airport terminals. Exploring the temple with a huge suitcase is very difficult because of the stairs and slopes. Travel hands-free!

Step 2: Take the Train (10 Mins)

Go to the basement floor of the airport and take the train.

Line: Keisei Line (Main Line) or JR Line
Destination: “Keisei Narita Station” or “JR Narita Station”
Time: Approx. 10 minutes
Cost: Approx. 270 yen

Both stations are located right next to each other. Once you exit the station, you will see the entrance to the “Omotesando” (Main Street).

Step 3: Walk the “Omotesando” Street

The walk from the station to the temple takes about 15-20 minutes, but this street is part of the fun! It is lined with traditional wooden buildings, souvenir shops, and restaurants.

A Japanese chef grilling Unagi (freshwater eel) over charcoal at a restaurant along Narita Omotesando street — The appetizing smell of charcoal-grilled eel fills the street. Watching the master chefs at work is part of the experience!

Must-Eat Gourmet: Famous “Narita Unagi” (Grilled Eel)

As you walk down the Omotesando street, you will smell something delicious. It is Unagi (Grilled Freshwater Eel), the soul food of Narita.

In the past, pilgrims visiting the temple ate Unagi to gain energy for their long journey. Today, it is a luxury delicacy that you must try!

The Spectacle: Many restaurants grill the eel right in front of the shop. You can watch the chefs skillfully filleting and grilling the eel over charcoal. It makes for a great video!
The Taste: The eel is dipped in a sweet soy-based sauce and served over rice (Unaju). It is soft, fluffy, and incredibly tasty.
Price: A standard set costs around ¥3,000 to ¥5,000. It’s not cheap, but it is worth every yen.

💡 Pro Tip: How to Skip the Line Popular shops like “Kawatoyo” are extremely busy.

Go to the shop FIRST and get a numbered ticket.

Visit the temple while you wait for your number.

Check the wait time online (many shops have a QR code system) and come back to eat!

Step 4: Visit the Temple (Naritasan Shinshoji)

This temple has over 1,000 years of history. The grounds are huge and beautiful.

💡 Important: It’s a Temple, Not a Shrine!

Japan has “Shrines” and “Temples.” Naritasan is a Temple (Tera). Do not clap your hands here!

Comparison illustration showing the visual difference between a Japanese Shrine (Jinja) with a red Torii gate and a Buddhist Temple (Tera) with a traditional wooden gate and pagoda

How to Pray at a Temple:

Bow once before the gate.

Put money in the box (Saisen).

Put your hands together quietly (Gassho). NO CLAPPING!

Pray.

Bow once before leaving.

Illustration of a man praying at a Japanese Buddhist temple with hands pressed together (Gassho), without clapping

Try “Omikuji” (Fortune Telling)

While you are there, try your luck! If you get a “Bad Fortune” (Kyo), remember the rule:

Illustration of Omikuji (fortune slips) tied to a wire rack at a Japanese shrine. Numerous white paper strips are knotted onto the rack, representing the custom of leaving 'Bad Luck' (Kyo) fortunes behind.

Tie the bad fortune to the designated rack to leave the bad luck behind. If you get a Good Fortune, take it home!

Make a Wish with “Ema”

Write your wish on a wooden plaque called an Ema.

Wooden Ema plaques (wishing plates) hanging at a Japanese Shinto shrine, with a visitor hanging up their handwritten wish — You can purchase these Ema plaques at the shrine office (around ¥500 – ¥1,000).

Get a “Goshuin” Souvenir

If you have a Goshuin-cho (Stamp book), you can get a beautiful handwritten stamp here.

A Shinto priest writing handwritten calligraphy and pressing a red stamp (Goshuin) into a visitor's Goshuin-cho book — You need a special book called “Goshuin-cho” to collect these stamps. Please don’t ask them to write in your regular notebook or on loose paper!

Step 5: Head Back to the Airport

Be careful not to miss your flight! We recommend arriving back at the airport at least 2 hours before your international flight departure.

Train: JR Narita or Keisei Narita Station -> Narita Airport
Time: 10 minutes

Enjoy your short trip to Japan!

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Long Layover at Narita? Visit Naritasan Shinshoji Temple (Just 10 mins away!)