Apa Hotel Keisei Narita Ekimae

Craigy Trees & Flapping Birds at Naritasan Temple

by Wild_Orchid

Gnarled and Craigy Trees
When you visit the Naritasan temple at Narita, you will come across some beautiful craigy trees that look typically Japanese, rather like Bonsai. Take a photo of them in the evenings when the sunshine sparkles through their branches and you will appreciate their shapes even more.

Turtles and Pigeons
In the temple grounds, there was a pond where turtles lived. There were also birds a flutter there and I managed to snap a picture just when the bird flapped its wings. Have a look at the picture, the blur of movement you see is the bird taking off. The next picture shows the bird resting on the ledge. Although there are many beautiful trees in the world, I have always had a special fondness for those that are found in Japan. Set as they are near ancient temples and shrines, with the unique architecture that is unmistakably Japanese, I cannot help but admire them with my eyes. Indeed, I have fallen in love with these ancient craigy trees and can imagine just what secrets they may share with me, if only I would care to listen...

Fix your seat allocation at your hotel

by tiabunna

This tip links with the "Hotels" tip. If your connecting flights involve an overnight stay (eg from Australia to Europe, the arrival is in the early evening and the departure late next morning), you are given free overnight accommodation in the airline's hotel.

A real benefit of staying in the airline’s hotel is that seat allocation is available from a counter in the foyer. This gets the process out of the way virtually at leisure, meaning that departure becomes simply a matter of catching the (free) shuttle bus to the terminal, going through security, and waiting to go.

Take a stroll around Narita town

by Wild_Orchid

I highly recommend that you take a stroll around Narita town. It is a very quiet and pleasant little town, one that is easy to get around and it is practically impossible to get lost. There are only a few main streets, lined with people's houses, a few shops, numerous restaurants and a few inns/ryokans.

Right in the centre were a few streets (Nishisando, Omotesando and Shinsando Street) meet there was a statue of a lady with a plaque (possibly the Sekitei monument?), but since I can't read Japanese, I can't be sure who the lady is (see pics). There is the Narita Kankokan (Narita Tourist Pavillion) building with a small park across the road. It was in early spring so the the leaves were showing their crimson beauty (see pics).

I was unable to visit the tourist pavillion as it was already closed but I understand that on Thursdays from 10.30 am, they conduct tea ceremonies for visitors. On other days, you may visit to gather information about the region and particularly about the Gion Festival when there are large scale parades being held (VT member dennisKL has pictures on this festival)

Naritasan, 21 September 2006

by SixQ

"The Long Layover Excursion"

Given the choice between a 4-hour layover in Tokyo or an overnight flight from Kuala Lumpar with an 11-hour layover, I once again maximized my vacation time with a quick half day stop in Japan! Not a lot of time, but after landing at 7a, stashing my bag at the airport and buying a train ticket, I was off for a day at the temples of Naritasan!

Once again, I fell for the JR lines instead of the cheaper Keisei trains. JR advertised a cheaper ticket price, but as the conductor explained to me by pointing at a tattered laminated paper with the phrase written in 10 or 12 languages, "The train you are traveling on requires a seat reservation for 1000 yen." Great, only 5 times the cost of the train ticket. There went my lunch money.

So I set off, broke, to the Naritasan temples, just 10 minutes or so from the airport. After misreading the map and being laughed at by some Harijuku-style girls (oops, forgot my hair was braided silly!) I wandered lost up the back gates of the temples.

Kirin Ichiban

by Travler409

"If Only..."

I spent almost six hours in Japan, so I'm counting it as one of my international trips. Also, I had to walk across the tarmac to get to my connecting flight, so I breathed outdoor air, which should qualify Narita as an official stop.