Naritasan in Autumn: Beauty Seen Through the Lens

Currently, when traveling to Tokyo, Japan, most people arrive at Narita Airport.

Upon arrival, travelers typically transfer to buses or trains for onward travel to Tokyo's city center for sightseeing.

After returning to the plane, they flew back home and wanted to spend as much time as possible in Tokyo.

Narita is often overlooked as a stopover city.

This small town, often overlooked by travelers, actually boasts some impressive tourist attractions. Let's take a look.

Naritasan Shinshoji Temple (成田山新勝寺)

Narita-san Temple is a significant temple in Narita City, Chiba Prefecture, located a short distance from the airport. This ancient temple boasts over a thousand years of history and features diverse architectural styles from various eras.

Embark on a journey.

Upon exiting the train or bus station, you'll be greeted by a bustling street lined with diverse shops on both sides. These include souvenir shops, restaurants, and dessert vendors, offering a mix of traditional and modern options. Be mindful of your belongings as you navigate through the vibrant marketplace, as the temptation to shop might leave you with an empty wallet before reaching the temple.

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Narita is famous for its eel, as evidenced by the numerous eel graphics displayed throughout the city.

Several eel restaurants are located near the temple.

The process is demonstrated live in front of the shop. The frogs are caught alive from a tank, slaughtered immediately, and their heads are pinned to a chopping board with a knife.

Seared, sliced, skewered, and grilled to smoky perfection. I originally intended to eat it.

Upon witnessing the gruesome slaughter, a sense of horror overwhelmed me, prompting a change of heart. I decided to visit the temple instead.

The man was so shocked that he stopped eating eel for a long time. It was hilarious.

(I didn't take a picture because I'm a softhearted human.)

Finally, we arrived at the temple.

Upon arriving at the temple, we were greeted by a magnificent grand entrance gate, far exceeding our expectations. Initially, we had assumed it to be a simple rural temple, but its beauty surpassed even the temples of Tokyo. Passing through the entrance, we encountered a water basin with a dragon head spouting water, adding a touch of elegance to the scene.

Next is the red lantern pavilion, which I think looks quite magical. The red lanterns here have beautiful details. The base is made of carved wood, and the main structure of the pavilion is made of exposed wood, giving it a more aged feel than the painted ones.

Upon entering the inner sanctum, visitors are greeted by a collection of stunning structures. A popular attraction is the incense smoke pavilion, where devotees waft the fragrant smoke towards themselves for good fortune, akin to the sprinkling of holy water. The air is thick with the intoxicating aroma of incense.

The pagoda is adorned with intricate and beautiful patterns.

There is a corner for writing wish plaques, and many Thai people have written their wishes there. It's fun to read the wishes of the locals. Perhaps because they are in a foreign country, they write very intensely, making full and unrestrained requests. It's funny...

The path then led into a garden that felt like stepping into a lush forest. It was incredible how the atmosphere changed so drastically in such a short distance.

The autumn foliage here is breathtakingly beautiful, rivaling any other location I've visited. The allure of Japan's changing leaves lies in their diversity, with vibrant reds, yellows, and greens coexisting harmoniously within the same scene.

Upon exiting the forest path, a vast open pond emerges. A pavilion in the center of the pond features musicians playing slow, relaxing melodies. Despite the crowd, the atmosphere remains tranquil and unhurried. Japanese visitors gather by the water's edge to enjoy the music.

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Walking around the pond, you will find the exhibition building. Inside, there is an exhibition about Japanese characters. After the exhibition, you can walk around and see the red leaves from different angles. Each angle has a different atmosphere, so you won't get bored.

Afterward, they slowly walked around and exited the temple, continuing to admire the various sections.

As I exit the temple, I notice scattered souvenir shops. I purchase a pair of fox-themed keepsakes as a memento. Continuing my stroll, I am enveloped by the tranquil ambiance of the houses surrounding the temple.

We finally returned to the road we entered from and went back to the bus station to continue our journey to another destination.

If you are passing through Narita, take two hours to explore the area. You will find that it has much more to offer than just a stopover.

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