Naritasan Shinshoji Temple

Most travelers rush past Narita on the way to or from the airport, never realizing that one of the great temple complexes of the Kanto region sits ten minutes away. Naritasan Shinshoji, founded in the year 940, is a sprawling, living temple that makes a perfect bookend to a trip to Japan.

Why It’s Interesting

The grounds are big enough to wander for hours: a soaring pagoda, a grand main hall where monks perform dramatic goma fire rituals several times a day, halls and gates layered up the hillside, and a peaceful park behind. Out front, the Omotesando approach is lined with old shops and restaurants famous for unagi — grilled eel — the local specialty, fanned over charcoal in the doorways. Incense and eel smoke: the smell of arrival.

Best Time to Visit

Year-round. New Year draws one of the largest temple-visit crowds in Japan; autumn paints the rear park in color.

Getting There

A short walk from the Narita stations, and astonishingly close to the airport — the easiest grand temple in Japan to slot into a travel day.