Question about Narita, and Narita airport

I have an upcoming layover (5.5 hours) at Narita International Airport. Assuming I am allowed out of the airport, I would like to make a quick trip to Narita the city to check out Omotesando Street (表参道) and Naritasan Shinshoji Temple (成田山 新勝寺).

Two questions:

  1. Any restaurant recommendations for Narita the city?
  2. I believe there are many food shops in Omotesando Street. Any recommendations for food souvenir?
  3. If I can’t get out of the airport, any dining recommendations inside the airport. I will be going from T1 to T2.

Thanks!

This brochure on Narita mentioned “60 eel restaurants lined the 800 metre-long walkway leading to Naritasan”.
Lots of food souvenirs, too, it seems: Narita Sora Anpan, Teppozuke and Yokan.

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You should be able to exit NRT and re-enter without undue hassle. In my opinion, 5.5 hours does not leave much of a window outside the airport. Inbound processing is not overly burdensome. Japan has expedited their previous lockdown process/procedures with a smartphone app. Vist Japan Web. If you plan to exit the airport, this is a must.

If you don’t have an up to date version of this smartphone requirement, you will waste precious
eating time waiting in long snaking lines that check COVID requirement compliance manually.

As I recall, they log your biometrics when you enter the country for the 1st time and exit the airport. Checking back in for your outbound flight should be an easy process (except for security checking). After security, you just go through an automated gate and breeze in.

Have fun on your quick visit. If you decide not to make it out Narita-town, there’s always convenience store egg salad sandos. The curry counters at the airport are delicious (where’s the beef??). Can’t really go wrong with most food outlets in Japan.

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Assuming you are returning to USA. If you don’t already have Global Entry access, for your entire family travelling with you.

The Mobile Passport app. We have entered SFO twice recently (2022) with throngs of hundreds of USA citizens waiting in line for immigration. The mobile pass app is free, and we have used it more than a dozen times since inception.

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and if u have lounge access, the ANA lounges at Narita are quite excellent :slight_smile:

Definitely make sure u do all the paperwork online before landing. If so, it will take u < 15 mins to get out of immigration/customs. This was when my flight landed at Haneda from SFO super early in the morning (4:40 am).

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gihey (T1)

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Japanese street food tour by Narita Airport. Tour of both areas you mentioned.

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I stocked up at the Lawson store at Narita airport, on my way in and out of the Airport! That was my last international flight.

I’m glad I saw part of Japan before March 2020.

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