Autumn Colors at the Naritasan Shinshō-ji Temple

Tourists and new comers to Japan head out to Kyoto when we mention the word “Autumn”. I did too, but then I started discovering beautiful spots around Tokyo like Nikko, Okutama area etc. In 2003, I remember, I was told by a friend that the Narita Temple near the international airport also was a beautiful spot to visit for Autumn colors. Walking through some shopping lanes you will be guided to this main gate of the temple which was quite pleasant on an autumn morning.
Narita Temple Autumn Colors (Narita san in Chiba)I went to the Narita City and learned that Naritasan Shinshoji Temple is a quite OLD temple, one founded way back in 940!!! Wonder if anybody would have noted its existence if the Japanese government had not built an international airport in the 1960’s here. Just look at the beautiful colors and the backdrop of the shrine. What you see in Kyoto is no different colors and Narita san has been my favorite spot since my first visit here.Narita Temple Autumn Colors (Narita san in Chiba)Access wise, you can get down at Narita Station the one before you go to the Airport, or from the airport you can take the Keisei line which runs from both terminals to Narita Station for ¥250 yen to Narita Town. Narita City operates its own tourist bus from the airport. Location of the Naritasan Temple :
I had no expectations in my first visit to Narita and the autumn colors and the beautiful temples in the vicinity was kind of a “discovery” that year. The lions on guard at the entrance of the shrine.. There is also a pond with many turtles in these in the days of summer basking in the sun.
Narita Temple Autumn Colors (Narita san in Chiba)The temple complex is quite wide and has a forest running all around with autumn color leaves which you can enjoy. It is amazing to know that a word class international airport (one of the busy airport) is just in the vicinity.
Narita Temple Autumn Colors (Narita san in Chiba)It took nearly three hours to go round the temple complex, with a visit to the main shrine, going around the woods, visiting the pond and taking strolls in the backside gardens with fountains. All the area was in beautiful colors (visit mid November, the best time of the year) DSC00840Beautiful water streams with the fall leaves on top of a stone gathering moss. No airplane noise in this neighborhood and real bliss. Kyoto Autumn is beautiful, but if you need a quick escape and experience you can even plan one during your transit from the airport due to the proximity of the Narita san to the airport.Narita Temple Autumn Colors (Narita san in Chiba)Autumn leaves float on a water used to wash hands while entering the temple.Narita Temple Autumn Colors (Narita san in Chiba)The road to walk on was completely strewn by the leaves all around and the cracking noise of the dry leaves with no heavy crowds like in Kyoto is an additional benefit you can get from such offbeat locations. Narita Temple Autumn Colors (Narita san in Chiba)We had lunch at an Indian restaurant here. I met a cabin attendant on a British Airways flight last summer and he said that all the British Airways crew usually have their food here when they travel to Japan and stay in close vicinity of the airport. WOW didn’t know that one… Waited until the evening dusk and the returned back home without burning a hole in my pocket as Kyoto does the moment you get onto a bullet train. The shrine at night was shining with the floodlights and the full moon which was there in the sky by coincidence that day. Narita Temple Autumn Colors (Narita san in Chiba)

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