Chiba Prefecture

Lunch at Kinoene Omoya | A Culinary Gem near Narita Airport

If you’re looking to make the most of your last meal in Japan before your departing flight, Kinoene Omoya is our top recommendation, being just a 20-minute drive from Narita International Airport. The restaurant is found at one of Chiba’s most storied sake breweries, Iinuma Honke, which was founded over four centuries ago, creating an authentic and original way to enjoy the best of Japanese cuisine.

On past trips we visited for dinner, but this time we went to try out the lunchtime menu so we could introduce it to you. We got the ¥3960 lunch served in a Hida Shunkei lacquered bento box, which includes a variety of seasonal ingredients. Our visit was in June, so the early-summer selection was featured. Of course, we also ordered a glass of delicious Kinoene sake.

The renovated building that houses the restaurant is thought to be over 300 years old, and once served as the residence for multiple generations of Iinuma family members. The restaurant’s namesake comes from Kinoene, the brewery’s flagship sake brand, and the Japanese word ‘omoya,’ meaning the main building of a traditional Japanese estate.
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Chiba Prefecture, the home of Narita International Airport, is conveniently located next to Tokyo. Explore Chiba and discover its hidden gems on your next trip to Japan. More information about what to see and do here can be found at visitchiba.jp (link in bio).

#Chiba #ChibaPrefecture #VisitChiba #ChibaJapan #千葉 #千葉県 #NearTokyo #Japan #VisitJapan #Travel #Trip #Dining #Sake #JapaneseCuisine #JapaneseFood

Pretty Petunias and Family Fun at Mother Farm

During summer and until late September, about 20,000 Momoiro Toiki, a type of petunia, create a beautiful pink carpet on the hillsides of @motherfarm_official. That’s not all you’ll find here at this ranch-style theme park in the hills of central Chiba though, as you and your family can also enjoy interacting with animals in a beautiful and expansive natural setting. Visitors also flock here for their delicious dining options and a taste of local dairy products. There will also be family-friendly events taking place this summer, and more information about them can be seen by visiting their website: motherfarm.co.jp (look for the language button to see the page displayed in English)

So, come if you can this summer, or visit any time of year to see the seasonal sights and meet the animal friends that await here at Mother Farm!

Photos from past years
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Chiba Prefecture, the home of Narita International Airport, is conveniently located next to Tokyo. Explore Chiba and discover its hidden gems on your next trip to Japan. More information about what to see and do here can be found at visitchiba.jp (link in bio).

#Chiba #ChibaPrefecture #VisitChiba #ChibaJapan #千葉 #千葉県 #NearTokyo #Japan #VisitJapan #Travel #Trip #Flowers #Summer #Petunia #Farm #FamilyTravel

Yaegaki Shrine Gion Festival
August 4 (Mon.) & 5 (Tue.), 2025

Main Festivities: Tuesday, August 5th from 11:30 PM

The Yaegaki Shrine Gion Festival is a beloved local tradition that takes place every summer in the coastal city of Sosa. During the festivities, each of the city’s neighborhoods parade through the streets carrying their own ‘mikoshi’ portable shrine, accompanied by traditional ‘ohayashi’ musical performers leading the way. Pictured here is one of the distinctive highlights of this festival known as ‘mizu-kake’: the practice of onlookers drenching festival participants with water. The main mizu-kake festivities will take place on August 5.

According to the area’s founding story, the original settlers of current day Sosa City enshrined the deity Susanoo-no-mikoto here in 812. Traditional Shinto rules once forbade women from carrying mikoshi, but because Susanoo-no-mikoto is associated with love and marriage, a novel tradition of having this festival include mikoshi to be only carried by women was established in 1972, providing another layer of excitement and lore to the event. This custom, known as ‘Onna Mikoshi,’ takes place on the evening of August 4.

If you’re here in the Tokyo area during this time, a visit to Sosa to see this spectacle will surely make for a one-of-a-kind travel experience and a unique chance to get a glimpse at the festive spirit of Japan and its people.

Access: JR Sobu Main Line - Yokaichiba Station
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Chiba Prefecture, the home of Narita International Airport, is conveniently located next to Tokyo. Explore Chiba and discover its hidden gems on your next trip to Japan. More information about what to see and do here can be found at visitchiba.jp (link in bio).

#Chiba #ChibaPrefecture #VisitChiba #ChibaJapan #千葉 #千葉県 #NearTokyo #Japan #VisitJapan #Travel #Trip #Festival #祭り #八重垣神社 #GionFestival #匝瑳市 #Sosa

🩴 It’s Summer Beach Season in Chiba, Next to Tokyo 🏖️ Our Recommended Beach Towns: Katsuura and Onjuku

The neighboring beach towns of Katsuura and Onjuku on Chiba’s Pacific coast can be reached from Tokyo Station in under 90 minutes by a limited-express train. This makes the area a great destination for cooling off this summer, whether it’s just for a day, or better yet, a stay at one of the many hotels or inns located here! If you’re ready to escape the sweltering city heat and enjoy some time chilling on the Chiba coast, check out our top recommended beach spots and ocean activities below…

Detailed Information:
https://www.visitchiba.jp/things/summer-beach-guide/
(LINK IN BIO)

Photo 1: Okitsu Beach, Katsuura
Open for swimming in 2025: July 19, 20, 21, 26, 27 | August 1 – 24
Train Access: 5-minute walk from JR Kazusa-Okitsu Station

Photo 2: Moriya Beach, Katsuura
Open for swimming in 2025: July 19, 20, 21, 26, 27 | August 1 – 24
Train Access: 15-minute walk from JR Kazusa-Okitsu Station

Photo 3: Onjuku Central (Chuo) Beach, Onjuku
Open for swimming in 2025: July 18 – August 24
Train Access: 10-minute walk from JR Onjuku Station

Photo 4: Ubara Beach, Katsuura
Open for swimming in 2025: July 19, 20, 21, 26, 27 | August 1 – 24
Train Access: 10-minute walk from JR Ubara Station

Photo 5: Seafari Japan boat tours, Katsuura
@seafarijapan @japansurf

Photo 6: Malibu Point SUP tours, Katsuura
@malibu_point_english @malibu_point
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Chiba Prefecture, the home of Narita International Airport, is conveniently located next to Tokyo. Explore Chiba and discover its hidden gems on your next trip to Japan. More information about what to see and do here can be found at visitchiba.jp (link in bio).

#Chiba #ChibaPrefecture #VisitChiba #ChibaJapan #千葉 #千葉県 #NearTokyo #Japan #VisitJapan #Travel #Trip #Beach #Ocean #Summer #Tour