Ubara Beach
Sawara Historical Townscape
Oyama Senmaida Terraced Rice Paddies
Isumi Railway
Forest Adventure, Chiba City
Next to Tokyo & Home of Narita Airport
Visit Chiba is the official sightseeing, tourism, and tourist attraction information website of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Chiba is the home of Narita International Airport and is conveniently located next to Tokyo on a peninsula along Japan’s Pacific coast. Chiba's extensive train and highway bus networks allow visitors to access the rich nature, hidden countryside gems, historic districts, local temples and shrines, seaside hot spring resorts, and world-famous surf breaks found here near Tokyo. Experience Japanese food culture and enjoy fresh seafood too, as Chiba’s mild climate and unique geography make it a hub of agriculture and fishing. We hope to see you soon!
Even if you’re a first-time visitor to Japan, you can plan your travel itinerary like a pro by doing a... (Read more)
Just across the bay from Tokyo, you’ll find a mountain ridge with a peculiar shape. It looks to ... (Read more)
About Chiba: Chiba Prefecture is located just to the east of Tokyo, the capital of Japan. Chiba is mos... (Read more)
Which airport will you use coming to Tokyo?
Tokyo has two international airports for visitors: Narita and Haneda. Narita International Airport is ... (Read more)
About Narita Airport
Narita International Airport is Japan’s gateway to the world, receiving the nation’s largest number of... (Read more)
Hotels near Narita: Make Narita your easy destination
Narita International Airport is Japan’s primary gateway to the world, and the need for a hotel nearby ... (Read more)
Narita to Tokyo: 3 ways to go
There are a few options for getting to Tokyo once you touch down at Narita International Airport: You ... (Read more)
Traveling around Chiba by train
Japan’s public transportation system is very well developed and operated, especially the railroad netw... (Read more)
Sawara’s Summer Spectacle | The 2025 Sawara Grand Summer Festival: July 11, 12 & 13
Enjoy an experience steeped in history and tradition at the upcoming Sawara Grand Summer Festival! If you’re in the Tokyo or Narita areas this upcoming July 11 – 13, you can come witness the festivities by taking a trip to JR Sawara Station.
This festival has taken place for over 300 years here in the historic town of Sawara. It’s most known for its massive wooden floats, called ‘dashi,’ which make their way through the town’s districts transporting sculptures of famous figures in Japanese history and folklore: samurai generals, gods and goddesses, animals, and more. Traditional music and dance performances add to the atmosphere here, helping earn this festival status as a designated UNESCO “Intangible Cultural Heritage.”
The floats will be paraded around Sawara on all three days of the festival, with the festivities lasting well into the evening. We recommend coming in the evening to see the festival at its liveliest.
If you can’t make it this time, there’s another chance to check out the Sawara Grand Festival in October.
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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 #JapaneseCulture #Sawara #佐原の大祭 #佐原の大祭夏祭り #SummerFestival #夏祭り
Meet Ota-san, the 4th generation marker of Boshu Fans (Boshu Uchiwa 房州うちわ) and the only nationally certified artisan of this traditional craft. It takes a 21-step process to make these, each its own original work made from a single stalk of medake bamboo. On July 3-6 Ota-san will be at the Japan Expo Paris where you can buy these fans, and before she left for France she spoke with us.
@uchiwa_otaya_fr
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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 #JapaneseCulture #Handmade #Crafts #Tradition #JE2025 #JapanExpo #JapanExpo2025 #JapanExpoAmazing
✈️ The 2025 Narita Gion Festival – Just Minutes from Narita Airport – July 4, 5 & 6 ✈️
We’d argue that this is Japan’s easiest-to-access summer festival for international travelers, as much of it takes place just outside JR Narita and Keisei Narita stations, just a short train ride from Narita International Airport. That makes it possible to catch a glimpse of the festivities, whether you are on your way to or from the airport, or even perhaps during a long layover. Of course, Narita also makes a great day-trip option for those staying in Tokyo too.
Throughout the Narita Gion Festival, ten traditionally decorated dashi floats and one mikoshi portable shrine are paraded around town and down the Omotesando, a charming street lined with restaurants and shops that leads from Narita Station to the over-1,000-year-old Naritasan Shinsho-ji Temple. Traditional music and dance performances add to the atmosphere here, and the excitement builds during the day until the fervor peaks at nighttime when the dashi are beautifully lit up from about 7:00 PM each evening.
Friday, July 4th: Ceremonies start in the afternoon (from 1:30 PM) in front of Naritasan Shinsho-ji Temple. The dashi floats are then paraded down the Omotesando road and around town into the late evening, until around 9:00 PM.
Saturday, July 5th: Ceremonies start at 9:00 AM in front of JR Narita Station. The dashi floats are then paraded down the Omotesando road and around town throughout the day and into the late evening, until around 9:00 PM.
Sunday, July 6th: The dashi floats are paraded around town in the morning and then down the Omotesando road from 1:00 PM. The closing ceremony takes place from 5:00 PM at Naritasan Shinsho-ji Temple, followed by a final dashi light-up that goes until the late evening, until around 10:00 PM.
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#Chiba #ChibaPrefecture #VisitChiba #ChibaJapan #千葉 #千葉県 #NearTokyo #Japan #VisitJapan #Travel #Trip #Festival #Matsuri #祭り #Narita #成田 #NaritaAirport #NaritaGionFestival #成田祇園祭 #JapaneseCulture
🪷 The World’s Oldest Lotus Flower
Locals claim that this city in Japan is home to the world’s oldest lotus flower. In the 1950’s botanist Dr. Oga and his team discovered ancient lotus seeds on an archeological site here in Chiba, determined to be about 2,000 years old. Dr. Oga was successfully able to grow lotus plants from one of these seeds, and thus the flower was named after him. The Oga Lotus was shared with cities all across Japan, but you can see it in its home city at Chiba Park. The flowers open in the morning during about a three-day period, closing-up each day by around noon. The 2025 Oga Lotus Festival is scheduled to take place this year from June 21 to June 29.
For more information about Chiba City from their Coordinator for International Relations, please check out: @chibacitycir
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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 #Flower #Lotus #ChibaPark #千葉公園 #大賀ハス
The Heavenly Hillsides of the Hattori Hydrangea House
Hydrangea, or ‘ajisai’ as they are known in Japanese, are a symbol of the rainy season in Japan. Here in Chiba, the season usually occurs in June, and one of our favorite places to admire the ajisai bloom is along the steep hillsides of the Hattori Hydrangea House in Mobara City. The Hattori family has been cultivating these slopes for decades, resulting in a stunning and colorful display that usually lasts through early July. Visitors can enjoy the beautiful views along the hillside pathways and help support the local community too, as fresh Chiba produce can be purchased and enjoyed here.
Open from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM during June through the beginning of July.
Entrance: 600 yen for adults and 300 yen for elementary school aged children.
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 #Hydrangea #Ajisai #紫陽花 #Mobara #茂原
A Hidden Hydrangea Temple, Located Just Outside Tokyo!
The estimated 50,000 hydrangeas have started to bloom here at Hondo-ji Temple. Found in the city of Matsudo, which borders Tokyo, Hondo-ji is a bit of a hidden gem, but at about a 10-minute walk from Kita-Kogane Station on the JR Joban Line, it’s also an easily accessible destination. The temple itself has over 740 years of history, having been founded as one of the major Buddhist temples of the Kamakura period.
A water garden of irises also blooms here during June, letting you enjoy two stunning flower displays side-by-side on the temple grounds. The natural beauty isn’t limited to just early summer, as the scenery found here attracts visitors year-round, from the cherry blossoms in early spring to the red maple and yellow ginkgo leaves of fall. If you’re in Tokyo and in search of some scenery and serenity, just hop across the border to Chiba’s Matsudo City and take a trip to Hondo-ji Temple!
Photos from previous 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 #FlowerTemple #Hydrangea #Ajisai #紫陽花 #Matsudo #松戸
✈️ This is all you need to know about historic Naritasan, which is just a short train ride from Narita International Airport. Naritasan Shinsho-ji Temple is one of Japan’s most venerated temples, boasting over 1,000 years of history. Behind the temple grounds is Naritasan Park, which hosts seasonal events and offers quintessential Japanese natural scenery all year round. The area is accessible via the Omotesando temple road, which starts from Narita Station. The local specialty is unagi eel dishes, but you can also enjoy a variety of treats along the road, like rice crackers, dango mochi, matcha and Japanese desserts. Activities like kimono rentals and sake tasting are also on offer here, plus tons of souvenir shopping.
Appearing in this video is our “Check Out Chiba” tourist information guide. Please see the link in our bio to download it as a PDF.
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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 #Narita #成田 #成田山 #History #Culture #NaritaAirport #成田空港
Most tourists don’t know about all the natural scenery you can find right next to Tokyo here in Chiba. Greenery is abundant on this land named “thousand” (千) “leaves” (葉), which sits on a peninsula surrounded by stunning seaside sights. So, if you’d like to explore the Japanese countryside and experience the thrills of coastal Japan when you visit Tokyo, come check out Chiba!
Video spot list:
:01 - Kominato Railway
:03 - Ever Green Horse Garden
:05 - Mt. Iyogatake
:11 - Oyama Senmaida
:14 - Ito Shark Scramble
:17 - Seafari Japan
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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 #Nature #Countryside #Seaside
