ABBATravel: Narita - To Do/Eat - Narita 'Resting Holiday' More than a transit stop.

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Narita - To Do/Eat - Narita 'Resting Holiday' More than a transit stop.

Narita - To Stay
Narita - To Do
Narita - To Eat

Japan Narita - To Do/Eat
A complete guide to transiting via Narita Airport.
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Day 1
13Jan2020
Arrival SQ638
2355hrs arrival 0800hrs

Lunch at all time favorite value for money Chio Si Ma R. (Click here for full write up)
as well as stocking up of supplies from Aeon mall!

Click here for Aeon Mall

Chio Si Ma R. (Click here for full write up)

*33Plates!*
Maruge Ramen
located 10mins from Garden Hotel
Recommended by others

Maruge Ramen

Ordred On:
13Jan2020
Tsukimen and Ramen

Food 3/5
Value 3.5/5
Service 3.5/5
Ambience 3.5/5

Best Tsukimen experience is still at Kamokin in Osaka. The Thick dipping broth here quickly lost its heat and became quite unpleasant towards the end. However the standard fare Ramen kept its heat well and flavors were great. Fried chicken and Gyoza were pretty much standard fare.
Click here for location of Maruge Ramen

Day2
Narita Village Main walking street

Click here for more write up for Narita Village
Surugaya
*Supposedly even better than Kawatoyo located up the hill. We came here as there was a 30-40min wait in between for Kawatoyo*

Wait time was supposed to be 2hours as opposed to 30mins wait at Kawatoyo, but we were lucky to get instant seating as we had little children with us.

*Wait time of 2hours on a weekday at around 12noon*

Click here for Surugaya

Ordered On:
14Jan2020

Food 4/5
Serice 3.5/5
Value 3/5
Ambience 3/5

Verdict. Kawatoyo still wins out. The flavors are very similar, but Kawatoyo's got a deeper char and just something about it makes it just better. Try both to decide for yourself which is the best. However, personally, Ichibiki in Nagoya wins out but value and damn good flavor.

Click here for ABBA location of Surugaya

Kawatoyo

All in all, Kawatoyo wins out for its wait time, value and that little extra with its 100year old unagi essence sauce and the char. Watching the eels being processed, one can really see the difference between the old master and the younger master at Surugaya.

Dinner at Tonzen, the best Pork cutlet in the entire network so far.

Click here for full review of Kawatoyo, oldest and one of the top 100 Unagi Joints in Chiba district.

Click here for sister outlet of Kawatoyo Bekkan in a more picturesque setting located just outside of the village.

Click here for more write up of Narita Village

Click here for general area of Nartia Village

Day 3
Day Trip out to Sarawa
15Jan2020

Sawara is a small water township from the edo era and is 30mins train ride from Narita station. *Note that the train isn't regular and comes every hour. Some research on departure time would be needed to minimize wait times.*

Getting there is relatively simple. Its bout 500plus yen per way from Narita station. Take note that its a regular service that goes once every hour or so. From Sarawa station its pretty much a short walk to the main river and mini township which specializes in edo era buildings as well as local sweet potato desserts.

Lunch at Eel restaurant
麻生屋本橋元店

麻生屋本橋元店

Food 3.5/5
Serice 3.5/5
Value 3/5
Ambience 3.5/5

Pretty good. But of course the ones in the village still wins out. We basically hid in here to stay out of the wet weather.

Local toys.

Part two at Narita Temple and Garden

Click here for ABBA Location Sawara, 30mins from Narita Station.

Dinner at Edokko Sushi

*Just went there so that family could have the experience of Edokko "So called mother of all sushi". Personally I have since stop going there or its over priced and not really value or super fresh sushi. Service is difficult with the minimal english communication. Orders still can be easily made via pictures. Their huge toasted egg omelets are still the gold standard, but the rest, I would pass on.*

Day 4
16Jan2020
Day Trip out to end Aviation Museum

The place is a 25min bus ride from Garden Hotel. Bus stop is located up the hill in front of the Christmas hotel. Again buses are far and few and come maybe once to twice every hour. The same bus service also brings you to Sakura park whcih offers great views for Takeoff end of RWY34L/16R Arrival. You can only see 34L Touchdowns which are far and few from the observatory. Mostly 380 and 744s.

A pretty small museum but its got its star points.
Entry is 700yen for adults. Only one of the airplanes outside was interactive. There's a decent simulator experience as well as a great panoramic view from the observation deck and dining hall.