Cherry Blossoms and Airplanes: The Best Places to Visit in Narita

Narita, famous for its hilly, rural landscape, is known to those in the know as a place to appreciate the sakura (cherry blossoms). A wide variety of airplanes flying high over the trees can also be enjoyed. This article is about places which offer views that can only be seen at Narita.

1. Narita City Sakura no Yama

Photo by Charlie Furusho

This is a popular spot to watch the planes taking off or landing, up close. About 500 trees bloom in spring, and when a northerly wind blows, visitors can see the planes taking off into the clear blue sky.

Photo by Charlie Furusho

The site was also used in a filming of a television drama.

Photo by Charlie Furusho

A large number of visitors gather to watch the thrilling collaboration of planes and sakura, which can only be seen at Narita.

Photo by Charlie Furusho

Address: Chiba, Narita, Komaino 1338-1
Access: Ride the Narita Airport Limousine Bus bound for Sakura no Yama, from Terminal 2. It is a 15 minute ride to the Sakura no Yama bus stop.

2. Sanrizuka Sakura no Oka

The site, with about 130 cherry trees, is located on a small hill near Narita Airport Runway A.

Photo by Charlie Furusho

When a southerly wind blows, visitors can see the powerful planes taking off.

Address: Chiba, Narita, Sanrizuka (Goryo Bokujo) 1-722
Access: Ride the JR Bus from JR Narita Station Omotesando Exit (bus stop 1 or 2), bound for Yokaichiba Station. It is a 10 minute walk to the site from Jutaku Iriguchi bus stop.
Admission Fee: Adults 540 yen/Children 270 yen

3. Shibayama Spring Water Village

A plane soaring over the sakura blanket.

This site is a wetland, located on the south side of the runways, with a promenade running through a wide variety of trees, flowers, and aquatic plants. Visitors can take in the view of the waterside sakura, while listening to the frogs croaking.

A Reflection in the Water

Photo by Charlie Furusho

There is a secret spot, deep in the village. The contrast between the sakura by the pond and the plane is striking, and visitors will feel as if they have wandered into a different world.

Photo by Charlie Furusho

Address: Chiba, Sanbu-gun, Shibayama-machi, Iwayama 98
Access: Ride the Keisei Bus Chiba East from Terminal 2. It is a short walk to the site from the Aviation Science Museum bus stop.

4. Narita Airport Observation Deck

Photo by Charlie Furusho

The observation deck at Terminal 1, which is scheduled to be refurbished in April, 2026, offers a panoramic view of Narita, along with the sakura.

Narita and Sakura

Picture courtesy of Narita Airport and Community Historical Museum

With its number of flights, Narita Airport is the busiest facility in Japan. It is a gateway to Japan, rich in nature, offering a different scenery every season. Shimousa Imperial Stock Farm was founded at Sanrizuka, where the airport is now located. People came to the farm to watch the horses, and view the sakura.

Before the airport was built, this tree used to stand in front of a residence. It is a symbol of the history and power that the site possesses. (The photograph was taken on the airport grounds.)

*The location of the tree was confirmed from an aerial photograph, taken in December, 1969.

In Conclusion

As the flight route of the planes change according to the wind direction and the airline's operation status, the sight of a plane and sakura will be different every day. The color of the sky shifts with time, and also by the direction of the wind, so the background will also vary, even if the composition is the same. This is one of the appeals of viewing the sakura at Narita.

Sponsored by NARITA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CORPORATION