Half day near Narita Airport ; Riverside SAWARA & Sake Experience

Contents

Overview

If you have half day layover at Narita Airport, historic river town, SAWARA is ideal place to visit by local train. Sawara st. is located about 45 min from Narita air port terminal 1 st, and the tour guide will meet you at Narita airport st. or JR Narita sta. Sawara flourished as an important transportation point of rivers Tone and Ono crossing in Edo era. Still now the town is well preserved retaining nostalgic atmosphere and you can travel back in time to Edo era. The district has been added to Japan Heritage site, and listed in Michelin Green Guide since more and more travelers visit here from overseas. Boat cruise (reservation needed) and rent a bicycle are available on your request. Tokun sake brewery having 190 year history hold Sake brewery tour explaining about how to make and store sake. After brewery tour free sake tasting is available. The shops sell various kinds of sake, sweets, facial lotion mixed with sake and other souvenirs.

What’s Not Included

Transportation fee
Lunch
Rent a Bicycle (500yen/person)
Boat Cruise (1300yen/adult, 700yen/elementary, )

Departure & Return

Departure Point

The Tour Guide will meet you at JR Narita, Narita Airport or Sawara station.

What to Expect

Itinerary

Stop At: Sawara station

Sawara station is designed to be traditional Japanese house in the image of nostalgic riverside town. In front of the station there stands a statue of Tadataka Ino, a legend who made the first map of Japan. You can rent a bicycle at Sawara information center on your request.

Stop At:　Suwa shrine

Go through under a big torii gate and walk up 128 stone steps lined with tall ceder trees to reach the main hall. At the top of the hill small shrines stand surrounded by quiet grove. Many locals visit here on New Year’s days, family events to pray for their good health and happiness. The Autumn festival is held for 3 days of the second Fri.Sat.Sun in Oct, when Japan’s highest figurines (roughly 4 meters) are carried on floats.

Stop At:　Tokun Sake Brewery

Tokun Sake brewery with 190 year’s history have a guided tour about how to make and store Sake in the brewery. The tour guide will translate in English. After tour free sake tasting is available. Shop sells various kinds of sake, sweets & jelly mixed with sake and other souvenirs.

Stop At:　Historic Old Town area in Sawara, Katori

Along the Ono river well preserved traditional old houses and weeping trees are lined in nostalgic Edo atmosphere. The district has been added to Japan Heritage site, and the houses are history museums, craftsman shops, restaurants and other souvenir shops. Baked eel with sweet soy sauce is specialty here in Sawara. Interesting way to see the historic landscape is by Boat (reservation needed, 1300 yen/adult) from where you can experience a different view.