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I grew up and attended school in Narita, so it’s a place I call my second home. And every time Crystal and I return to visit family, a trip down Narita’s Omotesando (Narita Temple Road), leading to the famous Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, is an absolute must.

This isn't just any street; it's a vibrant tapestry woven with history, dotted with charming little shops ranging from restaurants and cafes to unique artisan and souvenir spots. This temple town hails from the Edo era (1603 - 1868), and its rich past is still wonderfully evident in its architecture and atmosphere.

Here are some of our top picks for must-stop spots on Omotesando:

Japanese Sweets - Miyoshiya Sweets Cafe

386-2 Nakamachi, Narita, Chiba 286-0027, Japan (map)

Miyoshiya is a lovely and charming tea garden tucked away in a quiet, small alleyway along Omotesando. We’ve been here several times, and honestly, we always walk right past it at first because it’s so carefully hidden from view.

Walking through a green tea garden pathway — Pathway to Miyoshiya

Bustling streets of Omotesando Narita — Bustling streets of Omotesando

The narrow alleyway suddenly opens up into an intricate and peaceful Japanese garden that instantly transports you back in time, providing a refreshing contrast to the bustling, busy streets just outside.

Coffee and Anko Zenzai (Sweet Red Bean Soup with Mochi)

Green Tea and Yaki Mochi — Green Tea and Isobe Yaki Mochi

Tokoroten Agar Noodles — Tokoroten (Agar Noodles)

It’s a truly gorgeous and serene space, perfect for unwinding while enjoying amazing traditional Japanese snacks, sweets, and drinks. Their menus (English menus are available) are thoughtfully designed with charming, hand-drawn illustrations of their offerings, creating a visual experience that feels like an art form in itself. Each detailed drawing captures the essence of the dishes, adding a personal and inviting touch to the dining experience.

Holding colorful umbrellas in a tea garden — quince **Striped Dress** // Marcella Skirted leggings

Illustrated Food Menu — Illustrated Menu

The staff here are always friendly and welcoming and it’s a fantastic spot to take beautiful photos. They even provide colorful umbrella props to add a playful touch to your pictures.

Osenbei - Hayashida's Senbei Rice Cracker Shop

490 Saiwaicho, Narita, Chiba 286-0028, Japan (map)

You know how some snacks just stick with you from childhood? As a kid, and even today, I have always preferred senbei over potato chips or chocolate. This senbei shop has been around since 1912 and it isn't just any old rice cracker spot; it's the original on the road, and they're the only ones who make their senbei from scratch.

When we visit, we always end up getting their “kushi sen” (skewered rice crackers). While we usually munch on senbei like potato chips, this is the one time we embrace the skewer – there's just something about a senbei on a stick that makes it even more of an experience..

You can choose between two flavors: the classic regular soy sauce or the sweet and savory mitarashi (that's a sweet soy sauce flavor). They also offer a fantastic selection of other senbei flavors in bags, perfect for taking home as souvenirs.

Hayashida Osenbei Store — **Hayashida Store Front**

Woman holding an Osenbei Skewer — Crystal with her Osenbei

Matcha Ice Cream - Matcha Sweets Sawawa

378 Nakamachi, Narita, Chiba 286-0027, Japan (map)

If you're a matcha enthusiast, this place is your paradise. They've got everything from matcha butter to matcha macarons. But for us, the real star is their matcha ice cream. It's hands-down the best because it's not overly sweet – a common pitfall we find with matcha ice cream in the America.

Sitting and eating green tea ice cream — Enjoying my Green Tea Ice Cream

They offer two kinds of soft-serve matcha ice cream: a regular flavor and their rich and premium green tea flavor. Guess which one we always go for? The rich and premium green tea flavor, of course! While they also have green tea parfaits (which we've tried), we definitely prefer the ice cream.

Matcha Green Tea Waffles — Matcha Waffles

Matcha Green Tea Macaron — Matcha Macaron

Dango - Nana Cafe Koguma

497-3 Kamicho, Narita, Chiba 286-0032, Japan (map)

These sweet, skewered rice dumplings are a classic Japanese snack. You'll spot a few different shops selling dango along the way and we used to have a go-to spot with a super friendly staff member, but it was closed on our last visit. So, we tried this one instead.

While the service wasn't quite as warm, the dango was just as delicious. My personal favorite is the traditional flavor with sweet red bean paste. This stuff is actually quite filling, so if you are planning on sampling more food along your journey, I would definitely suggest sharing it with someone to avoid feeling too full too quickly.

Eating Red Bean Paste Dango — Candy Purchased the Dango with Red Bean Paste

Sesame - Gomafukudo

390 Nakamachi, Narita, Chiba 286-0027, Japan (map)

Prepare to be amazed by the incredible variety of sesame products here, from oils to sweets (they had sesame macaron!). Sesame is packed with fiber, healthy fats, protein, and tons of vitamins and minerals, so I try to incorporate it into my meals whenever possible.

Sesame seed dressing — Sesame Seed Dressing

Sometimes they offer samples of their products, which is how I ended up buying something I would not have otherwise picked myself. I always want to buy sesame dressing when I am here, but unfortunately they are in glass bottles, which I have to resist as I’m too afraid it will break in my checked bag.

Holding a pack of goma rayu — Candy Purchased the Goma Rayu

Crystal loves trying their ready-to-eat sesame dishes, like the sesame croquettes and sesame soft-serve ice cream. Both are fantastic – the croquettes are amazing, and the ice cream is delicious. But, if you're faced with the tough choice between the green tea and sesame seed ice cream, we'd say definitely go for the green tea.

Narita Omotesando Goma Shop — Crystal eating her sesame ice cream

Bamboo Accessories - Seimiya

492 Saiwaicho, Narita, Chiba 286-0032, Japan (map)

Lately, I've been on a mission to find unique dishware that isn't from IKEA. So, when I needed new miso soup bowls, Seimiya was the perfect discovery. This shop specializes in artisan-crafted bamboo products, and it's truly a gem.

Narita Seimiya Exterior Building — Seimiya

During our visit, we even got to see the craftsman in action, skillfully weaving a bamboo basket. When I handed him a couple of bowls to purchase, he was incredibly friendly and, to my delightful surprise, even gifted me two sets of beautiful chopsticks.

Eel Restaurant - Kawatoya Narita

386 Nakamachi, Narita, Chiba 286-0027, Japan (map)

For an authentic and mouth-watering experience, unagi (grilled eel) at Kawatoyo is an absolute must-try for unagi fans. This is a local specialty, and Narita is famous for its eel that the city's official mascot is an eel named Unari-kun. Many people from all over Japan visit this area just to eat grilled unagi.

Narita Kawatoya Exterior Building — Kawatoya Exterior

We honestly wish we were fans of eel because it smells absolutely incredible, and it's incredibly fresh here. Even though we don't eat it, we always find it fascinating to stop and watch the chefs prepare the eel outside the restaurant from start to finish. It's truly a sight you don't want to miss.

Prepping Live eel in Narita — Prepping Live eel

Chargrilled Eel at Kawatoyo — Chargrilled Eel

Kawatoyo has been serving up unagi since 1910 and is super popular, so it's a good idea to check their website for current wait times since they don't take reservations.

Narita Tourist Pavilion

383-1 Nakamachi, Narita, Chiba 286-0027, Japan (map)

If you need free WiFi, a bathroom break, or just have some questions, there is a Tourist Information Center directly across from the eel restaurant (Kawatoya).

Narita city's official mascot - Unari-kun

The next time you're planning a trip to Japan, make sure Narita's Omotesando is on your itinerary. You won't regret it. Have you ever explored a temple town with such a rich history?