Narita International Airport, the gateway to overseas travel, has three terminals and is a large facility overflowing with travelers from all over the world to Japan, so you can use various facilities even if you arrive earlier than your flight check-in time, wait for a late-night flight, or spend time after arriving early in the morning.
I like to look around airports before my trips and see what facilities are unique to them, so this time I looked around Narita Airport Terminals 1, 2, and 3 to see what I could enjoy and what I could do to pass the time.
I will even introduce the locations and opening hours of the standard observation deck, food court, and convenient working spaces and stores.
- Terminal 1 Facilities & attraction
- Lotus Japanese Garden
- Free working space (ITOKI)
- Observation Deck and Airplane Viewing
- Restaurants and food court
- Shopping malls and souvenir shops
- Barbershops and nail salons
- Massage chairs
- Shower room and nap room
- Gacha World (in front of station ticket gates)
- Mini-stop convenience store (ice cream and coffee)
- Terminal 2 Facilities & attraction
- Terminal 3 Facilities & attraction
- Spend time moving between terminals 1, 2, and 3.
Terminal 1 Facilities & attraction
Lotus Japanese Garden
I never thought I’d see such a place at Narita Airport. The small but beautifully landscaped Japanese Garden is located outside Terminal 1 on the first floor.
This garden was created in 2015 to welcome and entertain passengers from overseas in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics scheduled to be held in 2020.
(When I visited in September 2023, there were many passengers in the airport building, but there were no people at all, perhaps because it was difficult to find the place.)
The monument says that it is a place to enjoy lotus flowers, a symbol of peace, and seasonal flowers throughout the year, but I am not sure if it is not well maintained or not, although I did not see any flowers at that time.
Still, it is valuable to be able to sit slowly next to the pond and watch the carp and experience a small piece of nature since there are no people around. There was even a bamboo grove near the pond.
Since the facility is outside the airport building, it can be used from early morning to late night.
| Location | Terminal 1, 1st floor (outside the central building) |
| Opening hours | 24 hours |
| Time to spend | Around 30 minutes to stroll and kill time |
| Website | Lotus Japanese Garden (Google map) |
Free working space (ITOKI)
The fourth floor of the departure lobby, where the boarding gates are located, looks busy with people coming and going, but there is a spacious and open workspace that anyone can use to work for free.
The place is designed by Itoki Corporation, a company that develops office furniture and other businesses in Japan, and it looks like an office space, with businessmen and others to work or hold meetings before their flights.
Also, as mentioned on the official website, the purpose of this place is for many people to spend their pre-flight time comfortably, not only for work but also for travel preparation, etc., so it can be used for charging smartphones or taking a break.
The fact that the facility is open for long hours, from as early as 5:00 am to as late as 24:00 am, is very convenient.
| Location | Terminal 1, South Wing, 4th floor |
| Opening hours | 5:00～24:00 |
| Time to spend | Available for quick work such as 30 minutes. It is also possible to work intensively for 1 to 3 hours in some free time. |
| Facilities | 49 work lounge seats, 59 open lounge seats Free Wi-fi, power supply in some seats |
| Websites | Narita Airport, Terminal 1, 4th floor Floor Map |
Observation Deck and Airplane Viewing
I think the standard way to pass the time when you have free time at the airport or arrive early is to go to the observation deck.
With limited time before your flight, you can take a relaxing stroll outside the airport building while viewing the many aircraft that are rarely seen.
The observation deck space in Terminal 1 is long and straight across, so it is also a good place to soothe tired legs after the flight arrives.
During the spring and summer seasons, it is open from 6:30 a.m., so you can pass the time even after your flight arrives in the early morning.
| Location | Terminal 1, 5th floor |
| Opening hours | April 1 – September 30 : 6:30-21:00 October 1～March 31 : 7:00-21:00 |
| Time to spend | Passing time for 30 minutes to an hour |
| Website | Narita Airport – Observation Deck |
Restaurants and food court
If you want to eat before your flight or after arrival, you can spend your time at the food court on the 5th floor or the restaurants on the 4th floor. The food court on the 5th floor is nice and long with the observation deck in front of you, and depending on the timings, it is also a unique airport experience to sit outside and enjoy the view.
The lineup of restaurants is also rather extensive. For example, the following stores are available.
- Fast food
- McDonald’s, SUBWAY, Kaiten Sushi Misaki
- Restaurants
- Goemon, Fujiya Restaurant, Tonkatsu Shinjuku Saboten
- Cafes
- Starbucks, DEAN & DELUCA CAFE
| Location | Terminal 1, 4th floor / 5th floor |
| Opening hours | About 7:00 – 20:00 (Varies by store) |
| Time to spend | 1 to 2 hours to eat and rest |
| Website | Narita Airport, Terminal 1, 5th Floor Restaurant |
Shopping malls and souvenir shops
Speaking of airports, it is a standard way to spend time at the airport, killing time by shopping for souvenirs and enjoying looking for something you like. Narita Airport’s Terminal 1 has a very large shopping mall floor on the 4th floor, where you can buy a variety of souvenirs, especially local specialties from all over Japan.
There are various souvenir shops specializing in Hokkaido, Japanese-style sundries and sweets, toys and character goods for children, and more.
There are also standard fashion stores that can be found in town, such as Uniqlo, Muji, and ABC Mart.
You can get T-shirts, underwear, socks, pouches and shoulder bags that you may need to buy on your trip.
| Location | Terminal 1, 4th floor |
| Opening hours | About 9:00 – 20:00 (Varies depending on the store) |
| Time to spend | 1 – 2 hours for shopping |
| Website | Narita Airport, Terminal 1, 4th Floor Shops |
Barbershops and nail salons
I was a little surprised when I saw it, but there is a barber shop on the 5th floor of Narita Airport Terminal 1, right near the food court, and even a nail salon on the 4th floor downstairs.
The barber shop charges 4,200 yen for a cut and shampoo. It is convenient for those who want to freshen up before an overseas trip or when returning home, or for getting a haircut and grooming yourself while killing time.
The nail salon offers gel nails that require no drying time, various care menus, and easy manicure services. They also offer a wide range of services including a kids menu and a men’s care menu.
| Location | Terminal 1, 4th floor / 5th floor |
| Opening hours | Hair Salon (5th floor): 8:00-18:30 Nail Quick Narita Terminal 1 (4th floor): 9:00-20:00 |
| Time to spend | Use your free time for about 30 minutes to an hour |
| Website | Hair Salon (Narita Airport) Nail Quick Narita Terminal 1 (Narita Airport) |
Massage chairs
There are places lined with massage chairs like this one throughout the facilities at Narita Airport.
The fee is 300 yen for 10 minutes. As shown in the photo, if you are in Terminal 1, there is one facing the 5th floor observation deck, so you can relax and enjoy the view.
| Location | Terminal 1, 5th floor / 1st floor, etc. (also available at Terminals 2 and 3) |
| Opening hours | 24 hours |
| Time to spend | About 30 minutes for the rest |
| Website | The following page shows the location of each terminal at the airport. Massage chairs(Greenport Agency) |
Shower room and nap room
There are shower rooms on the 2nd floor before departure and after departure in Terminal 1 that can be used at various times, such as before flights during the hot summer season, before and after the flights.
They open early in the morning at 7:00 a.m. and close early in the evening at 8:00 p.m., so you need to make sure you have enough time beforehand to use them in the evening or later.
There is also a nap room in the post-departure area. Since post-departure means that you are probably waiting for your flight, you may be afraid of oversleeping, but if you check in smoothly about 2 hours before and have time, you can use the room to relax and spend some time.
| Location | Terminal 1, 2nd floor in the center (Also located on the 3rd floor after departure in Terminal 1 and 2) |
| Opening hours | 7:00 – 20:00 (Last admission: 19:30) |
| Time to spend | 30 minutes to 1 hour |
| Charge | – First 30 minutes: 1,050 yen – Every 15 minutes thereafter: 530 yen |
| Website | Shower room/nap room (Narita Airport) |
Gacha World (in front of station ticket gates)
Gacha-gacha machines and toys have become popular at Narita and Haneda airports in recent years, partly due to the attention of overseas visitors, and you can find a large number of them like this right in front of the station ticket gates at Narita Airport’s Terminal 1, just before entering the airport building.
You can enjoy finding your favorite character goods or buy them as souvenirs.
| Location | Terminal 1, B1F |
| opening hours | 24 hours |
| Time to spend | around 30 minutes |
| Website | Gacha World(Narita airport) |
Mini-stop convenience store (ice cream and coffee)
There is a convenience store in each terminal at Narita Airport, and in Terminal 1, the largest of the three, there are Seven-Eleven, Lawson, Family Mart, and even this Mini-Stop.
At a convenience store, you can buy a small amount of food and drink and kill time at an open table, but this Mini-stop sells the popular ice cream among the locals as well as other stores in the city.
There is also a coffee machine to take a break.
| Location | Terminal 1, South Wing 1st floor |
| Opening hours | 7:00-21:30 |
| Time to spend | around 30 minutes |
| Website | Mini-stop (Narita Airport) |
Terminal 2 Facilities & attraction
Viewing the tour deck and airline listings
Terminal 2 is smaller than Terminal 1, but it has an observation deck too. As shown in the photo, there is a little greenery and plenty of space to sit and enjoy walking around the airport and viewing the planes.
There is also a list of photos of airplanes of airlines flying into and out of Narita Airport at the entrance and exit of the deck on the right side facing the runway. Airplane fans will especially enjoy this attraction.
There are also shopping and dining facilities on the same floor, so there is plenty of time to kill.
| Location | Terminal 2, 4th floor (2 locations on either side) |
| Opening hours | April 1 – September 30: 6:30-21:00 October 1～March 31: 7:00-21:00 |
| Time to spend | Around 30 minutes to 1 hour |
| Website | Best View Point (Narita Airport) |
Shopping malls and souvenir shops
Like Terminal 1, there is a shopping mall and restaurant area here on the 4th floor, and the number and variety of stores are rather large.
ANA FESTA and Tokyo Shokuhinkan are recommended for souvenirs of famous products from all over Japan. You can get classic souvenirs such as Kit Kat chocolate, Tokyo Banana sweets, and Royce chocolate.
This terminal also has MUJI and ABC Mart, where you can buy daily necessities and sundries.
| Location | Terminal 2, 4th floor |
| Opening hours | About 8:00 – 20:00 (Varies by store) |
| Time to spend | For an hour or two of shopping and killing time. |
| Website | Narita Airport, Terminal 2 Shop |
Pokemon Stores and wall art
At Narita Airport, there is a project called “Sora tobu(Flying) Pikachu” starting in 2023, and you can enjoy looking for Pokemon designs and pictures in various places in Terminal 2.
There is even a Pokemon Store in the shopping mall on the 4th floor.
Visitors can shop for souvenirs of Pokemon-related goods such as plush toys and other character goods for children, and snacks.
| Location | Terminal 2, 4th floor |
| Opening hours | 8:00-20:00 |
| Time to spend | To pass the time for 30 minutes to an hour |
| Website | Pokemon Store (Narita airport) |
Narita Anime Road
Starting in 2019, there is a place on the 2nd floor corridor of Terminal 2 (near Yoshinoya) called “Narita Anime Road” where popular Japanese anime characters are depicted, as shown in the photo.
Visitors can take pictures with their favorite characters and collect the stamp as a souvenir.
This is a good place for fans with favorite anime, etc., to take a peek to kill a little time.
| Location | Terminal 2, 2nd floor |
| Opening hours | 24 hours |
| Time to spend | About 30 minutes |
| Website | Narita airport Terminal 2 floor map |
“Gacha Gacha” toy machine and “Purikura” photo booth
Gacha Gacha is found throughout the airport, but in Terminal 2 it is located in front of the 7-Eleven on the first basement floor. It is located just after entering the airport building from the train station.
There is also a Purikura machine here that is exclusive to Narita Airport, where you can take a full-body photo or movie that is only available here in the world.
It is a good way to enjoy and pass the time by taking pictures to commemorate your trip with your travel companions.
| Location | Terminal 2, B1F |
| Opening hours | 24 hours |
| Time to spend | About 30 minutes |
| Website | Narita Airport, Terminal 2, B1F floor map |
Terminal 3 Facilities & attraction
Food court/fast food restaurant
Terminal 3, being the newest facility, is spacious and comfortable inside, especially the food court, which is very special. There are many seats and stores there.
There are many fast food restaurants such as Freshness Burger, Matsuya, and Ringer Hut, and the prices are inexpensive, so you can easily kill time with a meal.
Nearby there is a convenience store (a large Lawson), a souvenir shop (FaSoLa, etc.), a smoking area, and a free space, making it a very convenient place to spend time in various ways on one floor.
| Location | Terminal 3, 2nd floor |
| Opening hours | Around 6:00-21:00 (Open 24 hours at Matsuya) |
| Time to spend | For a break and a meal before departure for about 1 to 2 hours |
| Website | Narita Airport, Terminal 3 and floor map |
Souvenir store and duty free store
Although Terminal 3 is compact on one floor, there are about four stores where you can buy standard souvenirs, and they are well stocked.
Tokyo Banana sweets offers a variety of flavors, Toraya and other Japanese traditional sweets, Sake and other alcohol, and much more.
The floors are large and easy to walk around and look at, so you can take your time and pass the time while shopping.
| Location | Terminal 3, 2nd floor |
| Opening hours | Around 7:00-20:00 (24 hours open at Lawson convenience store) |
| Time to spend | Around 1 hour for a quick shopping |
| Website | Narita Airport, Terminal 3 floor map |
Art Viewing
In conjunction with the expansion of the departure lobby in 2022, a space with art is being created in Terminal 3.
The art made from old clothes, unwanted suitcases, etc. was vivid and spectacular.
There is art in every corner of the floor, so art lovers with extra time to spare can enjoy walking around.
| Location | Terminal 3, 2nd floor |
| Opening hours | 24 hours |
| Time to spend | To pass the time for about 30 minutes to an hour |
| Website | Narita airport terminal 3 ART PROJECT |
Gacha Gacha machine & Toys
As soon as you enter Terminal 3 and walk toward the food court and souvenir shop in the back, you will see many gacha-gacha machines like this one.
As the sign says “Otonamo” meaning even for adults, it’s a classic attraction for anyone who likes character goods to pass the time and have fun.
| Location | Terminal 3, 2nd floor |
| Opening hours | 24 hours |
| Time to spend | To pass the time around 30 minutes. |
| Website | Narita Airport, Terminal 3 floor map |
Spend time moving between terminals 1, 2, and 3.
Free shuttle bus
I have introduced facilities for killing time and having fun at each terminal. Even if you are not using your own terminal, Narita Airport offers free shuttle buses that can take you between terminals relatively easily to your desired facility.
It would be a fun way to pass the time to take in the scenery as you move around and explore the various terminals.
Terminals 2 and 3 are a short walk away.
There is also a walkway between Terminals 2 and 3, as shown in the photo, and you can walk between the two in about 10-15 minutes while viewing Pokemon and artwork. It is good for a walk when you have time and enjoy before the flight.
| Location | 1st floor of Terminal 1, 2, 3 |
| Opening hours | Shuttle bus: First bus: around 5:00 a.m. Last bus: around 23:00 p.m. |
| Time to spend | Around 10 to 15 minutes to move |
| Website | Transfer Between Terminals of Narita airport |
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