Chiba Prefecture

Ohara Hadaka Festival - September 23rd & 24th, 2025
Main ‘Shiofumi’ Event: September 23, 2:30 PM at Ohara Beach

The Ohara Hadaka Festival is one of the most anticipated events of the year here in Chiba, best known for a practice called ‘shiofumi’ where participants rush into the ocean carrying ‘mikoshi’ portable shrines. Traditionally, the shiofumi was meant as a way to pay respects to the sea, and to pray for bountiful crops and fish harvests. This heritage lives on today as a beloved celebration of the local coastal culture.

The shiofumi is scheduled to take place around 2:30 PM on September 23. Then the festivities continue for the remainder of the two-day festival, with crowds parading around the city, still transporting the `kami` gods in their portable shrines. If you’re looking for an only-in-Japan experience, come on down to Chiba’s Pacific coast to see this stunning spectacle in person!

Location: Isumi City, Chiba
The shiofumi takes place at Ohara Beach
Google Maps Plus Code:
7C62+72 Isumi, Chiba
Train access: Ohara Station, JR Sotobo Line
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Chiba Prefecture, the home of Narita International Airport, is conveniently located next to Tokyo. Explore Chiba and discover its charm on your next trip to Japan. More information about what to see and do here can be found at visitchiba.jp (link in bio).

#Chiba #ChibaPrefecture #VisitChiba #ChibaJapan #千葉 #千葉県 #NearTokyo #Japan #VisitJapan #Travel #Trip #Festival #祭り #Culture #Isumi #いすみ市 #Ohara #大原

✈️ Our Recommended Narita Airport Area Hotel🏮@waqoo_naritasan

WAQOO Naritasan Monzen offers convenient access to Narita International Airport while providing a more enriching experience than typical airport hotels. Opened in 2022, WAQOO Naritasan Monzen is one among a carefully curated collection of just four hotels in all of Japan, each positioned near sacred temples and dedicated to connecting guests to Japan`s cultural heritage. What distinguishes WAQOO Naritasan Monzen is its deep connection to traditional kabuki theater and the nearby historic Naritasan Shinsho-ji Temple.

The rooms blend Japanese aesthetics with modern comfort; paper lanterns, natural wood finishes, and carefully chosen seasonal decorations create an atmosphere that feels both authentic and welcoming. Attention to detail extends throughout the property, with seasonal decor and design choices that clearly serve a purpose rather than simply filling space. The meals, both dinner and breakfast, are also exceptional, utilizing local ingredients in a refined Kyoto-style tasting menu.

To learn more about the experience on offer here, please check out:
https://www.visitchiba.jp/things/kabuki-themed-waqoo-hotel-narita/
(LINK IN BIO)
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Chiba Prefecture, the home of Narita International Airport, is conveniently located next to Tokyo. Explore Chiba and discover its hidden gems on your next trip to Japan. More information about what to see and do here can be found at visitchiba.jp (link in bio).

#Chiba #ChibaPrefecture #VisitChiba #ChibaJapan #千葉 #千葉県 #NearTokyo #Japan #VisitJapan #Travel #Trip #Hotel #Narita #NaritaAirport #JapaneseCulture #Kabuki

Lunch at Kinoene Omoya | A Culinary Gem near Narita Airport

If you’re looking to make the most of your last meal in Japan before your departing flight, Kinoene Omoya is our top recommendation, being just a 20-minute drive from Narita International Airport. The restaurant is found at one of Chiba’s most storied sake breweries, Iinuma Honke, which was founded over four centuries ago, creating an authentic and original way to enjoy the best of Japanese cuisine.

On past trips we visited for dinner, but this time we went to try out the lunchtime menu so we could introduce it to you. We got the ¥3960 lunch served in a Hida Shunkei lacquered bento box, which includes a variety of seasonal ingredients. Our visit was in June, so the early-summer selection was featured. Of course, we also ordered a glass of delicious Kinoene sake.

The renovated building that houses the restaurant is thought to be over 300 years old, and once served as the residence for multiple generations of Iinuma family members. The restaurant’s namesake comes from Kinoene, the brewery’s flagship sake brand, and the Japanese word ‘omoya,’ meaning the main building of a traditional Japanese estate.
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Chiba Prefecture, the home of Narita International Airport, is conveniently located next to Tokyo. Explore Chiba and discover its hidden gems on your next trip to Japan. More information about what to see and do here can be found at visitchiba.jp (link in bio).

#Chiba #ChibaPrefecture #VisitChiba #ChibaJapan #千葉 #千葉県 #NearTokyo #Japan #VisitJapan #Travel #Trip #Dining #Sake #JapaneseCuisine #JapaneseFood

Pretty Petunias and Family Fun at Mother Farm

During summer and until late September, about 20,000 Momoiro Toiki, a type of petunia, create a beautiful pink carpet on the hillsides of @motherfarm_official. That’s not all you’ll find here at this ranch-style theme park in the hills of central Chiba though, as you and your family can also enjoy interacting with animals in a beautiful and expansive natural setting. Visitors also flock here for their delicious dining options and a taste of local dairy products. There will also be family-friendly events taking place this summer, and more information about them can be seen by visiting their website: motherfarm.co.jp (look for the language button to see the page displayed in English)

So, come if you can this summer, or visit any time of year to see the seasonal sights and meet the animal friends that await here at Mother Farm!

Photos from past years
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Chiba Prefecture, the home of Narita International Airport, is conveniently located next to Tokyo. Explore Chiba and discover its hidden gems on your next trip to Japan. More information about what to see and do here can be found at visitchiba.jp (link in bio).

#Chiba #ChibaPrefecture #VisitChiba #ChibaJapan #千葉 #千葉県 #NearTokyo #Japan #VisitJapan #Travel #Trip #Flowers #Summer #Petunia #Farm #FamilyTravel

Yaegaki Shrine Gion Festival
August 4 (Mon.) & 5 (Tue.), 2025

Main Festivities: Tuesday, August 5th from 11:30 PM

The Yaegaki Shrine Gion Festival is a beloved local tradition that takes place every summer in the coastal city of Sosa. During the festivities, each of the city’s neighborhoods parade through the streets carrying their own ‘mikoshi’ portable shrine, accompanied by traditional ‘ohayashi’ musical performers leading the way. Pictured here is one of the distinctive highlights of this festival known as ‘mizu-kake’: the practice of onlookers drenching festival participants with water. The main mizu-kake festivities will take place on August 5.

According to the area’s founding story, the original settlers of current day Sosa City enshrined the deity Susanoo-no-mikoto here in 812. Traditional Shinto rules once forbade women from carrying mikoshi, but because Susanoo-no-mikoto is associated with love and marriage, a novel tradition of having this festival include mikoshi to be only carried by women was established in 1972, providing another layer of excitement and lore to the event. This custom, known as ‘Onna Mikoshi,’ takes place on the evening of August 4.

If you’re here in the Tokyo area during this time, a visit to Sosa to see this spectacle will surely make for a one-of-a-kind travel experience and a unique chance to get a glimpse at the festive spirit of Japan and its people.

Access: JR Sobu Main Line - Yokaichiba Station
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Chiba Prefecture, the home of Narita International Airport, is conveniently located next to Tokyo. Explore Chiba and discover its hidden gems on your next trip to Japan. More information about what to see and do here can be found at visitchiba.jp (link in bio).

#Chiba #ChibaPrefecture #VisitChiba #ChibaJapan #千葉 #千葉県 #NearTokyo #Japan #VisitJapan #Travel #Trip #Festival #祭り #八重垣神社 #GionFestival #匝瑳市 #Sosa