Chiba Prefecture is Japan’s sixth most populous prefecture, home to more than six million people. It lies on Honshu island’s eastern coast, with beautiful views of the vast Pacific Ocean, and has a long list of natural, historical, and modern day attractions.
How To Get To Chiba
Chiba is accessible by air, railway, and bus.
The closest airport to the prefecture is the Narita International Airport, which is the country’s primary international airport. It handles about half of the total air traffic Japan operates on a daily basis, and serves as the main hub of international airline companies, such as All Nippon Airways, Nippon Cargo Airlines, Japan Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines; and budget carriers, like Vanilla Air, Jetstar Japan, and Peach.
Made up of three terminals, Narita International Airport operates multiple flights a day between Japan and foreign countries, including the United States, Canada, France, Russia, Mexico, India, China, South Korea, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, and Singapore; and between Tokyo and different Japanese cities, such as Nagoya, Sapporo, Fukuoka, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Naha.
The prefecture is also served by numerous railway lines that allow quick and convenient access to Tokyo and other areas.
Various East Japan Railway Company lines, including Sobu Main Line, Joban Line, Narita Line, Keiyo Line, and Musashino Line; Keisei Lines, like Narita Sky Access, Main Line, and Chiba Line; Tobu Rail; Tsukuba Express; and several other private-owned rail companies run through Chiba.
Every day, there are plenty of buses that travel to and from Chiba to Tokyo, Nagano, Kawaguchiko, Yokohama, Matsumoto, and more. You can check out some of these available bus services on Japan Bus Online.
Top Attractions in Chiba
Tokyo Disney Resort
One of Japan’s most popular theme parks, the Tokyo Disney Resort is an amusement resort located in the city of Urayasu, in the westernmost part of Chiba Prefecture. It is made up of three main areas: Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea, and Ikspiari.
- Tokyo Disneyland – Opened in 1983, Tokyo Disneyland is composed of seven themed sections: Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Westernland, Adventureland, World Bazaar, Mickey’s Toontown, and Critter Country. Its layout and attractions are heavily influenced by the original Disneyland theme park in California. Every year, it welcomes several millions of visitors from other parts of Japan and overseas, making it one of the most-visited theme parks in the world.
- Tokyo DisneySea – A Disney theme park that is unique to Japan, Tokyo DisneySea opened in 2001, and has immediately become one of the world’s most visited themed parks, with more than 12 million visitors each year over the last decade. It features nautical-related rides and attractions, and consists of seven themed sections: Mermaid Lagoon, Mysterious Island, Arabian Coast, Port Discovery, American Waterfront, Lost River Delta, and Mediterranean Harbor.
- Ikspiari – Similar to the Downtown Disney section at the Disneyland in California, Ikspiari is a large entertainment complex that offers numerous shopping, dining, and recreational options.
From central Tokyo, the theme park is approximately a 15-minute train ride. Take the JR Keiyo or JR Musashino Line at Tokyo Station and get off at Maihama Station. Then, to reach the parks’ entrances, transfer to the Disney Resort Line or walk about 20 minutes.
For opening hours, ticket purchase, and more information about the parks, visit Tokyo Disney Resort’s official website.
Chiba Zoological Park
Located adjacent to the Tokyo Bay, the Chiba Zoological Park is home to different tropical, nocturnal, and marine animals, including elephants, giraffes, red pandas, bisons, and sea lions, separated into seven themed areas: Zoological Hall, Small Animals Zone, Steppe Zone, Monkey Zoo, Children’s Zoo, Avian & Aquatic Zone, and Ancestors of Domestic Animals Zone. It is a highly recommended attraction to families with young children visiting Japan.
The park is a short walk away from Dobutsokoen Station along the Chiba Monorail Line.
The Chiba Zoological Park website provides information on the animals, opening hours, tickets, and more.
Kamogawa Sea World
If you want to see killer whales, dolphins, sea lions, and other marine animals that have been trained to perform some incredible stunts, the Kamogawa Sea World should be in your itinerary.
With areas and sections that have been replicated as closely as possible to these sea creatures’ natural habitats, the park assures that every single marine life is taken good care of by knowledgeable professionals.
More information is available on Kamogawa Sea World’s official website.
Shimizu Park
Considered to be among the best sakura viewing spots near Tokyo, Shimizu Park in Chiba is a gorgeous park that is home to numerous cherry trees, maple trees, ginkgo trees, and other plants, and offers a wide array of facilities, including obstacle courses, walking pathways, camping areas, a zip line, and a small pond.
Also famous for its stunning autumn foliage, the park is located on the grounds of Noda City’s oldest temple, the Konjoin.
To access Shimizu Park, take a JR Joban Line train from Tokyo Station to Kashiwa Station, and then transfer to the Tobu Urban Park Line to Shimizu-koen Station. The park entrance is about 20 minutes away on foot.
Nihonji Temple
An 8th century Buddhist temple built on Mount Nokogiri’s slopes, Nihonji is best known for its Daibutsu, a 31-metre high stone sculpture of the Buddha of healing, Yakushiji Nyorai. It also features several Rakan Arhat sculptures from the 18th century, a 30.3-metre high Kannon statue, and the Bonso bell, a designated Important Cultural Property of Japan created in 1321.
Nihonji is a few minutes’ walk away from Hamakanaya Station along the JR Uchibo Line.
Getting Around Chiba
Chiba has a reliable railway service that links its cities and towns to Tokyo and Narita International Airport. Some of its major train stations are JR Maihama Station along the JR Keiyo Line; and JR Funabashi Station, JR Chiba Station, and JR Narita Station along the JR Sobu Line Rapid Service.
Weather in Chiba
Summer in Chiba is hot and humid, and daily temperatures are around the high 20s to low 30s degree Celsius. September and October are the rainiest months, and December and January are the driest. Winter time is mildly cool, with temperatures around 5 to 10 degrees, and spring and autumn are pleasant, with daily temperatures at around 15 degrees.