Archive · 17 Sep 2026
Narita Airport Revives Free Layover Tours This October
Narita Airport is bringing back free tours for passengers who have a long wait between flights.
The tours begin on October 1, 2026.
Volunteer guides who speak English will show visitors places near the airport.
The trips can last from three to six hours.
People can visit temples, old towns, museums, farms and breweries.
The tour and guide do not cost money, but travellers pay for their own food, transportation and entry tickets.
Passengers must be allowed to enter Japan during their stopover.
They also need enough time to return to the airport for their next flight.
Narita Airport will restart its free transit-tour program on October 1, 2026, after a six-year suspension.
English-speaking volunteer guides will lead three- to six-hour tours across six nearby municipalities.
Travellers must pay their own transportation, food and admission costs, despite the tours and guides being free.
Destinations include temples, preserved Edo-period towns, rural landscapes, museums, cultural activities and breweries.
Transit passengers must be legally allowed to enter Japan and arrange any required visa before booking.
- Who
- International transit passengers at Narita Airport, accompanied on Standard Tours by English-speaking volunteer guides.
- What
- Narita Airport is restarting its free Narita Airport Transit & Stay Program, offering guided excursions and other layover activities.
- When
- The guided-tour program returns on October 1, 2026; bookings opened September 15.
- Where
- The tours visit Narita City, Katori, Tako, Shibayama, Sakae and Kozaki near Narita Airport in Japan.
- Why
- The program gives eligible passengers with several hours between flights an opportunity to explore the area instead of remaining at the airport.
- Program
- Narita Airport Transit & Stay Program
- Restart date
- October 1, 2026
- Tour length
- Approximately three to six hours
- Tour cost
- The tour and guide are free; travellers pay transportation, food and admission fees
- Tour schedule
- Standard Tours start between 9 AM and 11 AM Japan Standard Time
- Tour areas
- Narita City, Katori, Tako, Shibayama, Sakae and Kozaki
- Eligibility
- Passengers must be legally permitted to enter Japan during their layover and obtain any required visa in advance