Another 24 Hours in Sakura

This post is dedicated to all the flight crews who find themselves stranded in Narita for the upteenth time with nothing to do. A special mention goes to the crews from United and FedEx who always seemed to make time to volunteer as authentic English speakers at Narita Elementary School. Now, with all due respect to the good citizens of Narita with their beautiful temple, beautiful garden, and fun to shop Green Road, I’m going to suggest that you hop on the train and take the 10 minute ride to Sakura. 

Even if you don’t have time for the full day itinerary that I mapped out in 24 Hours in Sakura, there are still five quality sites worth visiting. They just happen to be too spread out to neatly pack into a single day.

South Sakura

The KMMA

Without question, the hidden gem of Sakura is the Kawamura Memorial Museum of Art (川村記念美術館). Built by DIC (formerly Dainippon Ink and Chemical) to house the art collection of a former president, the beautiful building is surrounded by greenery, complete with swans swimming in a pond. The museum houses an outstanding collection of twentieth century art, including pieces by Picasso, Kandinsky, Chagall, and an excellent collection of Frank Stella’s work. The best part is that a free shuttle runs from both Keisei Sakura and JR Sakura Stations. The JR station is closer to the museum, so you can save time by taking that train line. Both stations have the bus stop on the south side of the station.

Central Sakura

The next two attractions are fairly close together on the map, but it can be a bit difficult to navigate between them. Unless you are an excellent map reader and a healthy walker, a taxi is strongly recommended to reach either site from the station. Either Keisei or JR train lines are useful starting points.

Hotta House

Hotta House (旧堀田邸) Hotta Masatomo, the last samurai lord of Sakura, built this villa between 1888-1890, long after he had lost his feudal claims to the land in 1869. Although not on par with more famous villas in Kyoto or Tokyo, it is easy to see in the architecture and layout a sense of nostalgia for the times before Western influences began to dominate Japanese culture. All in all, a nice quiet place to relax and enjoy an example of Meiji period architecture.

Sakura Juntendo Memorial Museum

Sakura comes by its Dutch connections honestly, having once housed the only centre in eastern Japan dedicated to Western medicine during the Edo period. Thus, despite the period of official isolation, selected residents of the city had more access to the outside world than the vast majority of their neighbours. While the outmoded styles of medical practice make for a collection of interesting curiosities, the Sakura Juntendo Memorial Museum (佐倉順天堂記念館) mainly appeals to those with an interest in medical or Edo period history.


North Sakura

Definitely take the Keisei line to reach these next two attractions.

Many a traveller taking the long train ride from Narita into Tokyo has been stunned by the site of a large windmill on the shores of Inba Numa. With the opening of the Narita Sky Access line, fewer people will be able to experience this shock, but it is worth mentioning that this is no cheap imitation dropped into the city with no historical context. The windmill was actually built in Holland, taken apart, then reconstructed in Japan. It is authentic, fully operational, and open for free tours. Given Sakura’s longstanding history as a centre for Dutch learning, it makes just as much sense to see the windmill here as it would if it were in Nagasaki. The official name of the park is Sakura Furusato (Hometown) Square (佐倉ふるさと広場).

The last attraction on the list is worth a mention for parents travelling with young children who are going stir crazy. Kusabue no Oka (草ぶえの丘)　offers a low key children’s park with inflatable play structures, a petting zoo, and a miniature train run by megaphone wielding retirees rigorously enforcing the safety rules (keep your hands in at all times, trust me). Kusabue no Oka is a far cry from Tokyo Disneyland, but children 9 and under will enjoy it, and parents of all ages will appreciate the respite it offers from keeping their kids occupied while overseas.

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