Chiba

It’s not hard to see that Chiba Prefecture (千葉県, Chiba-ken) is more than just a bed town for its western neighbor Tokyo. In fact, many tourists might find it impossible to avoid the prefecture – Narita Airport is one of the three major international gateway hubs into Japan.

Its convenient proximity from Tokyo means that major theme parks such as Disneyland, Disney Sea, and Kamogawa SeaWorld aren’t too far away from the nation’s capital.

That being said, Chiba is also known for its natural beauty and history. If theme parks aren’t your thing, try visiting some of Japan’s best beaches in southern Chiba (easily accessible from Tokyo via the Aqualine toll road), Narita-san Shinsho-ji, or enjoy the spectacular views from Nokogiri-yama. Funassyi (Funabashi City’s popular mascot character) goods are popular souvenirs!