Chiba

Chiba is a bayside capital city just east of Tokyo, at the neck of the Boso Peninsula. It grew as a port and industrial center on Tokyo Bay, and for travelers it works two ways: as a city stop in its own right and as the doorway to the peninsula's beaches and headlands.

The Chiba Urban Monorail, the longest suspended railway of its kind in the world, glides above the streets between the main sights. Chiba Shrine anchors the old center, while Makuhari Messe hosts trade fairs and arena concerts. Inage Seaside Park opens a long beach onto the bay.

Trains from Tokyo arrive constantly, so Chiba fits easily before or after a Narita flight. Summer brings fireworks over the waterfront and swimmers to the bay, while the Boso Peninsula's surf beaches and fishing harbors continue south. Give the city half a day, more if a monorail ride and a market lunch appeal.