Narita Airport to Open Renovated SHIKISAI GARDEN Observation Deck and Relaxation Area on April 9

Tuesday, April 7, 2026

Narita International Airport (NAA) will open the 5th floor of the Central Building in Terminal 1, which has been undergoing renovation, on April 9.

The renewed area has been named “SHIKISAI GARDEN -Seasonal colors-.” It has been redesigned as “a place to experience Japan,” with new facilities including a relaxation area featuring tatami-mat spaces and footbaths installed on the observation deck.

This completes the renovation work that has been underway since April 2025. The total area is approximately 5,000 square meters indoors and about 3,000 square meters for the observation deck. Around 2.5 billion yen was invested in the construction.

The name “SHIKISAI GARDEN” expresses the wish that visitors will relax, surrounded by the colors and nature of Japan’s four seasons, and enjoy their stay while feeling Japan. The design concept is “Abundant water and the transitions of the four seasons that nurture Japanese culture and spirituality.” The entire area represents a scene in which water springs forth on the observation deck, flows through the interior, and cascades down to the lower floors.

This is the first renovation of the observation deck since it was completed in 1999. It has been redesigned as a space where visitors can enjoy footbaths and views from an elevated position, surrounded by the sound of flowing water and greenery. The footbaths, installed in three locations on the north side of the deck, are designed to evoke “the beginning of the flow of water.” Each measures 5 meters in length and 0.8 meters in width, and one of them uses bath additives with seasonal fragrances.

In addition, a 2.5-meter-high “Mountain Deck” has been created so that visitors can enjoy runway views from a higher vantage point than before. The fence on the apron side has been changed from the previous mesh fence to a wire fence. The spacing between the wires is 7 centimeters, making it easier to enjoy photography and the views.

The south side of the area has been set up as a kids’ area, featuring the paid kids’ park “Kinder Platz,” operated by Froebel-kan, as well as Narita Airport’s first baby room with an attached family room, nursing rooms, and a capsule toy (gachapon) corner. Kinder Platz is designed for children from 6 months to 12 years old. The usage fee is 2,200 yen for children and 1,100 yen for adults (tax included). Opening hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., with final admission at 6:30 p.m.

In the atrium area around the escalators connecting the 4th and 5th floors, an artwork titled “Ring of the Sky” by bamboo artist Takenosai Tanabe IV has been installed. It symbolizes the vastness and infinity of the sky, expressing the energy flowing out from the observation deck into the entire space and the circulation of water.

A new relaxation area has been created around the atrium, composed of three “ma” (zones): “Cha-no-Ma” (tea space), “I-no-Ma” (living space), and “Sho-no-Ma” (writing/reading space). Each zone is furnished with seating appropriate to the space, such as sofas and tatami-mat areas. The spaces are accented with art, plants, and seasonal fragrances, providing a place where visitors can experience a distinctly Japanese way of spending time. The total number of seats is 130: 48 in Cha-no-Ma, 12 in I-no-Ma, 45 in Sho-no-Ma, and 25 around the atrium.

The corridor leading from the escalators toward the observation deck is a digital art space called “in sync,” themed around a bamboo grove with shifting light and flow. It is a spatial artwork in which the presence of people passing through forms the landscape. Using rotating panels and images projected by six projectors, it creates a 14-meter-wide, 2.6-meter-high bamboo grove of light. In response to people’s movements, sounds resonate while light and shadow shift, generating a sense of depth and change through parallax.

In addition, the “SKY FOOD COURT” food court has been revamped in line with the overall concept. While keeping the existing lineup of outlets, four pillars in colors representing spring, summer, autumn, and winter have been installed as accents, and seats with power outlets have been added to improve convenience.

According to NAA, there are also plans to renovate Terminal 2, including its observation deck, in the future. (29 photos below)