A new 456,000m2 multipurpose complex catering to business events and leisure travellers is set to open a three-minute drive from Narita International Airport in 2027.
The landmark facility of Gateway Narita will be the DigiDome, a high-specification arena designed for entertainment and business use. In addition to a 6,000m2 screen, top-class audio-visual capabilities and seating for 5,000 pax, the dome will have showrooms and other spaces designed to host international meetings.
Another core aspect of the development will be a food technology R&D centre that aims to develop and promote Japanese food culture. Modelled on Food Valley, a region in the Netherlands where food companies and research institutes drive innovation in F&B, the centre aims to attract leading domestic and international food tech companies that can help grow the popularity of Japanese cuisine overseas by building a cold chain and expanding Japanese F&B exports.
The centre will house an international exhibition centre, an international conference centre and a kitchen studio – facilities that developers hope will be particularly attractive to business events and meetings related to F&B.
There will also be a test marketing restaurant where business and leisure visitors can try new dishes created by the food tech companies based at the centre before they are sold globally.
To support domestic and international visitors, Gateway Narita will also feature a hotel, whose rooms will be equipped with large screens displaying content from the DigiDome, and a large bus terminal designed to strengthen transport connections to stations nearby and to central Tokyo.
