5 Essential Airports to Visit in Japan

Japan is one of the few countries which still embraces the spectacle of watching aircraft. Most of its airports still provide one or more viewing terraces for families to wave off passengers and, most importantly, for aviation enthusiasts to log and photograph movements.

In fact, terraces often provide camera-sized gaps in the fences to encourage photography. That’s not to say safety is ignored, however, with good precautions and a security presence to ensure safety.

It just goes to show what can be sensibly achieved.

With this in mind, here are 5 essential airports for spotters to visit in Japan.

 

Tokyo Haneda

Tokyo is likely to be your port of entry to Japan if travelling from Europe, the Middle East or North America. Narita was the main international airport for many years, but Haneda has been growing in stature and now has many long-haul links.

Mixed with its extensive domestic and regional network, plus its closer proximity to Tokyo itself, it makes Haneda one of the best airports to visit in Japan.

Haneda provides observation decks on all terminals, including the newer International Terminal, giving you plenty of space to observe the vast number of aircraft passing through the airport.

 

 

Osaka Kansai

The newer airport built to replace the cramped Itami Airport (which itself is worth a visit for domestic aircraft), Kansai is located on an island of reclaimed land. If you’ve ever seen stunning pictures of airliners approaching low over a road bridge, it was likely here that the shots were taken.

Kansai is a busy international hub. An elevated platform at the eastern end of the airport is an official spotting location with great views of all movements.

[Read our Osaka Kansai Spotting Guide]

 

 

Nagoya Chubu Centrair

Chubu Centrair International is another of Japan’s man-made-island airports, built offshore around 22 miles south of the city of Nagoya. It is currently the country’s 8th busiest and handles a good mix of Japanese, Asian and carriers from further afield. It is a hub for All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines. One of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner prototypes was sent here for preservation.

The airport has a single runway, although it plans to construct a second, parallel runway in the future to cope with planned growth. There is one large terminal, with domestic flights using the southern end and international flights using the northern end. The cargo terminal is to the north, handling a busy mix of international freighters.

By far the easiest and best location for spotting at Chubu is the official Observation Deck which runs along the top of the central pier atop the terminal and has good views of the gates and runway. This is a large, popular deck which is open from 7am-9pm, free of charge. It has tall wire fencing running along its length, but it is still possible to poke a camera through to take photographs.

 

 

Fukuoka

Fukuoka Airport handles a mix of domestic and intra-Asian flights from a variety of airlines. It is the fourth busiest airport in Japan and is bursting at the seams due to its enclosed location near the centre of the city. There are three domestic passenger terminals – 1, 2 and 3 – on the northern side of the single runway, and an International Terminal on the opposite side. A smaller cargo terminal is situated alongside the International Terminal.

As with most Japanese airports, enthusiasts are catered for by observation decks on all terminals.

 

 

Shizuoka Airport

One of Japan’s newer airports. Shizuoka was built in 2009 to relieve pressure on Tokyo’s airports, and to provide access to the Mount Fuji tourist region.

The airport is home to Fuji Dream Airlines and its colourful fleet of Embraer E Jets.

All of Japan’s other major airlines operate here, plus some airlines from China and South Korea.

There is an observation deck on top of the terminal, with its own aviation shop and views across the apron and aircraft movements.

There is another good location for spotting at the Sekiunin Observation Platform a short distance down the street from the terminal. It has a large, elevated and open viewing area above a restaurant with fantastic views over the taxiway, with Mt Fuji as a backdrop.

[Airline Profiles – Fuji Dream Airlines]

 

 

Have you been spotting in Japan? Where would you recommend as the best place for viewing aircraft, and what tips can you offer? Leave a comment below!

 

 

 

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