Japan's Domestic Airport Network: A Comprehensive Overview

Japan has a total of 98 airports, including both domestic and international airports. As an island nation, air transport is the primary source of transportation in and out of the country. Tokyo's Narita and Osaka's Kansai airports are the two main international airports in the country, with Nagoya's Chubu airport and Tokyo's Haneda airport also serving as important transport hubs.

Japan's busiest airports

Japan has a well-developed air transport infrastructure, with over 50 active airports, including several major international hubs. Air transport is one of the most important modes of transport in the country and is the primary mode of international transport.

The busiest airports in Japan are:

Haneda Airport

Haneda Airport, formerly known as Tokyo International Airport, is the busiest airport in Japan for domestic travel. It is located in Ota, Tokyo, and has the capacity to handle over 90 million passengers annually. The airport was built in 1930 and opened in 1931. It consists of four runways and three terminals: Terminal 1, Terminal 2, and the International Terminal. Haneda is considered one of the most punctual airports in the world and enjoys a high reputation among both domestic and international travellers.

Narita International Airport

Narita International Airport is an international airport located in east Tokyo. It is the busiest airport in Japan for handling international flights, serving over half of the country's international passengers and about 60% of its national air cargo. When combined with Haneda Airport, Narita makes Tokyo the third-largest airport complex in the world, surpassed only by London and New York. Narita hosts three terminals: Terminal 1, Terminal 2, and the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal.

Kansai International Airport

Kansai International Airport, located in Izumisano, serves the business districts of the Greater Osaka Area. It features an advanced transportation system, making it easy to navigate the region from the airport. Kansai International Airport is equipped with two passenger terminals.

Osaka International Airport

Also known as Itami Airport, Osaka International Airport is a domestic airport that serves flights to several regions of Japan. All international flights were moved to the new Kansai Airport after it opened in 1996. Osaka International Airport is equipped with two terminals.

Chubu Centrair International Airport

Chubu Centrair International Airport, located on Ise Bay, primarily serves the Chūkyō metropolitan area in the Aichi region. It is one of the busiest international airports in Japan, carrying both passengers and cargo. The airport serves as a hub for All Nippon Airways and Jetstar Japan airlines. Chubu Centrair International Airport is equipped with two passenger terminals.

Domestic airports in Japan

Japan has a total of 98 airports, including military air bases, domestic airports, and international airports. The majority of these airports (67) are operated by local governments, while the central government operates 28.

Tokyo International Airport (HND)

Also known as Haneda Airport, this airport is Japan's largest domestic airport and Asia's second-largest airport. It is located just 14 kilometres south of Tokyo and serves over 72 million passengers annually. Haneda Airport has three terminals, with Terminal 1 handling domestic flights, Terminal 2 facilitating both domestic and international flights, and Terminal 3 managing international flights.

Narita International Airport (NRT)

Located 60 kilometres east of Tokyo, Narita International Airport is the largest international airport in Japan. It serves as the entry point for around half of Japan's international travellers and is accessible via the JR Narita Express (N'EX) and the Narita Line/Sobu Line Rapid Train. Narita International Airport also has three terminals, with Terminal 1 catering to international flights, Terminal 2 serving a mix of domestic and international flights, and Terminal 3 handling both types of flights.

Kansai International Airport (KIX)

Kansai International Airport, located 40 kilometres southwest of Osaka, is western Japan's major airport. It is also the nearest international airport to Kyoto. This airport has two passenger terminals and is known for its advanced transportation system, making it easy to navigate the region.

Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO)

Chubu Centrair International Airport, also known as Central Japan International Airport, serves central Japan and is located 30 kilometres south of Nagoya. It features two passenger terminals and is one of the busiest international airports in the country.

New Chitose Airport (CTS)

New Chitose Airport is the fifth busiest airport in Japan and serves the world's second busiest air route between Sapporo and Tokyo Haneda. It has two terminals and is accessible via several train lines.

Other Domestic Airports in Japan

In addition to the major airports mentioned above, Japan has numerous other domestic airports that facilitate travel within the country. These include:

• Fukuoka Airport (FUK)
• Kagoshima Airport (KOJ)
• Hiroshima Airport (HIJ)
• Kumamoto Airport (KMJ)
• Sendai International Airport (SDJ)
• Nagasaki Airport (NGS)
• Okadama Airport (AKD) or Sapporo Airport
• Itami Airport or Osaka International Airport (ITM)
• Kyushu Saga International Airport (HSG), Saga City
• Naha Airport (OKA), Okinawa

International airports in Japan

Japan has a total of 98 airports, 28 of which are operated by the central government and 67 by local governments.

Japan has five first-class international airports, 24 second-class airports, and 52 third-class airports. The first-class airports are:

• Osaka or Itami Airport
• Narita International Airport
• Chubu Centrair International Airport
• Kansai International Airport
• Tokyo International Airport

The second-class airports include:

• Akito Airport
• Yamagata Airport
• New Chitose Airport
• Matsuyama Airport
• Yamaguchi Ube Airport
• Oita Airport
• Naha Airport

The third-class airports include:

• Izumo Airport
• Saga Airport
• Amami Airport
• Oshima Airport
• Kobe Airport

Accessing the Airports

All of Japan's international airports are located near big cities and offer flights to many destinations worldwide. The JR Narita Express (N'EX) and the Narita Line/Sobu Line Rapid Train provide access to Narita Airport. The Tokyo Monorail connects Haneda Airport to the city. The JR Haruka limited express connects Kansai International Airport to Osaka. The Meitetsu Line μ-SKY limited express connects Chubu Centrair International Airport to Nagoya.

Airports in Japan by classification

Japan has a total of 98 airports, including military air bases, domestic airports, and international airports. These airports are divided into four legal classifications:

Hub/First-Class Airports

These airports play a crucial role in domestic and international transportation. They are further divided into three subcategories:

• Privately managed airports: These include the three largest international airports in Japan.
• National airports: Run by the central government.
• Special regional airports: Managed by prefectural or municipal governments.

Regional/Second-Class Airports

These are prefectural or municipal airports that the central government considers significant for national aviation.

Joint-use/Third-Class Airports

Civil aviation shares these airports with the Japan Self-Defense Forces.

Other Airports

Airports that don't fall into the above categories, including three major U.S. military air bases and smaller aerodromes for special purposes like firefighting and corporate operations.

First-Class Airports

• Tokyo International Airport (HND), also known as Haneda Airport, is the busiest airport in Japan in terms of passenger numbers. It serves the Greater Tokyo Area and is a hub for Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways.
• Narita International Airport (NRT) is Tokyo's second busiest airport and handles about 50% of the country's international flights. It has the longest runway in Japan.
• Kansai International Airport (KIX) serves the Osaka Prefecture and is one of the main hubs for All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, and Peach.
• Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO) is located on an artificial island in Ise Bay and serves the Chūkyō metropolitan area in Aichi. It is one of the busiest international airports in Japan.
• New Chitose Airport (CTS), the largest airport in Hokkaidō, is an international airport serving the Sapporo metropolitan area.
• Fukuoka Airport (FUK) is the fourth busiest airport in Japan and the main airport on Kyushu Island.
• Kagoshima Airport (KOJ) is a regional airport located in Kirishima, mainly handling domestic flights to and from Tokyo-Haneda, Osaka-Itami, and Nagoya-Centrair. It also has some international flights to Seoul, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.

Second-Class Airports

• Sendai International Airport (SDJ) serves the Sendai metropolitan area and is a hub for the low-cost carrier Peach Aviation.
• Kumamoto Airport (KMJ), also known as Aso Kumamoto Airport, serves Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu Island. It operates mostly domestic flights but also has regional and international flights to Laos, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea.
• Nagasaki Airport (NGS) is an international airport located in Omura City, handling mostly domestic flights with one international route to Shanghai, China.
• Kobe Airport (UKB) is located on an artificial island and primarily handles domestic flights, with occasional international charter flights during the summer.
• Matsuyama Airport (MYJ) is a domestic airport connecting Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku Island with the rest of Japan.

Third-Class Airports

• Hiroshima Airport (HIJ), also known as the New Hiroshima Airport, serves the city of Hiroshima and its surrounding areas.
• New Ishigaki Airport (ISG), also known as Painushima Ishigaki Airport, serves the city of Ishigaki and the Yaeyama Islands.
• Takamatsu Airport (TAK) is located near the cities of Takamatsu, Sanuki, and Sakaide.
• Oita Airport (OIT) serves the cities of Kunisaki, Nakatsu, Oita, and Beppu.
• Hakodate Airport (HKD) serves Hakodate and the nearby cities of Hokuto and Nanae.

Airports in Japan by location

Japan has a total of 98 airports, including both national and international airports. These airports are spread across the country, with at least one airport in almost every prefecture and major city. Here is a breakdown of the airports in Japan by location:

Tokyo Region

Tokyo International Airport (HND), also known as Haneda Airport, is the busiest airport in Japan in terms of passenger numbers. It is located in the Ota region, about 60 km from the city centre. Narita International Airport (NRT) is the other major airport serving the Tokyo area. It is located in Narita, about 64 km from the city.

Osaka Region

Osaka International Airport (ITM), also known as Itami Airport, serves domestic flights within Japan. Kansai International Airport (KIX) in Izumisano is the other important airport serving the Osaka region. It is located about 50 km from the city and is known for its advanced transportation system, making it easy to navigate the region.

Nagoya Area

Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO) is located on an artificial island in Ise Bay and serves the Chūkyō metropolitan area in Aichi. It is one of the busiest international airports in Japan.

Hokkaido

New Chitose Airport (CTS) in Hokkaido is the fifth busiest airport in Japan and the largest in the region. It is located about 45 km from the city and shares a taxi area with the Chitose Air Base of the Japanese Military.

Fukuoka

Fukuoka Airport (FUK) is the fourth busiest airport in Japan, serving over 20 airlines worldwide. It is located just 2.4 km from the city and is easily accessible by subway and bus.

Kagoshima

Kagoshima Airport (KOJ) is located about 30 km from the city in the Kyushu region. It primarily caters to domestic flights but also offers occasional flights to South Korea and China.

Hiroshima

Hiroshima Airport (HIJ) is located about 50 km out of Hiroshima. It serves as a hub for domestic flights and also offers international flights to South Korea and China.

Other Locations

Japan has numerous other airports spread across the country, including Kumamoto Airport (KMJ) in Kumamoto, Sendai International Airport (SDJ) in Miyagi, Naha Airport (OKA) in Okinawa, Kyushu Saga International Airport (HSG) in Saga City, Nagasaki Airport (NGS) in Nagasaki, and Okadama Airport (AKD) in Sapporo.

Frequently asked questions