Roberta Aguirre
Japan's busiest airports are Tokyo's Narita and Haneda airports and Osaka's Kansai Airport. Narita International Airport (NRT) is the largest international airport in Japan, located 60km from Tokyo. Haneda Airport (HND), on the other hand, is Japan's largest domestic airport, located just 14km south of Tokyo. In preparation for the 2020 Summer Olympics, the Japanese government planned to increase the number of annual flights at Haneda and Narita to 1 million from 750,000. Haneda Airport was set to add 50 international routes per day, with aircraft flying over central Tokyo during the day.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Airport used for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo | Narita International Airport (NRT) and Haneda Airport (HND) |
| Location of Narita Airport | 60 km (37 miles) east of Tokyo |
| Location of Haneda Airport | 14 km (8 miles) south of Tokyo |
| Transport from Narita Airport to Tokyo | JR Narita Express (N'EX), Narita Line/Sobu Line Rapid Train |
| Transport from Haneda Airport to Tokyo | N/A |
| Annual number of flights at Haneda and Narita | 750,000 (planned to increase to 1 million) |
| Number of international passengers at Haneda | 18 million (planned to increase to 25 million) |
| Airlines flying to Haneda | Delta |
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What You'll Learn
Tokyo's Narita and Haneda airports
Tokyo, the world's most populated city, is served by two major airports: Narita International Airport (NRT) and Haneda Airport (HND), also known as Tokyo International Airport. Both airports serve international and domestic air traffic. Haneda Airport is the larger and busier of the two, handling over 78 million passengers annually, compared to Narita's 36.8 million international visitors in 2024. Haneda Airport is also closer to the city, while Narita is located further outside of Tokyo.
In terms of transportation, both airports offer easy access to the city. Haneda Airport is more conveniently located, with buses, express trains, and taxis available for transfer. Narita Airport also offers these options, but the journey can be more expensive and may involve connecting from the airport express line to Tokyo's metro system. Ride-hailing apps like Uber and Go are available in Tokyo, although hailing a cab is typically cheaper.
Historically, Narita Airport, built in 1978, served the most long-haul flights. However, carriers like All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines have shifted most of their international flight operations to Haneda Airport due to its more central location. Haneda Airport previously served primarily domestic flights until 2010, when it began handling more international routes.
In preparation for the 2020 Summer Olympics, the Japanese government planned to increase the annual number of flights at both airports to 1 million, adding more international routes. This initiative aimed to boost Japan's tourism numbers and enhance the competitiveness of its Asian rivals. With the expansion of Haneda Airport in 2018, the combined airport system of Tokyo became the third busiest in the world, after London and New York.
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Osaka's Kansai Airport
Osaka's Kansai International Airport (KIX) is one of Japan's most important international airports. Located in Osaka Bay, it is the primary international airport in the Greater Osaka Area and the closest international airport to the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe.
The airport is situated on an artificial island, Kankūjima, in Osaka Bay, about 38 km (24 mi) southwest of Ōsaka Station. It is within three municipalities, including Izumisano, Sennan, and Tajiri, in Osaka Prefecture. The airport's first island covers around 510 hectares (1,260 acres), while the second covers about 545 hectares (1,347 acres), totalling 1,055 hectares (2,607 acres). Kansai International Airport opened on 4 September 1994, becoming Japan's first airport to operate 24 hours a day.
Kansai International Airport serves as a hub for several airlines, including All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, and Nippon Cargo Airlines. It is the international gateway to Japan's Kansai region, which includes the major cities of Kyoto, Kobe, and Osaka. The airport offers convenient transportation options, with frequent JR Limited Express and Rapid Trains connecting the airport to central Osaka in just over 30 minutes. Additionally, buses provide easy access to the Kansai region and beyond, while taxis are readily available for customised journeys.
Kansai International Airport provides essential amenities for travellers, including free Wi-Fi and 11 currency exchange offices, some of which operate around the clock. A Tourist Information Centre with multilingual staff offers free maps and brochures, making it a valuable resource for visitors. The airport also provides a Japan Rail Pass exchange service, allowing travellers to explore Japan with ease using the country's renowned rail network.
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Nagoya's Chubu Airport
Nagoya's Chubu Centrair International Airport is located on an artificial island in Ise Bay, Tokoname City, in the Aichi Prefecture. It is around 35-40 kilometres south of Nagoya in central Japan. The airport is classified as a first-class airport and is the main international gateway for the Chubu ("central") region of Japan. It is Japan's fourth most important international airport, after Tokyo's Narita and Haneda airports, and Osaka's Kansai Airport.
Chubu Centrair opened on 17 February 2005, taking over all international and most domestic flights previously handled by Nagoya's Komaki Airport. The airport consists of two terminal buildings. Terminal 1 is the main terminal for domestic and international flights, while Terminal 2 is a smaller terminal used by discount airlines. The airport is conveniently connected to Nagoya and other areas of central Japan by public transportation. The train is the fastest and cheapest option to Nagoya Station, with the Meitetsu Railway offering a 30-minute journey for 980 yen in a non-reserved seat and 1430 yen for a reserved seat. Buses operate between the airport and several locations around Nagoya, including a bus to Sakae in central Nagoya every two hours for 1500 yen one way. A taxi ride into central Nagoya costs about 15,000 yen. High-speed boats also connect the airport with the city of Tsu in Mie Prefecture, with a 45-minute journey costing 2980 yen.
Chubu Centrair covers about 470 hectares of land and has a 3,500-metre runway. In 2018, 12.35 million people used the airport, ranking it as the 8th busiest in Japan that year. The airport also handled 212,797 tons of cargo in 2018. In 2019, it was ranked the fifth-best airport in the world by Skytrax's World's Top Airports 100 and received the World's Best Regional Airport and Best Regional Airport in Asia awards. The airport serves the third-largest metropolitan area in Japan, centred around Nagoya, which is a major manufacturing centre. Companies with headquarters and production facilities in the region include Toyota Motor Corporation, Mitsubishi Motors, and Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation.
The construction of Chubu Centrair Airport was motivated by the insufficient cargo handling capacity of the previous Nagoya Airport, which was hampered by its location in a residential area. The new airport allowed for increased flight operations and 24-hour cargo flights. However, the construction was not without controversy, as a yakuza faction, Kodo-kai, profited immensely from being the sole supplier of construction materials through a front company called Samix. Several Samix executives were indicted for racketeering, but the prosecutions were later dropped.
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Fukuoka Airport
To ease congestion, Fukuoka Airport has been aggressively building a second runway and expanding two terminals. The second runway was officially opened on March 20, 2025. Construction to double the size of the international passenger terminal is scheduled for completion in March 2025. A new eight-storey car park was completed in January 2023, and an airport bus-only road connecting the two terminals is set to open in November 2024. A complex with a shopping mall and a hotel at the domestic passenger terminal is scheduled for completion in 2026.
While Fukuoka Airport is one of the major airports in Japan, it is unclear if it was specifically utilised for the Olympics. The Tokyo area's two main international gateways, Haneda and Narita, added more international flights ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics, with Haneda Airport increasing its international routes by 50 per day.
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Naha Airport
The history of Naha Airport dates back to 1933 with the opening of the Oroku Aerodrome, an Imperial Japanese Navy airfield. In 1945, the base was taken over by the United States and renamed Naha Airport. The airport was under US military control until 1982 when it was transferred to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. During the refurbishment closure between 1952 and 1954, Japan Airlines provided service to Okinawa using the Kadena Air Base.
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Frequently asked questions
The 2020 Summer Olympics were held in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo has two main airports: Narita (NRT) and Haneda (HND). Narita is the larger airport, located 60 kilometres (37 miles) east of the city centre. Haneda is located 14 kilometres (8 miles) south of the city.
You can use the JR Narita Express (N'EX) to travel between Narita Airport and Tokyo. The trip takes approximately one hour. Alternatively, you can take the Narita Line/Sobu Line Rapid Train, which takes one and a half hours.
Yes, Osaka's Kansai Airport, Nagoya's Chubu Airport, and Fukuoka Airport are some of the other international airports in Japan.
