Your Guide to Which Airport is Best to Land in Japan

Congratulations! You have finally decided to visit Japan. You also may or may not yet be ready to book the flights but before you take out your credit card, you're probably asking yourself: Which airport in Japan should I fly to? In case you didn’t know, Japan actually has several international airports. The popular ones are Narita and Haneda, as these airports are the direct or most accessible entry to the country’s capital, Tokyo. Still, there are also other airports that serve as an entrance point for international travelers. 

Here, we’ll look at the different international airports around Japan to help you plan your trip, whether you already have a list of things you want to see and experience or just starting to write down ideas.

Considered one of the best airports in the world, Narita Airport (NRT) is the primary entry point for most international tourists visiting Japan, especially those wishing to see the country’s capital city, Tokyo. It is world-renowned for its services and technological advancements in facilities and has been awarded a 5-star world airport rating by SKYTRAX, which some may consider is the best airport to land in in Japan.

Narita’s connectivity also makes it a top pick for international travelers, with over 100 destinations across 35 countries and major airlines at the airport. This means if you enjoy airport lounges, ANA, Korean Air, United Air, and Japan Airlines, to name a few, NRT offers amazing airline lounges where you can enjoy some downtime before your flight.

A recent addition to NRT’s facilities is the airport’s food hub called “Japan Food Hall” located in Terminal 2, where travelers can choose from 10 restaurants offering a taste of “Japan.” So if you’re not yet tired of Japanese food by the end of your trip (which I’m 99% sure you will not be), then you would not want to miss this restaurant floor.  

As for NRT’s accessibility, while it is around 75 kilometers from central Tokyo, there are countless transportation options for travelers to reach the country’s capital and beyond. The most popular choice of travelers is the Keisei Skyliner Narita Airport Express, which will take you to downtown Tokyo in 30 minutes. There are also limousine buses that regularly travel to and from the airport. If you’re traveling with a larger group or prefer the most convenient option, you can always book your private airport transfers. 

While NRT is considered the “major international airport in Japan,” Haneda Airport (HND) is the domestic airport hub with over half of the travelers that use the airport fly domestically. But sitting just a little over 20 kilometers from central Tokyo, HND is just as popular as its sister airport for international travelers. So if you’re only planning to visit Tokyo on your Japan trip, HND might be the best airport to land in in Japan for you! 

Given its proximity to the city, it is much easier to reach Tokyo from HND than NRT making it a better choice for budget travelers who would like to enjoy the convenience of private airport transfers. Those who acquire Japan Rail (JR) passes for their trip can also easily access the Tokyo Monorail to reach downtown! For a more comprehensive guide, you can check out the best ways to reach Tokyo from Haneda airport.

At the end of the day, both NRT and HND are excellent airports to land in in Japan. NRT is more popular as there are more flights available that fly in and out of this airport so there are more convenient arrival and departure times whereas HND operates on slightly odd times. But depending on where you’re flying from and the availability of flights, HND might be a better choice if you’re looking to reach the city faster and slightly cheaper as long as you don’t mind traveling during odd hours! 

If you’re planning to visit Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe, Kansai Airport (KIX) is the gateway to your adventures located in the middle of Osaka Bay. Many first-time travelers to Japan opt to include both Osaka and Tokyo in their itineraries given the cities’ popularity for tourists. And while there’s a considerable distance between the cities, the bullet train or Shinkansen (2.5 hours one-way trip) makes it easy for travelers to visit both Osaka and Tokyo on a single trip to Japan. But to save up even more on time, you may want to consider flying in and out of different airports! You can start your trip in Osaka via KIX and finish in Tokyo, flying out of either HND or NRT. 

You have multiple transportation options to reach Osaka from KIX. The fastest option is the Nankai Line Rapi:t Airport Express which takes you downtown in just 34 minutes. There are also access points through JR lines, a bus limousine, and private airport transfers if you want to splurge a little for convenience. For more information, you can check out our guide on How to Get from Kansai International Airport to Osaka City that details the different ways you can travel to and from the airport.

If you are flying via KIX, though, there is so much beauty in the Kansai region that you might consider visiting Tokyo on an entirely different trip. Osaka is known as the food capital of Japan, offering some of the world's best and most authentic okonomiyaki and takoyaki. 

Kyoto transports you back in time with its well-preserved shrines and historical landmarks. If you're a meat lover, Kobe is the place to indulge in incredible Wagyu cuts. And if you’ve seen tourists bowing to and feeding deer, that’s in Nara! For a hassle-free trip around Kansai, you might consider getting a Kansai Pass that will bring you the best spots this region has to offer. 

Formerly named Nagoya Airport, the Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO) is also a major international airport in Japan that serves as an entry point to the Chubu Region or Central Japan. For most tourists, Nagoya is just a quick stop for those traveling between Kyoto and Tokyo, but thanks to many new and exciting attractions, such as LEGOLAND Japan and Ghibli Park, Japan’s fourth most populated city is on its way to also becoming one of the top tourist destinations in the country. 

Apart from theme parks, Nagoya is also a destination for nature lovers because of its proximity to the Hidu Mountains region, which is home to the Japanese Alps. Tourists who want to experience the beauty of Japan’s mountain region would include Takayama in their Japan trip, which is a small town that sits in the heart of the Japanese Alps to experience and have a glimpse of the “Old Japan.”

So, if you’re considering visiting the mountain regions of Japan, we recommend flying to Japan via NGO as it will take you half the time to travel from Nagoya to Takayama than if you were to travel from Kyoto or Tokyo. 

If you’re not yet convinced, a unique feature at NGO is that it houses Flight Park, formerly called “Flight of Dreams,” which is a shopping and dining complex that exhibits a Boeing 787 airplane. To make it even more unique, the complex is also themed after Seattle as this is where Boeing’s headquarters were. 

The airport is located just 40 kilometers outside of Nagoya, and travelers can reach the city within 28 minutes by taking the Meitetsu Chubu Centrair Airport Express train. There are also buses that operate between NGO and multiple locations around Nagoya, but if you’re looking for a hassle-free and most convenient way to reach your accommodations from the airport, you can always look into booking a private airport transfer from NGO! 

Considered one of the gateways to Hokkaido, New Chitose Airport (CTS) gives you direct access to Sapporo, known for its beer (Sapporo Lager, anyone?) and the Sapporo Snow Festival that happens annually during February. So, if you’re traveling around this time of the year, you might consider flying to CTS for an epic ski trip in the mountains of Japan. 

Do not be fooled by the name of CTS, though; while it’s called New Chitose, the airport is not new to the area, having been built in the 1980s. However, this does not mean the facilities are not updated and advanced. In fact, CTS is ranked  “World’s Most Improved Airport” by Skytrax in 2024, so travelers can expect a pleasant journey through New Chitose. 

A unique feature at CTS is the New Chitose Airport Onsen, dubbed as the nearest hot spring to the skies, where you can reap the benefits of a “hot bath” before or after a long flight. This is perfect for those coming from or are about to go on a long-haul flight. Especially because, at the moment, there are only a few select destinations around Asia that fly direct to CTS internationally, so travelers coming from the West usually will have to fly into Tokyo and transfer domestically from there. 

As for transportation options, there is a direct line between the airport and Sapporo station that will take you downtown within 35 minutes via the JR rapid trains, which are covered by the JR Pass and the Hokkaido Rail Pass. There are also buses that depart every 15 minutes and can take you to various places in the city, including select hotels.

The bus trip takes 70 to 90 minutes, so we recommend taking the JR rapid trains if you want to save time, as the one-way cost is almost the same as the rail passes. But if cost is not an issue, you can always book private airport transfers for the most convenient transportation and hassle-free experience between the airport and your accommodation!

At the end of the day, regardless of which airport you land in in Japan, you’re in for an epic trip. From the neon-brimmed streets of Tokyo to the tranquil temples in the Kansai region, there is a reason why Japan is on almost everyone’s travel bucket list. To help you more with your travel planning, here are some more guides on Japan you might want to add to your reading list!