Tokyo International Airport (RJTT / HND), commonly known as Haneda, is Japans biggest airport. After the construction of Narita Airport, HND has handled mainly domestic operations for several decades. International services were re-introduced some years ago. To increase capacity, HND received its International Terminal (now Terminal 3) plus a fourth runway in 2010.

As it is located within Tokyo, the airport is much easier accessible and therefore more attractive for airlines as well as travellers than Narita. Keikyu Railway and Tokyo Monorail link HND with several stations in Central Tokyo. ANA and JAL both use HND as a transfer hub for domestic and international operations, while several smaller Japanese operators link the airport with selected domestic destinations, either at own risk or on behalf of ANA/JAL. These operators include Air Do to Hokkaido island, Solaseed to Kyushu island and other cities in southern Japan, Starflyer and Skymark. International operators are the major airlines of China, Korea and southeast Asia as well as some European and American carriers. Good weather is common at this airport, but during the hot summer months you sometimes have to face misty conditions or heat distortion.

Using scanners should be legal, almost all locals are using them (without hiding the devices).

Written by David Will, Hiroaki Tanaka, Travair, Jan Seba, Jeremy Denton & Maximilian Ono. Last change: June 2023 (update of runway operations)

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
04/22	2.500 m
05/23	2.500 m
16L/34R	3.360 m
16R/34L	3.000 m
Terminals
Terminal 1	JAL Group, Skymark, Starflyer (operates from both domestic terminals).
Terminal 2	ANA Group, Air Do, Solaseed, Starflyer (Starflyer operates from both domestic terminals) and a few international services.
Terminal 3	Most international traffic
Spotting Information
Ladder	Not required
Car/Public Transport	Car us not required. If using public transport there is a free shuttle bus between terminals, and if visiting on a weekend a day pass for the monorail (700 yen) taking you to near spot 5 is also available. This ticket will also get you back to downtown Tokyo.
Restrooms	Inside terminal buildings.
Drinks/Food	Inside terminal buildings.
Hotels	There are various hotels around the airport.
Season	Spotting is possible all year long.
Runway Usage
Wind from the north	04/22: not used 05/23: departures on RWY 05 (usually to destinations to the to south and west of Japan (west Japan, Okinawa, Shanghai, HK, SIN, MNL etc.)) 16L/34R: arrivals and departures on RWY 34R (usually to northern Japanese cities and Korean cities, Beijing and direct flights to Europe) 16R/34L: arrivals on RWY 34L
Wind from the south	From 06:00 to 23:00 (excluding 15:00 to 19:00) 04/22: arrivals on RWY 22 05/23: arrivals on RWY 23 16L/34R: departures on RWY 16L 16R/34L: departures on RWY 16R From 15:00 to 19:00 04/22: departures on RWY 22 (mainly destinations to the South) 05/23: not in use 16L/34R: departures (especially long haul) and arrivals (mainly coming from the south) on RWY 16L. During peak times arrivals only. 16R/34L: departures (usually destinations to the south; destinations to the north as well if 16L/34R is busy) and arrivals (mainly coming from the north) on RWY 16R.

Terminal 1 Oberservation Deck – 16R departures or 34L arrivals, movements on Terminal 1 apron

WHERE	Landside on the rooftop of Domestic Terminal 1. Just follow the signs. There is some kind of horizontal mesh where your camera lense easily fit trough.
WHAT	You can see and spot movements on the apron in front of Terminal 1. Movements on the Terminal 3 ramp are visible in the distance. During northern wind you can spot RWY 34L arrivals. During southern wind you can spot RWY 16R departures.
TIME	Best light conditions are in the early morning. Later, movements on the runway are in backlight.
MISC.	Shops and restrooms inside the terminal, shops possibly also on the terrace itself. Terrace is open from 06:30 till 22:00 and free of charge. Check the official website for the latest infos.
FOCAL LENGTH	Below 50mm for planes on the Terminal 1 apron. Longer lenses are required for planes on taxiways, on the runway and on the Terminal 3 apron.

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Terminal 2 Observation deck – 16L/34R arrivals and departures, movements on Terminal 2 apron

WHERE	Landside on the rooftop of Domestic Terminal 2. Just follow the signs. There is some kind of horizontal mesh where your camera lense easily fit trough.
WHAT	You can see and spot all movements on Runway 16L/34R from here as well as movements on the apron in front of Terminal 2.
TIME	Best light conditions are in the afternoon. In the morning, movements on the runway are in backlight. The spot becomes useful by around 11 o’clock.
MISC.	Shops and restrooms inside the terminal, shops possibly also on the terrace itself. Terrace is open from 06:30 till 22:00 and free of charge. Check the official website for the latest infos.
FOCAL LENGTH	Below 50mm for planes on the Terminal 2 apron. Longer lenses are required for planes on taxiways and the runway.

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Terminal 3 Observation deck – 16R departures or 34L arrivals, movements on Terminal 3 apron

WHERE	Landside of the rooftop of Terminal 3. Just follow the signs. There is some kind of horizontal mesh where your camera lense easily fit trough.
WHAT	You can see and spot movements on the apron in front of Terminal 3. Movements on the domestic Terminal 1 ramp are visible in the distance. During northern wind you can spot RWY 34L arrivals. During southern wind you can spot RWY 16R departures.
TIME	Best light conditions are in the afternoon and during the night. In the morning, movements on the runway are backlit. The spot becomes useful by around 11 o’clock.
MISC.	Shops and restrooms inside the terminal. Terrace is open 24h and free of charge. Check the official website for the latest infos.
FOCAL LENGTH	Below 50mm for planes on the Terminal 3 apron. Longer lenses are required for planes on taxiways, on the runway and on the Terminal 1 ramp.

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Jonanjima Beach Park

WHERE	There you can go by bus from JR Omori Station, Keikyu railway Heiwajima Station or Tokyo Monorail Ryutsu-Center Station. Take the bus line 森32 for “Jounanjima Circulation”(城南島循環) from each station and get off at “Jonanjima 4-Chome”(城南島四丁目). This bus is not running frequent (1 service per hour).
WHAT	There you can get 34R departures and 22 arrivals.
TIME	Best light conditions are in the early morning for 34R departures. When 22 arrivals best time is from afternoon to sunset.
MISC.	There are vending machine and toilets. But no store near here.
FOCAL LENGTH	Focal length is 200-500mm for 34R departures, 100-300mm at 22 arrivals.

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Keihinjima Tsubasa park

WHERE	There can get there by bus from JR Omori Station, Keikyu railway Heiwajima Station or Tokyo Monorail Ryutsu-Center Station. Take bus line 森24, 森36 or 森46 to “Keihinjima Circulation”(京浜島循環) from each stations and get off at “Keihinjima”(京浜島三番地) or “Keihinjima Kaijo Kouen”(京浜島海上公園). This bus is not frequent too.
WHAT	You can see 34R depatures or 22 arrivals.
TIME	Best light conditions are from afternoon to sunset.
MISC.	There are vending machine and toilets. But no store near here.
FOCAL LENGTH	Focal length is 200-500mm for 34R departures, 150-400mm at 22 arrivals.

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Kawasaki Ukishima-Cho Park.

WHERE	The park reopened after it had been destroyed by a typhoon back in 2019. You can go there by bus from Kawasaki Station (the bus stop is next to both JR and Keikyu Kawasaki stations). Take the bus for “Ukishima bus terminal”(浮島バスターミナル) and get off at Ukishimachōkoen” (浮島町公園). The park entrance on the bus stop side is closed so use the front entrance.
WHAT	There you can see taxing to runway 05 and 34L arrivals. A fence is blocking the sight for the 05-runway pics as you can see on the samples.
TIME	Best light conditions are afternoon to sunset.
MISC.	There is a toilet but no store and vending machine. If you want something to eat or drink, you should buy it near Kawasaki station.
FOCAL LENGTH	737/A320 around 450mm 777-300 around 250mm

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ANA Terminal Car Park 3

WHERE	It is on the ANA Terminal Car Park 3 (north side car park), Level 6. You can reach this location by walking from the ANA terminal (terminal 2) to terminal 2 car park 3 (the more northerly of the two car parks at terminal 2). There is a connecting bridge from the terminal to the car park on level 3. From car park level 3 take the elevator to the 6th floor (not the roof as it is surrounded by a 2m wall) and turn right out of the elevator and walk to the north end of the car park.
WHAT	From this location you can see and photograph any visiting dignitaries aircraft on the ramp. Its not the best spot and only worth for a quick stop. Depending on the actual parking bay used by aircraft, unfortunately apron lighting poles can be an unwanted part of the photo so its better if you catch the aircraft while it is moving into its stand. The first gate of the terminal should be also not occupied by an aircraft as it will block the sight if the aircraft is moving to and from the ramp in. OCT 2020 VIP aircraft no longer parked here and use the apron at runway 22
TIME	Best light is late morning to early afternoon.
MISC.	There are no problems with security at this location.
FOCAL LENGTH	For narrow body class 250mm+; for wide body 150mm. Often dignitaries show up with more than one aircraft – to photograph two or more aircraft together 100mm will be handy.

Jonanjima Futou Park 16L arrivals

WHERE	There you can go by bus from JR Omori Station, Keikyu railway Heiwajima Station or Tokyo Monorail Ryutsu-Center Station. Take the bus line 森32 for “Jounanjima Circulation”(城南島循環) from each station and get off at “Kenzai Futou”(建材埠頭). This bus is not running frequent (1 service per hour).
WHAT	You can see 16L arrivals. Only South wind and from 15:00 to 19:00.
TIME	16L Operation time is 15:00 to 19:00.This time are best light conditions in summer. Winter season is sunset around 17:00.
MISC.	Restrooms are available in the park. Convenience shop is near the park.
FOCAL LENGTH	150-180mm for B777s 180-200mm for B787s and B767s 250-300mm for B737s and A320s

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Showajima Industrial Area - 16R Arrivals

WHERE	There you can go by Tokyo Monorail “SHOWAJIMA”(昭和島)” Station. Get off East-exit, you are through a narrow passage and about 5 min from stataion. Then you literally just stand by the roadside close to the water at the edge of the Showajima industrial area, which can be found northwest of the airport itsself on the island of Showajima.
WHAT	You can see 16R arrivals. Only South wind and from 15:00 to 19:00.
TIME	16R Operation time is 15:00 to 19:00.This time are best light conditions in summer. Also winter season is good. But sunset around 17:00.
MISC.	There are vending machine. Restrooms are available in station.
FOCAL LENGTH	250mm for B777s 300mm for B787s and B767s 400mm for B737s and A320s

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Tenku Bridge - 22 Departures

WHERE	There you can go by Keikyu line and Tokyo Monorail and exit at “TENKUBASHI(天空橋)” station. Station is under ground, you get off A2 Exit and bridge is right side crossing the Ebitori river.
WHAT	You can see 22 departures. Only South wind and from 15:00 to 19:00.(But Primary departures are 16L/R)
TIME	Best light conditions are from afternoon to sunset in summer. Also, Winter season is good. but sunset around 17:00.
MISC.	There are vending machine and toilets in the station.
FOCAL LENGTH	B737s/A320s around 400mm B767s/B787s around 300mm B777s around 250mm

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Footbath Sky Deck - Taxiway and Ramp

WHERE	There is a wonderful viewing deck in a industrial zone, next to the treshold of runway 04. To get there you can go by Keikyu line and Tokyo Monorail and exit at “TENKUBASHI(天空橋)” station. Leave the station and walk eastword to the office complex until Zone E. The deck is on the roof of this building and can be accessed from the outside via the stairs.
WHAT	Sadly there is not much happening here as runway 04 is not active. But it is a good opportunity to photograph the movements to the ramps which are located on the western side of the airport.
TIME	Best time is from noon until sunset.
MISC.	There are shops and restrooms nearby in the office complex. You can even take a footbath if you want.
FOCAL LENGTH	XXX

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