Airports in Japan
Known as the Land of the Rising Sun, Japan is a popular tourist destination thanks to its rich history and unique culture. The ancient Japanese culture has been known to the human race for thousands of years and people can learn a lot about it by visiting castles and shrines. If flying to Japan, it is good to know that there are currently in total 98 Japanese airports, 28 of them operated by the central government and 67 by local governments. The airports in Japan are divided in classes – First Class, Second Class and Third Class. Those which are under the First Class have the largest role in domestic and international transportation. No surprise, several Japanese airports have ranked on top of our list of world’s best airports, according to travellers.
The busiest of all Japanese airports is Tokyo-Haneda Airport, followed by Tokyo-Narita Airport, Osaka-Kansai Airport and Fukuoka Airport.
In this guide, you can find all the necessary information about the busiest international and domestic airports in Japan. At the end of the text is provided the map with all airports in Japan at the end of the text.
Larger Airports
Tokyo Haneda Airport
IATA code HND (~ 87 Mio. passengers)
Haneda Airport is busiest international Japanese airport, handling a staggering number of over 87 million passengers annually. Also known as Tokyo International Airport, Haneda is also the fourth busiest airport in the world. It serves the Greater Tokyo Area and it is the main hub for two domestic airlines, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, among others. Situated about 30 kilometers from Tokyo city center, this airport offers several ways of getting to the city, including train, bus and private transfer. Approximate travel time by bus from Haneda Airport to Tokyo is around 45 minutes. Haneda Airport is also very well connected to Narita Airport by shuttle buses.
Tokyo Narita Airport
IATA code NRT (~ 43 Mio. passengers)
Originally known as New Tokyo International Airport, Narita Airport is Tokyo’s second busiest international airport. Although handling twice as less passengers in comparison with Haneda, Narita Airport handles around 50% of Japan’s international flights. Moreover, the airport has the longest runway in Japan, almost 4 kilometers long. Narita Airport serves as a hub for Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways as well as a hub for low-cost carriers such as Jetstar Japan and Peach. Passengers can reach downtown Tokyo by bus in 55 minutes and the buses arrive at Tokyo City Air Terminal.
Osaka Kansai Airport
IATA code KIX (~ 28 Mio. passengers)
Kansai Airport is an international Japanese airport located in the middle of Osaka Bay, on an artificially made island. The airport serves Osaka Prefecture and it was opened in 1994 to relieve Itami Airport which now handles only domestic flights. Kansai Airport is one of the main hubs for All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines and Peach. The airport has two terminals and it is connected to Osaka by rail and bus. Airport shuttle buses are called airport limousines and they run to some of the larger hotels in Osaka, as well as to Shin-Osaka Station and Shin-Umeda City.
Fukuoka Airport
IATA code FUK (~ 24 Mio. passengers)
Fukuoka Airport is the fourth busiest among the airports in Japan, located on Kyushu Island. Being the main airport on the island, Fukuoka handles more than 24 million passengers per year. Since the airport is surrounded by residential areas, flights are obliged to stop after 10 PM and can continue to operate after 7 AM. There are two terminals, one domestic and one international. Airport is connected with Fukuoka city by subway, however, only from the domestic terminal. The passengers flying into the international terminal will need to take a shuttle bus which operates between the two terminals.
New Chitose Airport
IATA code CTS (~ 22.7 Mio. passengers)
Also known as Sapporo Airport, New Chitose Airport is an international airport serving the Sapporo metropolitan area. The airport is situated 5 kilometers southeast of the city of Chitose and it is also the largest airport on Hokkaido Island. About a third of the passengers in New Chitose Airport travels to Tokyo Haneda Airport which also makes it the third busiest air route in the world. The airport is connected to Chitose by shuttle bus and there is also a subway which connects the airport with Minami Chitose Station. Once arrived at Minami Chitose, passengers can transfer to train lines to Tomakomai, Hakodate, Obihiro and Kushiro.
Naha Airport
IATA code OKA (~ 21 Mio. passengers)
Situated only 4 kilometers west of Naha City, Naha Airport handles flights for the passengers travelling to and from Okinawa Prefecture. Most of the flights include air routes to Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea. Naha Airport is the main hub for airlines such as Japan Transocean Air, Ryukyu Air Commuter and Peach, one of the popular low-cost airlines. Passengers can easily reach the Naha city centre, either by shuttle bus or single monorail line which operates to Shuri Station. The usual travel time is around 30 minutes.
Osaka Itami Airport
IATA code ITM (~ 16 Mio. passengers)
Also known as Itami Airport, Osaka Airport is the first airport built to serve Osaka Prefecture until Kansai Airport was built. It is situated in Itami in Hyogo Prefecture, 15 km north of Osaka city center. Usual travel time to Osaka is around 30 minutes by airport bus limousine. Some of the airlines operating at the airport include Ibex Airlines and ANA Wings (owned by All Nippon) and national Japan Airlines.
Nagoya Chubu Centrair Airport
IATA code NGO (~ 12 Mio. passengers)
Familiar to the international passengers as Central Japan International Airport (or Nagoya Airport), Chubu Centrair Airport is situated on an artificial island in Ise Bay, Tokoname City. The airport is located 35 kilometers south of Nagoya and ranks as the 8th among busiest Japanese airports. It is a hub for three major airlines in eastern Asia, All Nippon Airways, AirAsia Japan and Jetstar Japan. Passengers can easily get from Chubu Centrair Airport to Nagoya by airport bus limousine. The bus operates to Meitetsu Bus Center which is located near Nagoya Station. The usual travel time is around 90 minutes.
Kagoshima Airport
IATA code KOJ (~ 5.2 Mio. passengers)
Kagoshima Airport is a regional Japanese airport located in Kirishima, 29 kilometers northeast of Kagoshima-Chuo Station. The airport mostly handles domestic flights to and from Tokyo-Haneda, Osaka-Itami and Nagoya-Centrair. Some of the international flights include flights to Seoul, Shanghai and Hong Kong. The shuttle bus from Kagoshima Airport departs every ten minutes to Kagoshima-Chuo Station and the usual travel time is around 30 minutes.
Sendai Airport
IATA code SDJ (~ 3.3 Mio. passengers)
Also known as Sendai International Airport, this airport serves the Sendai metropolitan area. It is situated in Natori, approximately 13 kilometers southeast of Sendai city center. The airport is a hub for Peach Aviation, one of the main low-cost carriers in Japan. Some of the popular air routes include flights to and from Seoul–Incheon, Taipei–Taoyuan ,Beijing–Capital, Shanghai–Pudong. The airport can be accessed by airport buses and taxis. The airport buses operate to Miyagi Kotsu, Iwanuma Shimin and Sendai. The journey to Sendai downtown takes around 20-25 minutes.
Kumamoto Airport
IATA code KMJ (~ 3.3 Mio. passengers)
Known also as Aso Kumamoto Airport, Kumamoto Airport is an airport located in Mashiki, 17 kilometers northeast of Kumamoto center. The airport serves Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu Island and it mostly operates domestic flights to Tokyo, Naha, Osaka and Nagoya. Among the regional/international flights Kumamoto Airport has air routes to Laos, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea. Airport bus limousines operate regularly from Kumamoto Airport to Kumamoto Bus Terminal and Kumamoto Station. The approximate travel time to city center is 50-60 minutes.
Miyazaki Airport
IATA code KMI (~ 3.1 Mio. passengers)
Miyazaki Airport is an international airport serving the Miyazaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu. The airport annually handles around 3.1 million passengers, operating air routes to Nagoya, Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Seoul and Taipei. The airport is connected to Miyazaki by shuttle bus and a railway line which runs to and from the central station in Miyazaki. The airport is located 3.2 kilometers from Miyazaki center so the usual travel time is around 30 minutes.
Nagasaki Airport
IATA code NGS (~ 3.1 Mio. passengers)
Nagasaki Airport is an international airport located in the city of Omura, 18 kilometers northeast of Nagasaki. The airport serves Nagasaki Prefecture and handles mostly domestic flights to Nagoya, Tokyo and Osaka but there’s also one air route to Shanghai in China. Passengers can easily reach Nagasaki center by airport bus limousine. The journey approximately lasts about 45 minutes.
Kobe Airport
IATA code UKB (~ 3.1 Mio. passengers)
Kobe Airport is one of the Japanese airports situated on an artificially made island, 8 kilometers from Kobe Sannomiya Station. The airport in general handles only domestic flights but sometimes it has international charter flights during the summer season. The airport is connected to Sannomiya Station by express railway line and travel time is around 18 minutes.
Matsuyama Airport
IATA code MYJ (~ 3 Mio. passengers)
Matsuyama Airport is primarily a domestic airport which connects Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku Island with the rest of the country. About ⅔ of passengers travel to and from Tokyo, Nagoya, Fukuoka and Osaka while the rest travel to Taipei, Shanghai and Seoul. Passengers can reach the city by airport limousine bus which operates to JR Matsuyama Station and Dogo Onsen (a hot spring in the city of Matsuyama).
Tokyo Haneda Airport
Hiroshima Airport – IATA code – HIJ
- Also called: The New Hiroshima Airport
- Passengers: ~ 2.9 million
- Airline(s): Air China, All Nippon Airways, China Airlines
- Nearby city(s) : Mihara, Fukuyama, Miyoshi, Tahekara
New Ishigaki Airport – IATA code – ISG
- Also called: Painushima Ishigaki Airport
- Passengers: ~ 2.4 million
- Airline(s): All Nippon Airways, China Airlines, Japan Airlines, Peach
- Nearby city(s): Ishigaki, Yaeyama Islands
Takamatsu Airport – IATA code – TAK
- Passengers: ~ 1.9 million
- Airline(s): Air Seoul, All Nippon Airways, EVA Air, Spring Airlines
- Nearby city(s): Takamatsu, Sanuki, Sakaide
Oita Airport – IATA code – OIT
- Passengers: ~ 1.8 million
- Airline(s): All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, Jetstar Japan
- Nearby city(s): Kunisaki, Nakatsu, Oita, Beppu
Hakodate Airport – IATA code – HKD
- Passengers: ~ 1.7 million
- Airline(s): Air Do, EVA Air, Tigerair Taiwan
- Nearby city(s): Hakodate, Hokuto, Nanae
Komatsu Airport – IATA code – KMQ
- Passengers: ~ 1.8 million
- Airline(s): All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern Airlines
- Nearby city(s): Komatsu, Kaga, Nomi, Kanazawa
Miyako Airport – IATA code – MMY
- Passengers: ~ 1.3 million
- Airline(s): All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines
- Nearby destinations: Miyako Island, Kurima Island
Kitakyushu Airport – IATA code – KKJ
- Also called: Kokuraminami Airport
- Passengers: ~ 1.3 million
- Airline(s): China Eastern Airlines, Fuji Dream Airlines
- Nearby city(s): Kitakyushu, Yukuhashi
Okayama Airport – IATA code – OKJ
- Also called: Okayama Momotaro Airport
- Passengers: ~ 1.3 million
- Airline(s): All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, Korean Air
- Nearby city(s): Okayama, Kurashiki, Akaiwa
Kochi Airport – IATA code – KCZ
- Also called: Kochi Ryoma Airport
- Passengers: ~ 1.3 million
- Airline(s): All Nippon Airways, Fuji Dream Airlines, Japan Airlines
- Nearby city(s): Kochi, Nanoku
Akita Airport – IATA code – AXT
- Passengers: ~ 1.2 million
- Airline(s): All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, Korean Air
- Nearby city(s): Akita, Daisen, Katagami
Aomori Airport – IATA code – AOJ
- Passengers: ~ 1.1 million
- Airline(s): All Nippon Airways, EVA Air, Japan Airlines
- Nearby city(s): Aomori, Kuroishi, Hirakawa
Asahikawa Airport – IATA code – AKJ
- Passengers: ~ 1.1 million
- Airline(s): Air Do, EVA Air, Tigerair Taiwan
- Nearby city(s): Asahikawa, Fukagawa, Furano
Tokushima Airport – IATA code – TKS
- Also called: Tokushima Awaodori Airport
- Passengers: ~ 1.1 million
- Airline(s): All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, Cathay Dragon
- Nearby city(s): Naruto, Tokushima, Komatsushima
Niigata Airport – IATA code – KIJ
- Passengers: ~ 1 million
- Airline(s): All Nippon Airways, Fuji Dream Airlines, Peach, Yakutia Airlines
- Nearby city(s): Murakami, Nagaoka
Yamaguchi Ube Airport – IATA code – UBJ
- Passengers: ~ 1 million
- Airline(s): All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, StarFlyer
- Nearby city(s): Sanyoonda, Ube
Izumo Airport – IATA code – IZO
- Also called: Izumo En-Musubi Airport
- Passengers: ~ 940 000
- Airline(s): Fuji Dream Airlines, Japan Airlines
- Nearby city(s): Izumo, Matsue, Unnan
Memanbetsu Airport – IATA code – MMB
- Passengers: ~ 820 000
- Airline(s): Air Do, All Nippon Airways
- Nearby city(s): Abashiri, Bihoro, Kitami
Amami Airport – IATA code – ASJ
- Passengers: ~ 760 000
- Airline(s): Japan Airlines, Peach, Skymark Airlines
- Nearby city(s): Amami Island
Kushiro Airport – IATA code – KUH
- Passengers: ~ 740 000
- Airline(s): All Nippon Airways, Air Do, Peach Aviation
- Nearby city(s): Kushiro, Shiranuka
Saga Airport – IATA code – HSG
- Also called: Kyushu Saga International Airport
- Passengers: ~ 740 000
- Airline(s): All Nippon Airways, Spring Airlines, T’way Airlines
- Nearby city(s): Saga, Okawa, Chikugo
Shizuoka Airport – IATA code – FSZ
- Also called: Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport
- Passengers: ~ 670 000
- Airline(s): Beijing Capital Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Jeju Air
- Nearby city(s): Shizuoka, Hamamatsu, Fuji
Obihiro Airport – IATA code – OBO
- Also called: Tokachi–Obihiro Airport
- Passengers: ~ 660 000
- Airline(s): Air Do, Japan Airlines
- Nearby city(s): Obihiro, Makubetsu
Miho-Yonago Airport – IATA code – YGJ
- Also called: Yonago Kitaro Airport
- Passengers: ~ 658 000
- Airline(s): Hong Kong Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Juneyao Airlines
- Nearby city(s): Sakaiminato, Yonago, Isugi
Ibaraki Airport – IATA code – IBR
- Also called: Hyakuri Airfield, Hyakuri Air Base
- Passengers: ~ 655 000
- Airline(s): Bamboo Airways, Fuji Dream Airlines, Skymark Airlines
- Nearby city(s): Hokota, Ishioka, Omitama
Toyama Airport – IATA code – TOY
- Passengers: ~ 570 000
- Airline(s): China Airlines, All Nippon Airways, China Eastern Airlines
- Nearby city(s): Toyama, Imizu, Namerikawa
Hanamaki Airport – IATA code – HNA
- Also called: Iwate-Hanamaki Airport
- Passengers: ~ 430 000
- Airline(s): China Eastern Airlines, Tigerair Taiwan
- Nearby city(s): Hanamaki, Kitakami, Oshu
Tottori Airport – IATA code – TTJ
- Also called: Tottori Sand Dunes Conan Airport
- Passengers: ~ 400 000
- Airline(s): All Nippon Airways
- Nearby city(s): Tottori, Yazu, Iwami
Shonai Airport – IATA code – SYO
- Passengers: ~ 390 000
- Airline(s): All Nippon Airways, Jetstar Japan
- Nearby city(s): Sakata, Tsuruoka, Shonai
Yamagata Airport – IATA code – GAJ
- Passengers: ~ 305 000
- Airline(s): Fuji Dream Airlines, Japan Airlines
- Nearby city(s): Hegashine, Tendo, Yamagata
Kumejima Airport – IATA code – UEO
- Passengers: ~ 259 000
- Airline(s): Japan Airlines
- Nearby destinations: Kumejima Island
Fukushima Airport – IATA code – FKS
- Passengers: ~ 254 000
- Airline(s): All Nippon Airways
- Nearby city(s): Sukagawa, Yabuki
Smaller Japanese Airports
- Wakkanai Airport – IATA code – WKJ
- Aguni Airport – IATA code – AGJ
- Fukue Airport – IATA code – FUJ
- Hachijojima Airport – IATA code – HAC
- Iki Airport – IATA code – IKI
- Oshima Airport – IATA code – OIM
- Kikai Airport – IATA code – KKX
- Odate-Noshiro Airport – IATA code – ONJ
- Kitadaito Airport – IATA code – KTD
- Iwami Airport – IATA code – IWJ
- Matsumoto Airport – IATA code – MMJ
- Minami-Daito Airport – IATA code – MMD
- Shimojishima Airport – IATA code – SHI
- Miyakejima Airport – IATA code – MYE
- Monbetsu Airport – IATA code – MBE
- Nakashibetsu Airport – IATA code – SHB
- Oki Airport – IATA code – OKI
- Okushiri Airport – IATA code – OIR
- Rishiri Airport – IATA code – RIS
- Okadama Airport – IATA code – OKD
- Tajima Airport – IATA code – TJH
- Nanki-Shirahama Airport – IATA code – SHM
- New Tanegashima Airport – IATA code – TNE
- Tarama Airport – IATA code – TRA
- Tokunoshima Airport – IATA code – TKN
- Tsushima Airport – IATA code – TSJ
- Okinoerabu Airport – IATA code – OKE
- Noto Airport – IATA code – NTQ
- Yakushima Airport – IATA code – KUM
- Yonaguni Airport – IATA code – OGN
- Yoron Airport – IATA code – RNJ