Kyowa Bridge is Great for Haneda Airport Plane Spotting
The Showajima Industrial Site was my latest (i.e., 31/7/2022) place for plane spotting. Haneda Airport is less than two kilometers away. In prime time, many jetliners fly past. I had good weather for my visit. It was an excellent afternoon for aircraft photography.
Well, you won’t shoot from within the industrial site but near it. The exact spot is Kyowa Bridge. From there, you photograph airliners as they approach runway 16R. I started taking these photos at 4:30 p.m. and finished at 6:30 p.m. a Sunday afternoon.
Why is Kyowa Bridge Good for Plane-Watching?
- The planes fly at you. You get good frontal shots.
- Photograph aircraft from the side as they pass.
- Shoot their rear as they approach the runway. Unfortunately, a building prevents touchdown photos.
- Walk over the bridge. That allows different angles.
- Planes pass close to the bridge.
- You’ll see Mount Fuji if the weather is fine.
Recommended lenses
- You can get great photos with all sorts of lenses here. I used my Fujifilm 100-400 mm and was very happy.
- As aircraft pass you close, even short lenses are effective. I took quite a few at 100 mm, and they filled the frame. Zoom in and get details as they fly by.
Where is Kyowa Bridge?
Here it is on a Google Map:
Closest train station:
(Tokyo Monorail) Showajima
Plane shooting information
Much of this information comes from Spotterguide.net:
- The planes land on runway 16R
- Spotterguide.net states that summer is the best time to shoot here. I agree, as the sun is behind you and will illuminate the aircraft. By looking at Google SunCalc, winter seems suitable as well.
- You can shoot there from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The guide also mentions that from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. is good. From my first experience, this seems correct. But if you go early, you might be photographing into the sun.
Problems with this area
- There are no convenience stores near the bridge, only vending machines. Buy what you need before getting on the monorail.
- The pedestrian path on the bridge is pretty and sloped. Be careful of bicycles that whizz past.
- There is no cover near Kyowa Bridge, so take an umbrella in case of rain. Keep hydrated in summer. I left with heatstroke the first time I went.
Conclusion
I used to think Jonanjima Seaside Park was good, even though getting to it was hard. But Kyowa Bridge is my new favorite place for plane spotting. Access is easy, and the planes are close. Getting good photos is easy. The sun lights them perfectly on a fine day.
Have you been to this bridge near the Showajima Industrial Estate? If you have, let us know what you think. It would be great to hear more aeroplane spotters’ experiences. Leave questions and comments below.
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and plans to capture the entire city.
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