Plane Spotting at Keihinjima Tsubasa Park
Plane spotting at Keihinjima Tsubasa Park is excellent. I knew that after my first time there. Why? It is close to Haneda Airport, which makes it perfect. While my day wasn’t flawless, I left, knowing I would return to photograph the airliners again.
Do you remember me photographing the planes from Jonanjima Seaside Park in late 2021? That place was 800 meters from Haneda Airport’s fence, across Tokyo Bay. Keihinjima was closer, less than 200 meters.
That makes aircraft photography easy. I walked the park’s length, taking pictures of the planes. The jets were huge in my viewfinder, with my Fujifilm 100-400 mm lens attached. I could see the details of the airport well.
My first visit left me with a favorable impression. The park was family-friendly. Toilets and drink machines were plentiful. Car parking was available. It had all the amenities necessary for comfortable plane spotting.
My first visit left me with a favorable impression. The park was family-friendly. Toilets and drink machines were plentiful. Car parking was available. It had all the amenities necessary for comfortable plane spotting.
The airport has four runways: A, B, C, and D. For my visit, each had a specific problem. They were:
A – used for arrivals. Aircraft approached from the east, and I was in the west. I couldn’t photograph them.
B – wasn’t in use.
C – used for departures.
D – was in use that day, but it was roughly six kilometers away. That was too far, even for my 100-400 mm lens.
Another problem I had was the weather. The sky was cloudless. That left me with nothing but endless blue, which is boring for aircraft photography.
Keihinjima Tsubasa Park planespotting pros
- Superb views of Haneda Airport’s A, B, and C runways.
- Plenty of toilets and benches.
- Car parking is available.
Keihinjima planespotting cons
- Runway D is far (roughly 6 kilometers).
- Public transport to the park is poor, especially on Sundays.
- Walking to the park from Ryutsu Center takes about forty minutes. That is a trial with a backpack filled with camera gear in summer’s heat.
- No convenience stores are nearby.
Where is Keihinjima Tsubasa Park?
It’s in Ota Ward, near Tokyo Port Wild Bird Park. There are three transport options:
- Walk from Ryutsu-Center, which takes about forty minutes.
- Car
- Take the number 36 Keikyu bus from Omori Kaigan Station to Keihinjima Kaijo Koen.
Here it is on a Google Map:
Opening hours
It’s open 24 hours a day.
Admission costs
None
Conclusion
Keihinjima Tsubasa Park is an excellent Tokyo photo spot for aircraft photography lovers. I’m looking forward to my next trip there. It might be far, but the pros outweigh the cons. 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.
More plane-spotting articles:
External related websites:
- Keijinjima Tsubasa Park (official website)