Do you want to capture airliners with the Tokyo skyline as your backdrop? The observation deck at Haneda’s Terminal 3 is the place to be. But keep one thing in mind, timing.
To start, I took a different route to Haneda Airport from the one I usually take. Normally, I would take the Tokyo Monorail from Hammamatsucho. This time I used the Keikyu Line from Shinagawa. And I was doubly lucky because I went straight to the airport. There was no need to transfer at Keikyu Kamata Station.
The Keikyu line is much cheaper than the monorail. It can take a little longer to get to the airport, though. But the train fare difference is substantial. Anyway, it is something for you to think about if you ever go there.
When I arrived, the Haneda Airport observation deck in Terminal 3 was already bustling with activity. It’s clearly one of the best photo spots at Haneda for a reason.
A key thing to know for this location is that my view of runway 16R/34L was limited to landings on that day. Takeoffs were happening on the more distant 16L and 23, which were too far even for my 400mm lens. This meant that shots of aircraft approaching against the Tokyo Skytree or Tokyo Tower weren’t possible. However, this directed my focus to capturing the planes taxiing, which provided some great, alternative compositions.
Do you know Tokyo Aqualine? It’s an expressway that joins Kawasaki and Chiba prefectures. 9.6 kilometers of it goes under Tokyo Bay! It’s an incredible piece of engineering.
It has a gigantic rectangular air intake to provide ventilation. The thing sits on an island. If you can position yourself correctly, you can photograph airliners flying near it.
I recommend planespotting at Haneda Airport in the afternoon. The sun will light the planes. They will be backlit in the morning.
I had a good afternoon. Flights were plentiful and jetliners varied. Haneda Airport is a great place for planespotting and I’d like to go again soon. If you have tips or comments for photographing there please leave them below.
Rohan has photographed Tokyo since 2011. He shoots it with his Canon EOS R5. There are no plans to stop.
In 2021, I went to Haneda Airport’s Terminal 3 to photograph the airliners. Though it was my first time, I wasn’t disappointed. Photographing the planes was a lot of fun, so much so that I decided to go again.
It was time for me to go to Haneda Airport. Why? I’ve been an aviation enthusiast for a very long time but have never photographed airliners. It was time to rectify that. Of course, I needed an airport. Luckily, Tokyo has many of those.
Looking for a different kind of plane spotting in Tokyo? Discover Chofu Airport, a charming hub for propeller planes and home to a fleet of rare Dornier 228s. This guide shares the best photography spots around the airfield and the essential tips I learned for planning a successful visit.
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.
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