Narita Airport Plane Spotting
About the Narita Airport Camera
Narita International Airport sits in farmland in Chiba Prefecture, around sixty kilometres east of central Tokyo. It opened in 1978 and remains Japan's principal long-haul gateway, with three terminals and a mix of full-service and low-cost carriers working two runways.
The airport is a favourite among aircraft photographers because the surrounding countryside offers places to stand close to the approach paths. Sakura-no-Yama park, on a rise at the end of Runway A, is the best known: aircraft pass low enough overhead that the park has become a destination in its own right.
Because Narita handles the long-haul schedule, its traffic bunches differently from Haneda's. Mornings bring a dense wave of arrivals from North America and Europe, late mornings the departures back out, and the type mix runs heavily to wide-body aircraft.
Highlights & Nearby
- •Watch for: wide-body arrivals and departures, morning long-haul arrival waves, cargo aircraft between passenger flights
- •Nearby: Sakura-no-Yama park, Narita terminals 1, 2 and 3, Naritasan Shinshoji
- •Note: a spotter-run camera rather than an official airport feed
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Narita camera live?
Yes. It streams the airport continuously.
How far is Narita from Tokyo?
About sixty kilometres east of central Tokyo, in Chiba Prefecture, around an hour by express train.
What is Sakura-no-Yama?
A park on a rise at the end of Narita's Runway A, famous as a spot where aircraft pass low overhead on approach.
When is it busiest?
Early morning for long-haul arrivals from North America and Europe, and late morning for the outbound departures.
