Japan
Japan rewards the traveller who plans well. The distance from Europe and North America means your routing choices genuinely matter - the difference between a well-chosen connection and a poor one can be six hours, several hundred pounds, and the difference between arriving ready to explore or ready to collapse.
Two major gateway airports serve Tokyo: Narita (NRT) and Haneda (HND), with very different city access logistics. Kansai International (KIX) is an underused alternative for those heading to Kyoto or Osaka first. The country's internal transport is world-class but has its own logic - the Shinkansen timetable matters, domestic flights are essential for the northern and southern extremes, and the JR Pass is not always the answer depending on your itinerary.
In my four visits over about twenty years, I've flown to Japan via London, Hong Kong and across the Pacific. I'm a Shinkansen nerd, and spent time visiting and working in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Okinawa. Here's what you need to know.
Getting there
Select your origin to see the best routing options.
Direct options exist from London, but the Gulf and Asian hub connections often win on price and can add a free stopover. No direct flights from Ireland - Dublin connects best via Doha or Helsinki.
| Carrier | Route | Type | Flight time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JAL | LHR - NRT | Direct | ~12h | Reliable, good service in economy. Arrives Narita not Haneda - factor in transfer time. |
| British Airways | LHR - HND | Direct | 11h 45m | Haneda arrival is a significant advantage for central Tokyo access. |
| Finnair | LHR - HEL - NRT | 1 stop | 14-16h | Shortest connecting option. Helsinki transit is efficient. |
| Qatar Airways | LHR/DUB - DOH - NRT/KIX | 1 stop | 16-18h | Strong option from Dublin. Doha connection is efficient. Stopover possible. |
| Emirates | LHR - DXB - NRT | 1 stop | 17-19h | Competitive fares. Dubai stopover adds real value. |
| Turkish Airlines | LHR - IST - NRT | 1 stop | 16-18h | Often cheapest connecting option. Istanbul connection works well. |
Plenty of nonstop options to Haneda from the East Coast, so there is little reason to connect.
| Carrier | Route | Type | Flight time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANA | JFK - HND | Direct | ~14h | Daily Haneda service, excellent in economy. The pick from New York. |
| JAL | JFK - HND | Direct | ~14h | Twice-daily Haneda; strong economy and good award space. |
| United | EWR - HND | Direct | ~14h | Year-round from Newark, plus Washington (IAD). Polaris business is solid. |
| American | JFK - HND | Direct | ~14h | Haneda from JFK, with JAL codeshares. |
| Delta | ATL/DTW - HND | 1 stop | 15-17h | Connect via Atlanta or Detroit from most East Coast cities. |
The shortest hop to Tokyo, with heavy competition and genuine low-cost options.
| Carrier | Route | Type | Flight time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANA | LAX - HND | Direct | ~11h 35m | Multiple daily, also from SFO. Frequent and reliable. |
| JAL | SFO - HND | Direct | ~11h | Also LAX-HND; consistently strong service. |
| United | SFO - HND | Direct | ~11h | Hub service from San Francisco, plus LAX. |
| Delta | SEA - HND | Direct | ~10h 30m | Nonstop Haneda from Seattle. |
| ZIPAIR | LAX - NRT | Direct | ~11h 50m | Low-cost long-haul, also from SFO. Pay only for what you use. |
One of the easier long-hauls - under ten hours from the east coast, with daytime departures.
| Carrier | Route | Type | Flight time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qantas | SYD - HND | Direct | ~9h 50m | Double-daily Sydney-Haneda; civilised daytime departure. |
| ANA | SYD - HND | Direct | ~9h 50m | Daily Haneda from Sydney; also Perth-Narita. |
| JAL | MEL - NRT | Direct | ~10h 20m | Melbourne-Narita; Sydney-Haneda as well. |
| Qantas | BNE - NRT | Direct | ~10h 15m | Daily Brisbane-Narita. |
| Jetstar | CNS - NRT | Seasonal | ~7h 25m | Budget non-stop from Cairns in peak months (Apr, Jul). |
Where to go
Getting around Japan
Japan's domestic network is the best in the world, and for most itineraries the Shinkansen is the answer. The rail guides below cover the routes, the passes, and the JR Pass maths in full.
Planning the logistics?
The facts above are the short version. The full libraries - every carrier, every line, every port - live one level down under Getting There.