A Haneda Layover Guide

How to Spend 24 Hours in Tokyo

Back in 2018, I published an article for transit tourists who endured lengthy layovers at Narita International Airport that was very well received. However, since that time, there have been some major shifts in Japan’s aviation landscape. Of these, perhaps nothing is more noteworthy than the increase in international slots at the far more convenient Tokyo International Airport (which I’ll henceforth call by the more commonly used moniker of “Haneda”). Of the 25 new daytime slots that were allocated to international carriers, half have gone to routes to and from America. As you might imagine, the recent upheavals in the airline market have heralded real change. For example, Delta is now looking to entirely pull out of Narita in a move that has significantly shaken up the industry.

With the winds of change blowing and less traffic flowing through Narita, it’s high time for me to produce a guide for travelers transiting via Haneda en route to the Asian mainland. Like with my original piece on the area around Narita, I’ll focus on things to do and see both in and around the airport. Alas, unlike with the less convenient of Tokyo’s two airports, Haneda does not yet have a program similar to the free tours provided by the folks at the Narita Airport Transit & Stay Program. This means that you’re going to need to venture out on your…