Ten international gateways, ten practical first rides. Start with your hotel’s nearest station or bus stop, then use the operator’s live timetable before you buy.
How the ten were selected: Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) ranks these airports by 2025 calendar year international passenger totals. The figures include international travel in both directions; they are not counts of foreign visitors arriving. See the official airport ranking spreadsheet. Routes checked September 23, 2026; prices and timetables can change.
Each guide includes a simplified route map, transit photo, city-stop advice and official operator links.
To Tokyo
Choose by your hotel area: Narita Express, Skyliner, Access Express or an airport bus.
Photo: Petra.G09 / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Display cropped; downloaded thumbnail otherwise unchanged.
To Osaka & Kyoto
Nankai works well for Namba; JR serves Osaka, Shin-Osaka and Kyoto.
Photo: Ankou1192 / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Display cropped; downloaded thumbnail otherwise unchanged.
To Tokyo
Compare Keikyu, Tokyo Monorail and airport buses by your hotel station.
Photo: ブルーノ・プラス / CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Display cropped; downloaded thumbnail otherwise unchanged.
To Fukuoka
Use the international-terminal bus or the free terminal shuttle plus subway for Hakata and Tenjin.
Photo: Nkmr844 / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Display cropped; downloaded thumbnail otherwise unchanged.
To Nagoya
Follow signs to Access Plaza and take Meitetsu toward Meitetsu Nagoya Station.
Photo: LMP 2001 / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Display cropped; downloaded thumbnail otherwise unchanged.
To Sapporo
The JR Airport train runs from New Chitose Airport Station to Sapporo Station.
Photo: ブルーノ・プラス / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Display cropped; downloaded thumbnail otherwise unchanged.
To Naha
Use the Yui Rail monorail for central Naha stations; buses serve other areas.
Photo: 663highland / CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons. Display cropped; downloaded thumbnail otherwise unchanged.
To Kumamoto
The airport limousine bus serves central Kumamoto and Kumamoto Station.
Photo: hyolee2 / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Display cropped; downloaded thumbnail otherwise unchanged.
To Sendai
The Sendai Airport Access Line connects the airport station with Sendai Station.
Photo: ブルーノ・プラス / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Display cropped; downloaded thumbnail otherwise unchanged.
To Takamatsu
The airport limousine bus runs to central Takamatsu and JR Takamatsu Station.
Photo: Yutaaka0804 / CC0 1.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Display cropped; downloaded thumbnail otherwise unchanged.
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