Spotters Location Critique Volume I: Japan

Believe it or not, it is very encouraging for an aircraft spotter/photographer to be doing this sort of hobby in Japan. Most commercial airports in Japan have an official 'observation deck' open to the public (and usually located pre-security). I remember while living in Japan as a kid, my dad took me to the Tokyo Haneda Airports observation deck to watch airplanes and even have lunch at the ramen shops right there on the deck. During my most recent visit to Japan, I got to do aircraft spotting at four different airports. And here, I talk about and rate (on a scale of 1 to 5) each location:

1.) Toyama Airport (TOY) 3/5

One of four airports located in the Hokuriku region, Toyama Airport has an observation deck making it real easy to do some spotting. The downside is the amount of air traffic is next to nothing. The airport exists mainly due to the distance from major cities in Japan such as Tokyo or Nagoya so domestic flights to Tokyo and Sapporo are available. Given the size of the city this airport is located at, I suppose it's a decent location if one was hoping to spot airlines that serve mainland Asia... Actually, I went in the hopes of spotting a Vladivostok Air Yakovlev Yak-40, which is to me a rare aircraft and not many are flying these days. In fact, Vladivostok Air are in the process of replacing them which is of great significance due to the fact the Yak-40 is the world's first regional jet transport aircraft. When I went, I didn't see one as it turns out it was a seasonal service at the time. The Toyama-Vladivostok service was terminated not too long afterwards.

I give the location a 3/5 for the spotter-friendly observation deck and lack of traffic. Overall, Toyama Airport is decent for a spotter but there are better places.

2.) Komatsu Airport (KMQ) 4/5

The largest airport in the Hokuriku region would be in the city of Komatsu serving much of Ishikawa Prefecture as well as parts of Fukui Prefecture. Komatsu Airport is a joint civil/military airport so the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force has a presence there. Like Toyama, Komatsu Airport has an observation deck suitable for aircraft spotting and only exists to connect travellers to major Japanese cities. However unlike Toyama, Komatsu offers more destinations in the domestic market in addition to the international flights. Although not much better than Toyama in terms of air traffic, the area around Komatsu Airport has a bit to offer to enthusiasts. Across the street is the Ishikawa Aviation Plaza, a small air museum containing small static displays of retired aircraft that played a role in Japanese aviation, photographs taken and donated by past spotters, simulators and glass cases full of model aircraft displays. Also every September, the Air Self-Defense Force hosts the Kōkū-sai Air Festival where demo flights and acrobatics of Blue Impulse are displayed. However, cancellations of such events can occur as was the case for the 2011 Kōkū-sai; a Japanese-built F-15 was involved in an incident when the external fuel drop tank suddenly separated from the aircraft, causing the 6th Air Wing based at Komatsu to make the investigation to the incident priority over the scheduled airshow. Despite those factors, at least Komatsu is just as decent and spotter-friendly with a few extra accomodations.

I give Komatsu Airport a 4/5 for the spotter-friendly observation deck, slightly better variation but a lack of frequent air traffic, and for having an aviation museum nearby.

3.) Nagoya Airfield (NKM) 2/5

Currently the 'Secondary Hub' for the Shizuoka based Fuji Dream Airlines, Nagoya Airfield served as the primary airport for the city of Nagoya until Chūbu Centrair International Airport opened in February 2005. Like Komatsu, the airport is jointly operated with the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force. Despite the Air Self-Defense Force base having unique aircraft such as blue colored C-130s and the Boeing KC-767 stationed there, Nagoya Airfield is less than ideal for spotters. Back when it was serving as Nagoya's primary airport, the terminal did have an observation deck according to spotters who have previously spotted at the location a few years prior to the opening of Centrair. But the observation deck seems like it was no more some time around when air traffic transferred to Centrair. The best place I could come up with when I went was a parking lot for the nearby movie theater and shopping complex adjacent to the general aviation parking along some chain link fences. But, given the fact one can see unique and rare aircraft such as the KC-767 here as well as Fuji Dream's tiny fleet of E-Jets bearing their simple yet varying color schemes, the location is as good as it gets. And given that Fuji Dream serves only a few destinations with a tiny fleet to begin with, one can't afford to be picky when spotting these cute little planes and their one-of-a-kind paint jobs. But if you aren't picky about what you're spotting in Nagoya, then doing so in Centrair is a lot more recommendable. Centrair has an observation deck as well as the 4th Floor Sky Town Shopping Center open to the general public.

I give Nagoya Airfield a 2/5 for unique traffic spotted at the airport despite a lack of frequency and for being a little less spotter-friendly.

4.) Narita International Airport (NRT) 5/5

Handling the majority of international flights in and out of Japan, Narita International Airport is the second-busiest commercial airport in the island nation. Opened on May 20, 1978, Narita was constructed in order to relieve Tokyo's Haneda Airport, which was becoming overcrowded by the early 1960s. Despite the reasonable intention and purpose of the airport, the building of Narita was met by fierce protests from much of the nearby residents, tainting the major airport with a history of violence and a small number of fatalities. These conflicts led to making Narita among one of the most secure passenger airports in the world despite the history of protests and violence not much of an issue present day. Despite that though, Narita Airport has an observation deck surprisingly. Although the last time I was travelling through Narita I didn't get too much of a chance to go spotting, the observation deck is there and it's a really good location. One of the current issues that plague the busy airport is the arguements among so many airlines that want to use Narita. The "issue" at hand offers spotters a variety to see at Narita since so many airliners from around the world serve the airport. It's probably safe to say that a spotter can spot different things each day if one were to go spotting at Narita every day for a week. The only downside to spotting at Narita would be the price tag; because of the competitive arguments at the airport, Japanese aviation authorities have put strict limits on the number of flights each airline can operate from the airport. That has made the airport expensive for both the airlines and the passengers they fly. So if you're planning a vacation to Japan, arriving via Narita International Airport with some spotting time set aside, you better be ready to pay a little extra for using the airport! 

But overall, 5/5 for having spotter-friendly locations, great choices of restaurants, constant air traffic flow and varying airliners to spot. I will definitely be spotting again at Narita next time I have the chance.

Aircraft Spotting 101

Whether you call it Plane Spotting or Aircraft Spotting, either way it's a fun hobby! So what exactly is aircraft spotting you might ask? Simply put it, the hobby or profession of observation and logging registration numbers of aircraft. This includes photography. Think of it as a photographer creating his own collection of photos of aircraft. More is explained when you look it up on Wikipedia. And that's what this blogger does!


Now I said profession in the paragraph above because this hobby has a little history of its own dating back to the early 20th Century. Far back as 1925 with British Royal Observer Corps, it was during the times of World War II and the following Cold War when several countries encouraged citizens to become "plane spotters" of sorts for public security reasons; simply put it, teaching/encouraging people to identify aircraft whether it is a friendly or hostile.


All sorts of spotting styles are used by fellow enthusiast, making the hobby that much more interesting. For example, one would be spotting for a specific type of aircraft to see/photograph (ie. a Boeing 747, easily distinguishable by its size), or even a specific airline, group/company, or even a military squadron. Some spotters learned from previous experiences to just photograph everything that flies in or out of spotter-friendly airports. Reasons being because one can never know what kind of aircraft can show up; it can be an airliner in standard company colors or a special livery commemorating something. Spotters thrive on special or rare color schemes and paint jobs of today's commercial aircraft. That's especially the case when certain paint jobs aren't around anymore due to an airline ceasing to operate because of bankruptcy or mergers.


But by far the most spotter-friendly places to spot are at airshows and other fly-in events. Notable places great for aviation photography are EAA Oshkosh, National Championship Air Races (Reno, NV), as well as various military bases that may hold annual airshows and displays throughout the world. Certain local airports also have various events as well. For example Salem, OR has Hot August Flights.


Of course, there also certain codes of conduct that would be wise to follow as well since we live in a post 9/11 world where airport security is tight. In the wake of all this, spotters and enthusiasts in UK co-operated with law enforcement agencies to pioneer the codes of conduct. This allows spotters to continue their hobby while increasing security at airports by reporting any suspicious activity to the authorities. Such co-operation amongst organizations have become the model for similar agreements among groups in North America.


What else is there to say? Aircraft spotting is fun and enjoyable as well as a benefit in providing security for our worldwide air travel!