A Photographer’s Guide to Keihinjima Tsubasa Park

I knew after my first visit that Keihinjima Tsubasa Park was an excellent spot for plane spotting. Why? Its prime location, incredibly close to Haneda Airport, made it a perfect vantage point. While my day wasn’t flawless, I left with the certainty that I would return to photograph the airliners that grace the skies over Tokyo Bay.

Long lenses are great at Keihinjima

Do you remember my experience photographing planes from Jonanjima Seaside Park in late 2021? That location was a respectable 800 meters from Haneda Airport’s fence. Keihinjima, however, is a game-changer, situated less than 200 meters away.

This proximity makes aircraft photography remarkably easy. As I walked the length of the park, the jets were immense in my viewfinder, even with my Fujifilm 100-400mm lens. The level of detail I could capture of both the planes and the airport itself was fantastic.

A hub for local enthusiasts

Keihinjima Tsubasa Park is a popular destination for local plane spotters. When I arrived, a few were already capturing images with their impressive cameras and huge lenses. I even spotted one Canon shooter equipped with an enormous 800mm lens.

My first visit left me with a very favorable impression. The park is family-friendly and well-equipped with plentiful toilets and drink machines. For those arriving by car, parking is also available, ensuring all the necessary amenities for a comfortable day of plane spotting are on hand.

The challenges: Runways and weather

On the day of my visit, each of Haneda’s four runways presented a unique situation:

• Runway A: This was used for arrivals, but the aircraft approached from the east. I was in the west, making it difficult to photograph.
• Runway B: This runway was not in use.
• Runway C: Departures were taking place from here.
• Runway D: This runway was active, but at roughly six kilometers away, it was too distant for my 100-400mm lens.

The weather posed another challenge. The sky above was an endless blue, which, while pleasant, was boring from a photographic perspective due to the lack of clouds.

Pros and cons of plane spotting at Keihinjima Tsubasa Park

Advantages

• Superb views of Haneda Airport’s A, B, and C runways.
• Plenty of toilets and benches are available.
• Car parking is on-site.

Potential drawbacks

• Runway D is far (roughly 6 kilometers).
• Public transport to the park is limited, especially on Sundays.
• The walk from Ryutsu Center takes about forty minutes, which can be a trial with no shade while carrying a heavy backpack of camera gear in the summer heat.
• No convenience stores are nearby.

Visitor information

Where is Keihinjima Tsubasa Park?

The park is in Ota Ward, near the Tokyo Port Wild Bird Park. There are three transportation options:

• Walk: It’s approximately a forty-minute walk from Ryutsu-Center.
• Car: On-site parking is available.
• Bus: Take the number 36 Keikyu bus from Omori Kaigan Station and get off at Keihinjima Kaijo Koen.

Opening hours

The park is open 24 hours a day.

Admission cost

There is no admission fee.

Here it is the park on Google Maps:

Is Keihinjima Tsubasa Park worth the trip?

For aircraft photography lovers in Tokyo, Keihinjima Tsubasa Park (official Japanese website) is an excellent choice. I am already looking forward to my next trip. While it may be a bit of a journey to get there, the pros definitely outweigh the cons.

Do you have any questions or your own experiences to share? Please leave them in the comments below.

Photography gear for this shoot

• Camera: Fujifilm X-T3
• Lens: Fujifilm XF100-400mm F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR