Japan Travel: Using Domestic Flights to Experience More & Spend Less

Use domestic flights in Japan to experience more and spend less.

This post explores some of the benefits of travelling in Japan using domestic flights with special fares for foreign visitors through our experience of flying into Fukuoka airport from Tokyo, on to Shikoku and back to Tokyo.

(originally published in 2017 - not updated)

We wanted to start our 2017 Japan journey in the South Western island of Kyushu and work our way north to Tokyo via Shikoku. To fly direct to Fukuoka from the UK worked out pricey and, like last time we visited, we managed to grab cheap seats into Narita from our local airport (UK - Tokyo Narita via Dusseldorf with Lufthansa - operated by ANA for the long haul portion).

One and a half hours. Narita to Tokyo by train Vs Narita to Fukuoka by plane. 

It can take a good hour to hour and a half to access Tokyo centre from Narita airport so we decided that using a domestic flight direct from Narita to Fukuoka (which also takes approximately an hour and a half) would save us considerable time. Additionally, it would also make our entry into central Tokyo easier and more time efficient when we eventually returned for the last week, as we would be able to take a domestic flight into Haneda - a quicker and more accessible option for our hotel.

Special Domestic Fares for Foreign Visitors

Both the ANA Experience Japan Fare and the JAL Welcome to Japan Fare are special domestic fares available for foreign visitors that include checked and carry on luggage allowances. These are available under certain conditions and released in advance. These airlines, together with the increasing fleet of budget airlines in the region, also offer some excellent normal advance fare deals - some of these are similar or even cheaper in price than the special foreign visitor fares. Keep an eye on their websites for information.

In total, the domestic flight plus budget international flight added together cost us much less than flying into Fukuoka direct. It also eliminated issues with getting to different airports and the transfer into Tokyo. The flights were comfy, efficient and the service from JAL was excellent, both in Japan and from their UK/European customer service centre beforehand.

Top tip:

If booking the special foreign tourist tickets, you will not be able to reserve seats until you check in, so if this is an issue be sure to arrive early to complete the check in process and get some choice of seat or book a normal ticket which allows seat reservation. These routes are well utilised by business people and can be very busy.

Flying to Fukuoka - an accessible base for Northern Kyushu & Beyond

Flying into Fukuoka is interesting. This major Japanese hub is well connected and the airport is pretty much in the city centre; as you land, it almost seems like the runway is one and the same as a main city street, with high rise blocks and shops appearing on either side of you as you touch down.

The domestic terminal is modern with many amenities, including restaurants and shops and it also connects directly to the metro system, allowing direct transfer to Hakata (Fukuoka) Station in just five minutes. The walk to reach the metro from the terminal gates is quite long and utilises many escalators after the baggage pick up point.

Ramen - the perfect jet lag cure?

We were in Fukuoka by early evening and after checking in, we went off to stretch our legs, get some fresh air and hunt down some famous Hakata ramen, the perfect antidote to the muzziness of jet lag and the strange, surreal feeling that hits when you emerge from a flying metal tube into a completely different culture.

We didn’t have to walk too far to find a small ramen ya with great reviews. The staff were lovely, the atmosphere was great and the meal was delicious. I felt full, triumphant and tired enough to sleep very, very soundly in my typically hard Japanese bed, ready to be fully rested and fit for a full day in Fukuoka in the morning.