Two-Day Tokyo Extension After the Asian Games With a Helicopter Flight

Where to stay in Tokyo for this plan

The heliport for the daytime and sunset flights is in Shin-Kiba, in the bay area on the east side of the city. You do not need to stay next to it, but staying on the east or central side of Tokyo, roughly the Tokyo Station, Ginza or bay area, makes the day-two journey shorter and less stressful. Staying in the far west of the city means a longer cross-town journey on the morning you least want one. If you choose the Skytree night or Twin Towers night route, those two leave from Funabashi Heliport on the Chiba side of Tokyo Bay instead, not from Shin-Kiba; allow time to cross from central Tokyo.

Whatever you choose, work out the route to Shin-Kiba the evening before, check the first part of it, and add a buffer. The time on your booking is a meeting time, and the flight itself starts about 30 minutes later. Arriving late can mean losing the slot.

Day 1: the city on the ground

Use the first day for whatever you have been wanting to see in Tokyo. The value of doing this on day 1 is that you get your bearings, see the landmarks at street level, and then recognise them from the air the next day. A morning in an older district, an afternoon in a shopping area and an evening riverside walk is a typical shape.

Keep the evening light. Late nights before a heliport morning are how people miss meeting times.

Day 2: the flight

Choose the flight before you leave Nagoya, because slots on the calendar are finite and the products differ in what they suit.

• Tokyo first flight, 10 minutes, 3 seats, ¥83,800 per person (whole aircraft as a private charter: ¥226,300). The budget option and the easiest for a nervous first-timer.
• Skytree daytime, 15 minutes, 3 seats, ¥128,100 per person (whole aircraft as a private charter: ¥345,900). A clear daylight route with a landmark to orient by.
• Tokyo panorama, 30 minutes, 3 seats, ¥256,200 per person (whole aircraft as a private charter: ¥691,800). The long daytime option for people who want to see the whole city.
• Skytree night, 22 minutes, 3 seats, from ¥151,200 per person (¥165,200 on weekends and holidays; whole aircraft as a private charter ¥408,300–¥446,100), or Twin Towers night, 25 minutes, 3 seats, from ¥172,200 per person (¥184,800 on weekends and holidays; private charter ¥465,000–¥499,000). After dark; move the flight to the evening of day 2 if you prefer lights to daylight. These two depart from Funabashi Heliport on the Chiba side of Tokyo Bay, not from Shin-Kiba; allow time to cross from central Tokyo.
• Sunset and night, 30 minutes, 5 seats, ¥485,100 per person (whole aircraft as a private charter: ¥2,183,000). For a group of four or five, and the only Tokyo product that carries five.

Prices are per person, for one seat on a shared flight; the private-charter figure is for the whole aircraft. Check the weight limit, 120 kg per seat with a cabin total set by the seat count (220 kg for a 3-seat cabin), including any bags you carry.

Plan the heliport visit as a block of about an hour, from meeting time through briefing, flight and exit, and add travel each way. If you fly in the morning, the afternoon is free for the bay area or a return to the centre. If you fly at night, spend the day at leisure and head east in the late afternoon.

What to bring on the day

Photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a small bag only, dark clothing if you want to photograph through the window, and a strap for your camera or phone. Leave luggage at the hotel. There is neither space nor weight allowance for it in the cabin.

Weather: why the flight is on day 2, not day 1

Late September and October is warm and humid, and typhoon season has not finished. Cloud or wind can ground a flight. If the operator cancels, you receive a full refund or a free date change. You may also change the date yourself free of charge up to 4 days in advance, so if the forecast for day 2 looks poor several days out, you can shift the flight to day 1 or to a later date if your stay allows.

Putting the flight on day 2 rather than day 1 means a cancellation still leaves you a full city day already done, rather than a cancelled flight and a scramble to fill the time. If your stay is longer than two days, placing the flight earlier and keeping the last day as a fallback is even better.

Budget notes

The only fixed costs here are the flight prices above and your Shinkansen fares. Hotel and meals are up to you. For a group of three on the 15-minute daytime flight, the helicopter is ¥128,100 per person on a shared flight, or ¥345,900 for the whole aircraft as a private charter. For a couple, the 10-minute taster at ¥83,800 per person is the lowest seat price, so two seats come to ¥167,600; if you would rather have the cabin to yourselves, the whole aircraft as a private charter is ¥226,300.

How to book with OlaChill

Pick your product on the Tokyo helicopter page, check the calendar for your day-2 date, and pay online; daytime and sunset flights are listed at https://olachill.com/en/japan-helicopter-tours/tokyo and night routes at https://olachill.com/en/japan-helicopter-tours/tokyo/night. If you want a car from your Tokyo hotel to Shin-Kiba (or to Funabashi for the night routes) and back rather than the train, a private car with driver by the hour is available at https://olachill.com/en/japan-chauffeur-hourly, with the tariff shown on that page.

FAQ

Can I fly on the same day I arrive from Nagoya?

You could, but we do not advise it. A delayed train, a hotel check-in that runs long, or a cross-town journey you have not rehearsed can all cost you the meeting time. Fly on a day when you start in Tokyo.

Should the flight be in the morning or evening?

Morning for daylight views and a free afternoon; evening for city lights. Morning flights also give you the rest of the day as a buffer if the slot moves. Night flights suit groups who have already done a full day and want a finale.

How far is Shin-Kiba from central Tokyo hotels?

It is in the bay area on the east side. Rather than trust a single estimate, plan the route the night before with a live transit app and add a generous margin. A meeting time missed is a flight missed.

What if the weather cancels the flight on my last day?

You get a full refund or a free date change. If you have no more days in Japan, take the refund. This is exactly why the plan puts the flight on day 2 rather than the day you leave.

Can four people fly together?

The Tokyo 3-seat products cannot carry four. The 30-minute sunset flight carries five and costs ¥485,100 per person, or ¥2,183,000 for the whole aircraft as a private charter. Alternatively, look at the 4-seat products on the Mt Fuji page.