How Much Does a Helicopter Tour Cost in Japan?
Per-person and private prices for helicopter flights over Tokyo, Mt. Fuji, Yokohama and Osaka, weekend surcharges, weight limits, cancellation rules and add-ons.
Sep 7, 2026·✍️ olablog·⏱ 11 min read
Per-person and private prices for helicopter flights over Tokyo, Mt. Fuji, Yokohama and Osaka, weekend surcharges, weight limits, cancellation rules and add-ons.
A helicopter flight is the one thing in Japan that almost nobody prices before they arrive, and then wonders about on the spot: how much is it, is that per person or for the whole aircraft, and what happens to the money if the weather turns?
This guide answers those questions with the prices currently on sale at OlaChill, so the number you read here is the number you see at checkout. Every booking is arranged and billed by MIA Co., Ltd. (Osaka, Japan); the flights themselves are operated by a licensed Japanese helicopter operator.
How the price works: per guest, or per seat
Most flights in the range are sold one way and a few in two, and knowing which is which explains most of the confusion about helicopter prices in Japan.
- Per guest, private helicopter (most flights). The helicopter is reserved for your party, from two guests up to the seat count, and you pay the price per guest for each person who flies: two people pay twice the price per guest, three pay three times. This is the price on most flight cards.
- Per seat, or the whole aircraft (a few flights). The two AS350 flights, the full Mt. Fuji circuit and the Saitama night flight also sell single seats on a shared flight, where other passengers may board. On those, you can book the whole aircraft as a private charter instead: the seat price multiplied by the number of seats, with 10% off.
Most helicopters in the range seat three passengers. Two flights use an Airbus AS350: the 30-minute Tokyo flight with Alphard hotel transfer seats 5, and the one-way Tokyo → Mt. Fuji flight seats 4. That is why a group of four or five should look at those first rather than splitting into two aircraft.
Tokyo helicopter tour prices
All Tokyo daytime flights depart from Tokyo Heliport at Shin-Kiba; the nearest station is Shin-Kiba on the JR Keiyo Line, the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line and the Rinkai Line. The two night flights over the Skytree and the twin towers take off from Funabashi Heliport on the Chiba side of Tokyo Bay.
| Flight | Minutes | Seats | Per person (shared) | Private, for your party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo taster flight, by day | 10 | 3 | — | ¥53,820 per guest |
| Skytree by day | 15 | 3 | — | ¥82,350 per guest |
| Skytree after dark (from Funabashi) | 22 | 3 | — | ¥97,200–¥106,200 per guest |
| Two towers by night: Tokyo Tower and Skytree (from Funabashi) | 25 | 3 | — | ¥110,700–¥118,800 per guest |
| Tokyo panorama: Shinjuku, Shibuya, Asakusa and both towers | 30 | 3 | — | ¥164,700 per guest |
| 30-minute flight over Tokyo, AS350 with Alphard hotel transfer | 30 | 5 | ¥93,400 | ¥420,300 whole aircraft |
| Tokyo from sunset into night, five-seat aircraft | 30 | 5 | — | ¥311,850 per guest |
Two things stand out. The cheapest way to fly over Tokyo is the 10-minute taster at ¥53,820 per guest, ¥107,640 for two: enough to lift off, see the bay and the towers, and land. And the five-seat 30-minute flight with the Alphard transfer is, per person, the best-value 30 minutes in the list, at ¥93,400 per seat on a shared flight.
The Tokyo night flights carry a weekend and public-holiday surcharge of ¥8,100–¥9,000 per guest. If your dates are flexible, a weekday evening is the same view for less.
Mt. Fuji helicopter prices from Tokyo
Mt. Fuji flights are the longest and the most expensive, because the mountain is about 100 km from Tokyo and the aircraft has to get there and back. All of them depart from Tokyo Heliport.
| Flight | Minutes | Seats | Per person (shared) | Private, for your party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo → Mt. Fuji one way, AS350, Alphard waiting at the pad for the road return | 30 | 4 | ¥184,500 | ¥664,200 whole aircraft |
| Mt. Fuji and Hakone from the air | 75 | 3 | — | ¥412,650 per guest |
| Mt. Fuji Deluxe: Hakone and Kamakura | 90 | 3 | — | ¥494,100 per guest |
| The full circuit of Mt. Fuji | 120 | 4–5 | ¥1,377,600 | ¥6,199,200 whole aircraft |
The one-way flight with the car return is the practical choice for most visitors: you fly out over the city and land at the foot of the mountain in half an hour, then come back to Tokyo by road in a chauffeured Alphard. The 75-, 90- and 120-minute circuits never land; they are pure sightseeing loops, and the price reflects the flying time.
Yokohama and Saitama night flights
| Flight | Minutes | Seats | Per person (shared) | Private, for your party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yokohama by night from the air | 40 | 3 | — | ¥163,800–¥172,800 per guest |
| Saitama by night, taking off from Misato | 18 | 3 | ¥156,800 (¥169,400 weekends and holidays) | ¥423,400–¥457,400 whole aircraft |
Misato Heliport sits on Tokyo's north-eastern edge in Saitama Prefecture; the 18 minutes take you up along the Edogawa river toward the lit grid of the north-eastern suburbs and straight back.
Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto and Nara helicopter prices
The Kansai range is priced lower per minute than Tokyo, and it has the cheapest flight in Japan: a 4-minute taster over Osaka.
| Flight | Minutes | Per person (shared) | Private, for your party |
|---|---|---|---|
| Osaka taster flight | 4 | — | ¥29,970 per guest |
| Osaka Bay taster | 7 | — | ¥44,010 per guest |
| Osaka downtown | 10 | — | ¥55,980 per guest |
| Osaka downtown, the full circuit | 15 | — | ¥79,650 per guest |
| Tomb of Emperor Nintoku | 12 | — | ¥43,200 per guest |
| Osaka landmarks | 15 | — | ¥52,200 per guest |
| Mozu Tumulus Cluster | 18 | — | ¥64,800 per guest |
| Tsutenkaku and USJ | 18 | — | ¥64,800 per guest |
| Osaka Bay and the Kofun tombs | 20 | — | ¥100,440 per guest |
| Ancient Nara from Osaka | 25 | — | ¥62,820 per guest |
| Osaka to Kobe and back | 30 | — | ¥71,820 per guest |
| Kyoto and Kobe from Osaka | 65 | — | ¥149,490 per guest |
Night flights in Kansai run from ¥51,660 per guest (Osaka Bay after dark, 7 minutes) to ¥150,840 per guest (Osaka and Kobe after dark, the 30-minute date flight), each a private helicopter for two or three guests. Two of them, the family flight and the anniversary flight, operate on Fridays and Saturdays only. All Kansai flights seat three.
What the price includes, and what it does not
Included in every flight:
- Your place in a private helicopter for your party (or the seat, on the few flights sold by the seat)
- The pilot and a safety briefing before boarding
- Headsets on board
- Third-party liability and passenger cover, held in the operator's name; there is nothing extra to buy in order to fly
Not included:
- Getting to the heliport. Tokyo Heliport is reached by train to Shin-Kiba; Funabashi and Misato are easier by car. A chauffeured Alphard between your hotel and the helipad is an add-on at ¥49,000.
- Meals, unless the flight description says otherwise.
- Optional extras: a private photographer before and after the flight ¥15,000, an edited video of the day ¥15,000, a seasonal bouquet ¥14,000–¥42,000, or 108 roses for a proposal ¥210,000.
Weight limits change the real cost
Helicopters are weighed, not counted. The rules are the same on every flight:
| Aircraft | Maximum per seat | Maximum total, including luggage |
|---|---|---|
| 3-seat | 120 kg | 220 kg |
| 4-seat | 120 kg | 300 kg |
| 5-seat | 120 kg | 330 kg |
There is no baggage compartment; anything you bring sits on your lap and counts toward the total. Three adults averaging 75 kg are already at 225 kg, over the limit for a three-seat aircraft, which is the usual reason a group of three ends up on a four- or five-seat flight or splits across two aircraft. Everyone aged three and over takes a seat; one infant under three may sit on a lap. If you are close to the limit, book a five-seat flight rather than hoping for the best on the day. Seats and weight limits are explained in detail here.
Cancellation fees and weather
If you cancel, the fee depends on how far ahead you tell us:
| When you cancel | Fee |
|---|---|
| 10 to 8 days before the flight | 20% |
| 7 to 2 days before the flight | 30% |
| The day before the flight | 40% |
| On the day of the flight | 50% |
| After the flight has started, or no-show without notice | 100% |
Weather works the other way round. If the operator cancels for bad weather, you get a 100% refund or a free move to another date. Cloudy skies do not cancel a flight; only weather that makes flying unsafe does, and that is the pilot's call. The decision comes at fixed times: for departures between 09:00 and 12:00 it is made by 18:00 the evening before; for departures from 12:30 by 10:00 the same day; for departures from 16:30 by 15:00 the same day. The full weather and refund rules are here.
How to keep the cost down
- Fly on a weekday. The Tokyo night flights are ¥8,100–¥9,000 cheaper per guest outside weekends and holidays.
- Fill one larger aircraft. For five people, take the Tokyo AS350 flight (5 seats); for four, that flight or the one-way Tokyo → Mt. Fuji flight (4 seats). Either costs less per person than two three-seat flights.
- Count the guests, not the seats. On flights priced per guest you pay only for the people who fly, from two up to the seat count.
- Pick the taster if the point is to have flown. Ten minutes over Tokyo or four over Osaka is a real flight at a fraction of the 30-minute price.
- Check the weight before you choose the flight. Rebooking on the day because the group is over 220 kg costs more than choosing the right aircraft first.
How booking works
Choose a flight, then a date on the calendar; the times available for that date appear once the date is picked. For flights whose live calendar is not yet synced, the seats are held and confirmed within the day, and you pay online at checkout. What to expect on the day, from check-in to landing, is covered here.
FAQ
Is the price per person or for the whole helicopter?
It depends on the flight, and each flight card shows which. Most flights, the 10-minute Tokyo taster included, are priced per guest for a private helicopter for your party, with a minimum of two guests: the taster is ¥53,820 per guest, for two to 3 guests, and seats are not sold individually. A few flights also sell single seats per person; on those, the whole aircraft is the seat price multiplied by the number of seats, with 10% off.
What is the cheapest helicopter tour in Japan?
The 4-minute Osaka taster at ¥29,970 per guest, ¥59,940 for two, in a private helicopter for up to 3 guests. In Tokyo, the cheapest is the 10-minute taster at ¥53,820 per guest.
How much is a helicopter flight over Mt. Fuji?
From ¥184,500 per person for the 30-minute one-way flight from Tokyo with an Alphard return, or ¥1,377,600 per person for the 120-minute full circuit. The 75-minute Mt. Fuji and Hakone loop, the most popular sightseeing option, is ¥412,650 per guest in a private helicopter for two to 3 guests, and the 90-minute Hakone and Kamakura route is ¥494,100 per guest.
Do I pay more at the weekend?
Only on the night flights over Tokyo, Yokohama and Saitama, which cost more at weekends and on public holidays; on the Tokyo night flights that is ¥8,100–¥9,000 more per guest. Daytime flights and the Kansai range are the same price every day.
What happens to my money if the flight is cancelled for weather?
You get a full refund, or the same flight on another date at no charge. Weather cancellations are the operator's decision and are never charged to you.
Can children fly?
Yes. Everyone aged three and over takes a seat and counts toward the weight limit; one infant under three may sit on a lap.
