How Much Does a Helicopter Tour Cost in Japan?

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.

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

The Misato flight is the cheapest night option near Tokyo. 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 two cheapest flights in Japan: a 4-minute taster over Osaka and a 7-minute loop over Osaka Bay.

Night flights in Kansai run from ¥80,400 per person (Osaka Bay after dark, 7 minutes) to ¥234,700 per person (Osaka and Kobe after dark, the 30-minute date flight). 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:

• The seat (or the whole aircraft, on a private charter)
• 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:

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 or a private charter 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:

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

1. Fly on a weekday. Night flights are ¥12,600–¥14,000 cheaper per seat outside weekends and holidays.
2. Fill a five-seat aircraft. For four or five people, the AS350 flights over Tokyo and to Mt. Fuji cost less per person than two three-seat flights.
3. Take the private charter if you are already three. Three seats on a three-seat aircraft cost more than the private price, because the private price is 10% off the full cabin.
4. 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.
5. 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?

The price on each flight card is per person, for one seat on a shared flight. The whole aircraft is sold as a private charter: the seat price multiplied by the number of seats, with 10% off. The 10-minute Tokyo taster, for example, is ¥83,800 per person or ¥226,300 for the whole three-seat aircraft.

What is the cheapest helicopter tour in Japan?

The 4-minute Osaka taster at ¥46,700 per person. In Tokyo, the cheapest is the 10-minute taster at ¥83,800 per person.

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, up to ¥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 ¥641,900 per person.

Do I pay more at the weekend?

Only on the night flights over Tokyo, Yokohama and Saitama, where weekends and public holidays add ¥12,600–¥14,000 per seat. 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.