Haneda Airport Garden opens after Corona delays
Despite lagging some way behind Narita Airport in terms of international arrivals, Haneda Airport attracts a high volume of foreign visitors and remains by far Japan's busiest airport overall when factoring in domestic flights.
Haneda is also known for its exceptionally good customer experience, taking the top spot out of 151 of the world's busiest airports in last year's ranking by the Air Passenger Rights Portal, with criteria ranging from flight punctuality and customer satisfaction to its selection of food and shops.
As the designated gateway for international flights at Haneda, terminal 3 has been due an expansion for some time. Following a lengthy delay due to the corona epidemic and subsequent travel restrictions, Haneda Airport Garden - a new complex attached to terminal 3 including accommodation, an onsen, attractive shopping and dining facilities and a bus terminal has finally fully opened on January 31, 2023.
Visitors to terminal 3 can access the development directly through a colorful and modern-looking gateway, leading into the main concourse via the "Japan Promenade" - a long walkway lined with smartly designed new shops and eateries.
The complex is centered on a large, triangular atrium spread across two storeys and packed with a range of shops and restaurants. The ground floor of this space leads into the attached bus terminal and Belle Salle conference hall, while a cozy seating area on the upper level provides an ideal spot to relax while waiting for a connecting flight or bus.
Terminal 3 had previously contained just one hotel, but this would frequently book up during busy periods, forcing airport users to take a train, bus or taxi ride to accommodation elsewhere. The new development adds two more: the mid-range Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand and the smaller, more exclusive Hotel Villa Fontaine Premier with 1,557 and 160 rooms respectively. Both are accessed through an attractive shared foyer, connected via an escalator to the main concourse.
Probably the most talked-about feature of the complex is its 12th floor spa facility, with baths fed by natural hot spring water. Here, visitors can enjoy four different indoor baths, a range of treatments including a hot stone spa (ganbanyoku) and a rooftop open-air bath with views of the airport runway and Tamagawa River.
Admission to the spa is priced at 4,800 yen, with discounts available for hotel guests.
With the exception of a convenience store located next to the bus terminal downstairs, all of Haneda Airport Garden's shops can be found on the second floor. While most offer a fairly typical selection of souvenirs, snacks, apparel or travel goods, I was impressed by the overall quality and level of design.
My personal favorite was the Hokkaido Living Department Store (Hokkaido Kurashihyakkaten), where visitors can find a range of nicely presented food products from Japan's northern island, and even a craft beer stand.
Many of the smaller stores are grouped together into three separate zones: the "Japan Promenade" connecting the complex to terminal 3, "Haneda Collection" resembling a small department store, and the "Sando", taking its name from the approach to a shrine, where food stands and other market stalls can often be found.
With one large food court dedicated to traditional Tokyo cooking and 12 separate restaurants, visitors to the complex will certainly have no shortage of dining options to choose from. On offer is a wide range of Japanese dishes from shabu-shabu to teppanyaki, with one restaurant specializing in Shanghai cuisine.
Prices are for the most part quite reasonable, and I was able to enjoy a delicious sushi set menu for under 3,000 yen at Tsukiji Sushiko, located on the second floor.
One of the Airport Garden's key features is its new bus terminal, which aims to directly connect new arrivals to tourist destinations as far as the Kansai and Tohoku regions. The terminal currently offers 30 departures per day, spread across 12 routes with destinations including Niigata, Nagano, Aomori, Sendai, Osaka, Ise, Mie and Tokyo. Additional routes are planned to open in March, with marketing materials suggesting that services will continue to expand in line with demand.
The complex not only connects directly with Terminal 3, but its main gateway is located just a few steps from the Monorail and Keikyu Line ticket gates, making it extremely convenient and easy to access for airport users.
Access
To access Haneda Airport, take the Tokyo Monorail from Hamamatsucho Station (13 minutes, 500 yen) or Keikyu Railway from Shinagawa Station (13 minutes, 300 yen) on the JR Yamanote Line.
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