Seeing Sakurajima from a plane
Across the bay from Kagoshima, it erupts small ash plumes hundreds of times a year. A 1914 eruption poured out enough lava to join the island to the mainland. Look for the plume and the lava bridge on its east side.
6 of our routes pass it. Japan · rated 6 of 10
The easy pick
Kagoshima to Tokyo: sit on the right, on the climb, 2 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong to Tokyo | Left the other side is usually better on this route | 134 min after takeoff |
| Hong Kong to Osaka | Left | 139 min after takeoff |
| Kagoshima to Tokyo | Right | on the climb, 2 min after takeoff |
| Osaka to Hong Kong | Left | 47 min after takeoff |
| Tokyo to Hong Kong | Left | 84 min after takeoff |
| Tokyo to Kagoshima | Left the other side is usually better on this route | on the way down |
From the real paths of every nonstop on these routes in the last 10 days, at the usual time of day.
Questions
Which side of the plane do you see Sakurajima from?
It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (5 of 6). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Sakurajima from a plane?
Near the airport, on the climb or on the way down, and mid-flight on longer routes: see the table for each route.
Do clouds matter?
Yes. These answers assume a clear day. Within 3 days of your flight, pick your exact flight in the app for the cloud forecast.
More
Mount Unzen Mount Aso Kuju Mountains Fukuoka Kitakyūshū Hong Kong (HKG) Tokyo (NRT) Osaka (KIX) Tokyo (HND) All routes