Narita International Airport (NRT / RJAA) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Narita, Japan
Narita
NRT/RJAA
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 09:18 local
- Active runway
- 34L / 34R
- METAR wind
- 310° @ 17 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 34L - sunny side
- Sun
- 143° / 33°
Wind vector · +16 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 6h 56m
Sweet spotWant a Telegram ping when RJAA flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Narita (NRT) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR310° @ 17 kt
17°C · 10+ km · 1014 hPa
FEW030
Golden hour in 6h 56m
Runway alerts for Narita International Airport
$3/mo
Spotting guideRunway windsATC frequencies
Lighting schedule
Morning 07:00-11:00, midday 11:00-14:00, afternoon 14:00-18:00 at NRT, scored from each spot's view bearing.
| Spotting Location | Morning (07:00-11:00) | Midday (11:00-14:00) | Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00) | JetPhotos / Camera Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short final 34L - sunny side Runway 34L | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
| Short final 34R - sunny side Runway 34R | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 34L / 34R · Dep 34L / 34R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16R | 150° | 13,123 ft | -16.0 kt | 5.8 kt | Standby |
| 34L | 330° | 13,123 ft | +16.0 kt | 5.8 kt | Both |
| 16L | 150° | 8,202 ft | -16.0 kt | 5.8 kt | Standby |
| 34R | 330° | 8,202 ft | +16.0 kt | 5.8 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Narita (RJAA)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.200 | Published |
| Tower | 118.350 | Published |
| Approach | 124.400 | Published |
| Departure | 124.200 | Published |
| Ground | 121.850 | Published |
| Ground | 121.950 | Published |
| Delivery | 121.900 | Published |
| ATIS | 128.250 | Published |
Lens for the top pin: Sony FE 200-600mm, Uniden Bearcat BC125AT, FlightAware Pro Stick. Sony FE 200-600mmUniden Bearcat BC125ATFlightAware Pro Stick
Open the ATC frequency pageFrequently asked questions about plane spotting at Narita (NRT/RJAA)
Which runway is active at Narita (NRT/RJAA) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 09:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 34L+34R. The METAR wind is 310° at 17 kt. 34L shows +16.0 kt headwind and 5.8 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Narita (NRT) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 126° azimuth and 22° elevation. Short final 34L - sunny side scores 95/100, 1233 m from runway 34L, view bearing 300.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 247° and 8°. Short final 34L - sunny side scores 83/100 on a 359.3° view. Morning and afternoon picks follow that bearing: a view that wants the sun in the east is a morning spot, and a view that wants it in the west is an afternoon spot.
What is the best time to plane spot at Narita International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Narita International Airport (NRT/RJAA) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 34L - sunny side, Short final 34R - sunny side. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 of 2 spotting locations. Read the Best Time of Day & Lighting Schedule by Spot table for the lens and the hours to avoid harsh backlit contrast.
What is the sun direction at RJAA spotting locations?
RJAA spotting locations sun direction: Short final 34L - sunny side (runway 34L) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 34R - sunny side (runway 34R) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Narita (NRT)?
Short final 34L - sunny side is 1233 m from the 34L centerline, so the lens is 150-600mm. The bands are fixed from that distance: 70-200mm inside 250 m, 100-400mm from 250 m to 450 m, and 150-600mm beyond 450 m. The aircraft itself is about 573 m from this pin on a 700 m final.
What ATC radio frequencies should I monitor while spotting at Narita (RJAA)?
Monitor Tower 118.2 MHz, Ground 121.85 MHz, Approach 124.4 MHz, ATIS 128.25 MHz. Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more. A handheld VHF airband scanner at the fence is the zero-delay way to hear a runway change on Tower 118.2 MHz.
How do I know when Narita (NRT) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 310° at 17 kt, so 34L remains the favored arrival. The $3/mo Telegram Runway-Shift Alert pings you when D-ATIS or the METAR wind vector changes the active runway: https://planespottingmap.com/airport/RJAA#runway-alerts