Why is there more aircraft noise around central Tokyo since 2020?

In March 2020, Tokyo Haneda Airport opened new arrival routes that pass directly over central Tokyo for the first time. Previously, approaches almost exclusively used over-water routes via Tokyo Bay. The new "city route" approaches to runways 16L and 16R are used during the afternoon arrival bank (typically 3 PM – 7 PM) when winds are from the south. This shift was made to increase Haneda's international flight capacity and was controversial — Shinagawa, Meguro, Shibuya, and Minato wards now experience regular jet overflight that didn't exist before.

When does the city-route flight path operate?

The new RWY 16L/16R city approaches operate when winds are from the south (most common in spring and summer in Tokyo), typically during the afternoon arrival bank from approximately 3 PM to 7 PM local time. In northerly wind conditions, arrivals come from the south over Tokyo Bay instead, and the city route is not used. Mornings and overnight typically continue to use the over-water approaches.

Which Tokyo neighborhoods are quietest for aircraft noise?

The western and northern wards (Setagaya west of Yoga, Suginami, Nakano, Toshima, Kita, Itabashi) sit clear of the new city corridor and only catch high-altitude overflight from regional traffic. Northern Tokyo (Adachi, Katsushika) is mostly clear except for occasional Narita departures at very high altitude. The most affected wards are Shinagawa, Meguro, Shibuya, Minato, Ōta, and parts of Shinjuku and Chiyoda — all under the new RWY 16L/16R approach corridor.

Is Shibuya loud from planes?

Since 2020, yes — Shibuya now sits under the eastern edge of the RWY 16L approach corridor during southerly winds. Overflight altitude is around 3000-3500 ft, which is audible on the street and noticeable in upper-floor apartments. Before 2020, Shibuya had essentially no aircraft noise. Drop a pin on the map above to see the difference street by street.

How does Haneda compare to Narita for Tokyo residents?

Haneda is much closer to central Tokyo (14 km vs. Narita's 60 km) so its noise impact is significantly larger for Tokyo neighborhoods. Narita's overflight affects Chiba prefecture (Sakura, Narita city, Inzai) but barely touches central Tokyo. If you're choosing where to live in Tokyo proper, Haneda is the airport that matters. Narita matters for residents east of Tokyo in Chiba.

How do I report aircraft noise at Haneda?

Submit complaints via the Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) noise complaint window operated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). Each affected ward (Shinagawa, Ōta, Meguro, Shibuya, Minato) also operates its own noise complaint channel via the ward office. Aggregated complaints feed into MLIT's flight path review process.

Does coverage on this map include all aircraft?

Yes — commercial fleets at Haneda have near-100% ADS-B coverage. The heatmap and density layers accurately reflect actual traffic. Narita-bound widebodies at cruise altitude over Tokyo also appear on the map but at altitudes that don't produce ground noise.

Tokyo Flight Path Noise Map – Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND)

Name: Aircraft noise observations near Tokyo Haneda International Airport
Creator: Flight Path Noise
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Aircraft noise around Tokyo in October 2026

Loudest neighborhoods near Tokyo: Ōta, Shinagawa, Meguro, Kawasaki. Quietest: Setagaya, Bunkyō, Adachi. Busiest around 10 AM local time averaging 1407 flights/day. Source: Flight Path Noise monitoring data, 30 days to 2026-10-18.

Flights by hour · last 30 days

12a6a12p6p

Average daily traffic

1407

flights / day · 42,222 total

Busiest hour

10 AM

peak 95 dB

Loudest hour

10 AM

peak 95 dB

Loudest residential area

Shibuya

60 dB avg · ~140 flights/day · Normal conversation

Catches the RWY 16L afternoon approach corridor; overflight at ~3500 ft

Does Tokyo Airport have a curfew?

No — no hard curfew; limited long-haul flights continue overnight.

Haneda has restricted operations between 11 PM and 6 AM but does not have a hard curfew. International long-haul departures and arrivals continue overnight on a limited schedule. The bulk of city-overflight noise occurs during the afternoon-arrival window; overnight operations typically use the over-water approaches and don’t affect central Tokyo significantly.

Tokyo International Airport at Haneda (HND/RJTT) is the closer of Tokyo’s two airports — 14 km south of Shibuya — and since March 2020 it has been the most controversial airport in Japan for residential noise. The 2020 routing change introduced arrival corridors that pass directly over central Tokyo for the first time in the airport’s history, shifting noise from quiet over-water approaches to overflight of Shinagawa, Meguro, Shibuya, Minato, and parts of Shinjuku. If you live in central Tokyo and didn’t notice planes before, that’s why you do now.

Which neighborhoods are quietest — and which aren’t

Haneda operates four runways on artificial islands in Tokyo Bay: 16L/34R, 16R/34L, 22/04, and 05/23. Before 2020, almost all arrivals used over-water approaches via Tokyo Bay regardless of wind. The 2020 change introduced city-route approaches to 16L and 16R during southerly-wind afternoon arrival banks — these pass directly over Shinjuku, Shibuya, Meguro, and Shinagawa before turning onto final approach.

Area	Aircraft noise	Why
Ōta	✈︎✈︎✈︎	Airport-adjacent; ground noise + overflight
Kawasaki	✈︎✈︎✈︎	Industrial corridor between Haneda + Yokohama
Shinagawa	✈︎✈︎✈︎	RWY 16L city corridor at ~2000 ft
Meguro	✈︎✈︎✈︎	RWY 16L city corridor at ~3000 ft
Shibuya	✈︎✈︎	Eastern edge of city corridor
Minato	✈︎✈︎	Roppongi/Azabu under eastern corridor
Shinjuku	✈︎✈︎	East of station, ~4000 ft on afternoons
Yokohama	✈︎✈︎	RWY 22 arrivals from south-west
Chiyoda	✈︎✈︎	East of Imperial Palace under corridor
Setagaya	✈︎	West of corridor
Bunkyō	✈︎	North of corridor
Adachi	✈︎	North Tokyo, well clear

The practical move in Tokyo is west or north of central if you want to avoid the city-overflight corridor: Setagaya (particularly west of Yoga), Suginami, Nakano, Toshima, and the northern wards (Kita, Itabashi, Adachi) sit clear. The most affected wards are Shinagawa and Meguro, which catch the corridor at lower altitudes than the more distant Shibuya and Shinjuku.

Flight patterns and runway use

Haneda’s runway use depends on wind direction. With prevailing southerly winds (common in spring and summer), arrivals typically use runways 16L and 16R via the new city-route approaches — this is when central Tokyo hears the most noise. With northerly winds (more common in winter), arrivals come from the south using runways 34L/34R via over-water approaches, keeping central Tokyo quiet.

The city-route approaches are active for a specific operational window — typically the afternoon arrival bank (3 PM – 7 PM) when international long-haul flights from North America and Europe arrive together. Outside this window, even in southerly winds, arrivals use either the over-water approach or runways 22/04.

The route-density layer on the map above shows the new pattern clearly: a corridor extending north from Haneda over Shinagawa, Meguro, and into central Tokyo during southerly-wind operations, plus the legacy over-bay corridors. The contrast with pre-2020 Tokyo airport routing is the defining noise change.

When is it quietest?

Haneda’s noise profile is unusual because it’s so heavily shaped by the southerly-wind afternoon arrival window:

Morning (6 AM – 11 AM): typically over-water approaches even in southerly wind. Central Tokyo is mostly clear.
Lunchtime (11 AM – 3 PM): moderate, varies by wind.
Afternoon arrival bank (3 PM – 7 PM, southerly wind): peak for central Tokyo. RWY 16L/16R city approaches active.
Evening (7 PM – 10 PM): tapers; mix of departures and arrivals, mostly over-water.
Overnight (11 PM – 6 AM): restricted operations; over-water approaches only. Central Tokyo silent.

Winter is generally quieter for central Tokyo because northerly winds dominate. Summer (June – September) is when the city corridor is most consistently active.

For your specific address, drop a pin on the map above to see the hourly profile. Setagaya, Suginami, and the northern wards should show essentially flat profiles year-round; Shinagawa and Meguro will show clear afternoon peaks in spring and summer.

A note on the 2020 flight path change

The decision to route arrivals over central Tokyo was made by MLIT in 2020 to increase Haneda’s international flight capacity by approximately 50 movements per day. The decision was controversial — affected wards lodged formal objections and the process generated significant public debate. The new routes remain in use, but each affected ward maintains a noise-monitoring program and the ward-level data is published periodically.

How to check noise at your specific address

The map above is the answer to “is this spot loud?” Three steps:

Search your address or postcode in the bar at the bottom of the map.
Drop a pin — click the location marker that appears.
Read the noise report that opens in the sidebar: average daily noise (Leq), peak observed dB, flights per day passing within 2 km, and an hourly breakdown — particularly the 3 PM – 7 PM afternoon window, which is where the city-route impact shows up.

If you’re choosing between apartments in central Tokyo, even a 2-km difference in location can make a significant difference to afternoon overflight noise. The map above gives the precision that the ward-level noise reports don’t.

Frequently asked questions

Why is there more aircraft noise around central Tokyo since 2020?: In March 2020, Tokyo Haneda Airport opened new arrival routes that pass directly over central Tokyo for the first time. Previously, approaches almost exclusively used over-water routes via Tokyo Bay. The new "city route" approaches to runways 16L and 16R are used during the afternoon arrival bank (typically 3 PM – 7 PM) when winds are from the south. This shift was made to increase Haneda's international flight capacity and was controversial — Shinagawa, Meguro, Shibuya, and Minato wards now experience regular jet overflight that didn't exist before.
When does the city-route flight path operate?: The new RWY 16L/16R city approaches operate when winds are from the south (most common in spring and summer in Tokyo), typically during the afternoon arrival bank from approximately 3 PM to 7 PM local time. In northerly wind conditions, arrivals come from the south over Tokyo Bay instead, and the city route is not used. Mornings and overnight typically continue to use the over-water approaches.
Which Tokyo neighborhoods are quietest for aircraft noise?: The western and northern wards (Setagaya west of Yoga, Suginami, Nakano, Toshima, Kita, Itabashi) sit clear of the new city corridor and only catch high-altitude overflight from regional traffic. Northern Tokyo (Adachi, Katsushika) is mostly clear except for occasional Narita departures at very high altitude. The most affected wards are Shinagawa, Meguro, Shibuya, Minato, Ōta, and parts of Shinjuku and Chiyoda — all under the new RWY 16L/16R approach corridor.
Is Shibuya loud from planes?: Since 2020, yes — Shibuya now sits under the eastern edge of the RWY 16L approach corridor during southerly winds. Overflight altitude is around 3000-3500 ft, which is audible on the street and noticeable in upper-floor apartments. Before 2020, Shibuya had essentially no aircraft noise. Drop a pin on the map above to see the difference street by street.
How does Haneda compare to Narita for Tokyo residents?: Haneda is much closer to central Tokyo (14 km vs. Narita's 60 km) so its noise impact is significantly larger for Tokyo neighborhoods. Narita's overflight affects Chiba prefecture (Sakura, Narita city, Inzai) but barely touches central Tokyo. If you're choosing where to live in Tokyo proper, Haneda is the airport that matters. Narita matters for residents east of Tokyo in Chiba.
How do I report aircraft noise at Haneda?: Submit complaints via the Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) noise complaint window operated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). Each affected ward (Shinagawa, Ōta, Meguro, Shibuya, Minato) also operates its own noise complaint channel via the ward office. Aggregated complaints feed into MLIT's flight path review process.
Does coverage on this map include all aircraft?: Yes — commercial fleets at Haneda have near-100% ADS-B coverage. The heatmap and density layers accurately reflect actual traffic. Narita-bound widebodies at cruise altitude over Tokyo also appear on the map but at altitudes that don't produce ground noise.

Sources and further reading

Haneda Airport — Wikipedia — Wikipedia
MLIT — Haneda flight path review information — Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Shinagawa Ward — Aircraft noise information — Shinagawa City Office
Aviation Safety Network — Haneda new flight paths overview — Aviation Safety Network

Data updated 2026-10-18 — live ADS-B monitoring, rolling 30-day statistics (methodology). Article text revised 2026-05-23.

30 dB	Whisper
45 dB	Quiet residential
55 dB	Normal conversation
65 dB	Busy road
75 dB	Vacuum cleaner
85 dB	Heavy traffic
95 dB	Motorcycle nearby

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Tokyo Flight Path Noise Map – Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND)

Aircraft noise around Tokyo in October 2026

Does Tokyo Airport have a curfew?

Which neighborhoods are quietest — and which aren’t

Flight patterns and runway use

When is it quietest?

A note on the 2020 flight path change

How to check noise at your specific address

Frequently asked questions

Sources and further reading

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