Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Helsinki to Tokyo. While the right side wins at takeoff, the left side delivers the more dramatic and sustained viewing across the full flight — Siberian river systems, the Sea of Okhotsk coastline, and the spectacular Tokyo Bay and Mount Fuji arrival sequence outweigh the Helsinki departure views.

During takeoff from Helsinki Malmi (HEM), sit on the Right side for the best views. Malmi's primary runway 18/36 means departures heading south give the right side a view over central Helsinki, the South Harbour, and the Helsinki archipelago spreading into the Gulf of Finland. The city grid and waterfront are clearly laid out below as you climb out southward. Notable sights include: Helsinki city centre and Senate Square area, South Harbour and Market Square waterfront, Helsinki archipelago islands in the Gulf of Finland, Suomenlinna sea fortress on its island.

When landing at New Tokyo International (NRT), sit on the Left side for the best views. NRT's primary arrival runways 34L/34R bring aircraft in from the south heading north, so the left side faces west toward the Kanto Plain and Tokyo Bay. You get a clear view of Tokyo Bay, the city sprawl, and on clear days Mount Fuji rising above the horizon to the west-southwest. Notable sights include: Tokyo Bay and its reclaimed land areas, Tokyo metropolitan sprawl across the Kanto Plain, Mount Fuji on the western horizon on clear days, Chiba city and industrial waterfront below.

The flight from Helsinki Malmi (HEM) to New Tokyo International (NRT) takes Approximately 9 to 10 hours.

The great circle route from Helsinki to Tokyo tracks northeast over St. Petersburg and then across western Russia, crossing the Ural Mountains as a low ridge on the horizon. The route then passes over the vast West Siberian Plain with its braided river systems including the Ob and Yenisei rivers visible as wide silver ribbons cutting through boreal taiga. Over eastern Siberia, Lake Baikal may be visible as a long narrow dark blue body of water in clear conditions. The route then crosses the Sea of Okhotsk before descending over Hokkaido and Honshu toward Tokyo.