Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Minneapolis to Tokyo. The right side wins overall because the Haneda arrival view over Tokyo Bay with the city spread out and Mount Fuji on the horizon is one of the most spectacular urban approaches in the world. The takeoff views from MSP are pleasant but relatively flat and suburban. Right side also gives good views of the Aleutian Islands chain and the Kamchatka Peninsula coastline during the polar routing over the North Pacific.

During takeoff from Minneapolis St Paul International (MSP), sit on the Left side for the best views. MSP primarily departs on runways 12L/12R (southeast) or 17/35 (north-south). On a southeast departure toward the Pacific, the left side gives you a view back over downtown Minneapolis and the Mississippi River gorge as the aircraft banks northeast. The Chain of Lakes district and Lake Minnetonka are clearly visible to the left during climb-out. Notable sights include: Downtown Minneapolis skyline, Mississippi River gorge, Chain of Lakes (Calhoun/Bde Maka Ska, Harriet, Nokomis), Lake Minnetonka to the west.

When landing at Tokyo International (HND), sit on the Right side for the best views. HND (Haneda) sits on reclaimed land on Tokyo Bay's western shore. Aircraft typically approach from the northeast or east over the bay on runways 34L/34R or 16L/16R. A right-side seat on approach from the north gives you Tokyo Bay spread out below and the city of Tokyo dense to the right, with Mount Fuji visible on clear days to the southwest in the distance. Notable sights include: Tokyo Bay, Tokyo city center and Shinjuku skyline, Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo waterfront, Mount Fuji on the southwestern horizon (on clear days).

The flight from Minneapolis St Paul International (MSP) to Tokyo International (HND) takes Approximately 13 to 14 hours nonstop.

The great circle route from MSP to HND tracks northwest over Manitoba and Saskatchewan, then across the southern Yukon and Alaska Range (Denali visible to the left on clear days), out over the Gulf of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands chain, across the North Pacific near the Kamchatka Peninsula and Kuril Islands, then descends toward Hokkaido and Honshu before reaching Tokyo. The Aleutian Islands appear as a volcanic arc of dark islands in the gray Pacific, and the Kamchatka Peninsula shows snow-capped volcanic peaks along its spine.