Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Tokyo to Vancouver. Left side wins at both ends of the flight. During the transpacific cruise at 35,000 feet the views are largely ocean and cloud regardless of side, but the left side also offers occasional glimpses of the Aleutian Island chain as the great circle route arcs north over the North Pacific.

During takeoff from New Tokyo International (NRT), sit on the Left side for the best views. NRT typically departs on runway 16R/34L or 16L/34R. Northbound departures heading toward the Pacific climb out over the Chiba Peninsula and Tokyo Bay. The left side gives you a clear view back over Tokyo Bay, the dense urban grid of central Tokyo, and on clear days Mount Fuji rising to the southwest. Notable sights include: Tokyo Bay, Mount Fuji (southwest, ~100km), Chiba urban sprawl, Tokyo city grid.

When landing at Vancouver International (YVR), sit on the Left side for the best views. YVR primarily lands on runway 08L/08R from the east, meaning the aircraft approaches from the Fraser Valley heading west. The left side faces south, giving views of the Fraser River delta, the agricultural flats of Richmond, and the Olympic Mountains across the Strait of Georgia in Washington State. Notable sights include: Fraser River delta, Strait of Georgia, Olympic Mountains (Washington State), Richmond agricultural grid.

The flight from New Tokyo International (NRT) to Vancouver International (YVR) takes Approximately 9 to 10 hours.

The great circle route from NRT to YVR arcs northeast over the North Pacific, passing south of the Kuril Islands and Kamchatka Peninsula, then curving southeast over the Gulf of Alaska. At cruise altitude you may see the Aleutian Islands as a faint chain on the horizon in the mid-flight portion. The route then crosses the Gulf of Alaska before making landfall near the British Columbia coast, where the Coast Mountains and Vancouver Island become visible on descent.