Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Phoenix to Tokyo. The left side wins overall primarily because of the Mount Fuji view on descent into Haneda, which is one of the most iconic aerial sights in aviation. The left side also captures the Pacific coastline of Japan during approach. The right side has the edge at takeoff from PHX, but the Fuji view tips the balance decisively to the left for the full journey.

During takeoff from Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX), sit on the Right side for the best views. PHX primarily uses runways 7R/25L and 8/26. Departing eastbound on runway 7R/8, a right-side seat gives you a clear view south toward South Mountain Park and the Estrella Mountains as you climb out over the Valley of the Sun. Departing westbound on 25L/26, the right side faces north toward Camelback Mountain and the McDowell Mountains as you bank toward your Pacific heading. Notable sights include: South Mountain Park (largest municipal park in the US, clearly visible as a dark ridgeline south of the city), Camelback Mountain (distinctive camel-hump silhouette northeast of downtown), McDowell Mountains (rugged range northeast of Scottsdale), Salt River channel cutting east-west through the metro grid.

When landing at Tokyo International (HND), sit on the Left side for the best views. Flights from PHX approach HND typically from the northwest, often landing on runways 34L/34R (northbound) or using the RWY 22/23 approach over Tokyo Bay. On a northwest approach, the left side of the aircraft faces east and south, giving you the best view of Mount Fuji to the southwest during descent, and then Tokyo Bay and the city's waterfront districts as you turn onto final. Notable sights include: Mount Fuji (3,776m, unmistakable snow-capped cone visible from 150+ miles on clear days, southwest of Tokyo), Tokyo Bay (broad inlet with visible shipping traffic and the Rainbow Bridge), Yokohama port and urban waterfront (south of Tokyo, dense city grid meeting the bay), Haneda Airport's artificial island runways extending into Tokyo Bay.

The flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX) to Tokyo International (HND) takes Approximately 11 to 12 hours nonstop.

The great circle route from PHX to HND tracks northwest across the Mojave Desert and California's Central Valley, crosses the Sierra Nevada, then heads out over the Pacific from the Northern California coast near San Francisco. The route passes south of the Aleutian Islands chain and crosses the North Pacific, with the Kuril Islands and Hokkaido's coastline visible during the final descent into Honshu. Mid-flight scenery is primarily open ocean, though on clear days the volcanic peaks of the Kuril Islands and the snow-covered mountains of Hokkaido are visible during the final two hours of flight.