Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Seattle to Tokyo. The left side delivers the best views at both ends of the flight — Seattle's waterfront and mountains on departure, and Tokyo Bay with the chance of a Mount Fuji sighting on arrival. Over the open Pacific the difference is minimal, but the left side edges it overall.

During takeoff from Seattle Tacoma International (SEA), sit on the Left side for the best views. SEA primarily uses runways 16L/16R for southbound departures or 34L/34R for northbound. On a northbound departure toward Japan, aircraft typically turn northwest over Puget Sound. The left side captures Elliott Bay, downtown Seattle, and the Olympic Mountains across the water. On southbound departures with a left turn out, the left side gets Mount Rainier dominating the southeast. Notable sights include: Mount Rainier (southeast, 14,411 ft), Elliott Bay and downtown Seattle skyline, Puget Sound and the Olympic Peninsula, Lake Washington.

When landing at Tokyo International (HND), sit on the Left side for the best views. Flights from Seattle typically approach Tokyo Haneda from the northeast over the Pacific, with final approach often on runways 34L/34R or 22/23 depending on winds. On the common northeast approach, the left side faces northwest toward central Tokyo, offering views of the Tokyo Bay waterfront, the dense urban grid of the city, and Mount Fuji visible to the southwest on clear days as a distant cone on the horizon. Notable sights include: Tokyo Bay and waterfront reclamation islands, Dense Tokyo urban grid (Shinagawa, Ota ward), Mount Fuji (distant southwest on clear days), Yokohama port area.

The flight from Seattle Tacoma International (SEA) to Tokyo International (HND) takes Approximately 9 to 10 hours westbound.

The great circle route from SEA to HND arcs north over the Gulf of Alaska and the Aleutian Island chain, which may be visible as a string of dark volcanic islands in the North Pacific on clear days. The route then crosses the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia — a rugged, largely uninhabited volcanic landscape — before descending over the Kuril Islands and the northwestern Pacific toward Honshu. The North Pacific is largely featureless open ocean for the majority of the flight.