Central Japan International Airport (Nagoya)

The airport which serves Nagoya and the central Japan region is completely built on an artificial island. It is the 2nd airport built on an artificial island. The first one being in Osaka (slowly sinking, don't think this one is though).

It was built for the 2005 Expo at Aichi Prefecture.

Below is a map of its location.







On arrival at the airport railway station. It takes around 30 mins to reach the airport from downtown Nagoya.

The train on the left is the train built specifically for the line to the airport. The "μ-SKY" Airport Limited Express Train. It goes from the airport to Meitetsu Nagoya Station in around 30 minutes.













Like all railway services in Japan, there are reserved seating on express trains like this one, but you have to pay an additional fee in addition to the normal ticket price, and conductors go around to each seat to check tickets







Inside the ticketing area of the train station. Here is a map.









Large sign displaying the cost of the tickets:





Bridge connecting the train station to the terminal building



More innovative transportation information displays, if only more airports had them...









The domestic arrivals area:





Departure hall:





















2nd Floor shopping area (technically 3rd floor of the airport):















Onto the Viewing Deck!

It basically stretches the entire roof top of the central pier.

This is a feature that seems to be standard for all Japanese airports. Every airport should have one....(never going to happen in North America)

































My rating of the airport:

Pros:

- Very well designed and very functional, very efficient design
- Transportation is excellent (30 mins to downtown Nagoya is not bad when compared to the horrible 60 minute (~3000 yen, $30), or 75 minute (~1200 yen-1500 yen, $12-15) ONE WAY ticket from Narita airport to downtown Tokyo
- Nice viewing deck that stretches all the way to the end of the center pier

Cons:

- Not very architecturally striking compared to other new airports, but has the feeling of simplicity and functionality
- Even though it is an international airport located in the area where one of the major automakers (Toyota) is located, it has a very "domestic feel" to it (i.e. do not expect all the staff to know how to speak English like other Asian airports)

My Rating: 9/10