Distances Between Cities in Japan: Complete Guide

43 routes across 6 cities — domestic & international

By SnapDistance Team · Updated May 11, 2026

Quick Answer: Japan Distances

Japan has 6 major cities in our database. The shortest domestic route is Kyoto → Osaka at just 43 km, while the longest is Sapporo → Osaka at 1,059 km. There are 34 international connections to 4 continents.

About Japan: Geography & Size

Japan is home to 6 major cities tracked by SnapDistance, with a combined urban population of over 24,061,497. The largest city is Tokyo with approximately 13,960,000 residents, followed by Osaka (2,753,862).

With a maximum domestic distance of 1,059 km, Japan offers a mix of short drives and medium-haul flights between cities.

The average distance between cities in Japan is 494 km. For comparison, the global average between major cities is roughly 3,000 km, making Japan more compact than average.

Transport in Japan

Japan has excellent high-speed rail infrastructure, making trains competitive with flights for distances under 800 km. For longer domestic routes, flying is still faster.

All distances on this page are straight-line (great-circle) measurements. Driving distances are typically 20–40% longer due to road routing. Flight times assume 800 km/h cruising speed plus 30 minutes for takeoff and landing.

Cities in Japan

• Tokyo — pop. 13,960,000, Kanto
• Osaka — pop. 2,753,862, Kansai
• Nagoya — pop. 2,296,014, Chubu
• Sapporo — pop. 1,973,395, Hokkaido
• Fukuoka — pop. 1,603,043, Kyushu
• Kyoto — pop. 1,475,183, Kansai

Domestic Routes in Japan (9)

All city-to-city routes within Japan, sorted by distance:

• Kyoto → Osaka — 43 km (✈ ~33 min)
• Nagoya → Osaka — 139 km (✈ ~40 min)
• Nagoya → Tokyo — 255 km (✈ ~49 min)
• Tokyo → Kyoto — 360 km (✈ ~57 min)
• Tokyo → Osaka — 392 km (✈ ~59 min)
• Fukuoka → Osaka — 485 km (✈ ~1h 6min)
• Sapporo → Tokyo — 834 km (✈ ~1h 33min)
• Fukuoka → Tokyo — 877 km (✈ ~1h 36min)
• Sapporo → Osaka — 1,059 km (✈ ~1h 49min)

International Routes from Japan (34)

Routes connecting Japan to the rest of the world:

To/From Asia (24 routes)

• Busan → Fukuoka — 215 km (✈ ~46 min)
• Fukuoka → Seoul — 540 km (✈ ~1h 11min)
• Busan → Osaka — 588 km (✈ ~1h 14min)
• Osaka → Seoul — 829 km (✈ ~1h 32min)
• Fukuoka → Shanghai — 878 km (✈ ~1h 36min)
• Nagoya → Seoul — 927 km (✈ ~1h 40min)
• Busan → Tokyo — 959 km (✈ ~1h 42min)
• Tokyo → Seoul — 1,149 km (✈ ~1h 56min)
• Sapporo → Seoul — 1,361 km (✈ ~2h 12min)
• Tokyo → Shanghai — 1,754 km (✈ ~2h 42min)
• Tokyo → Beijing — 2,089 km (✈ ~3h 7min)
• Taipei → Tokyo — 2,095 km (✈ ~3h 7min)
• Shenzhen → Tokyo — 2,870 km (✈ ~4h 5min)
• Tokyo → Hong Kong — 2,876 km (✈ ~4h 6min)
• Guangzhou → Tokyo — 2,898 km (✈ ~4h 7min)
• Manila → Tokyo — 2,992 km (✈ ~4h 14min)
• Cebu → Tokyo — 3,238 km (✈ ~4h 33min)
• Chengdu → Tokyo — 3,343 km (✈ ~4h 41min)
• Da Nang → Tokyo — 3,801 km (✈ ~5h 15min)
• Tokyo → Bangkok — 4,599 km (✈ ~6h 15min)
• Tokyo → Singapore — 5,311 km (✈ ~7h 8min)
• Kuala Lumpur → Tokyo — 5,318 km (✈ ~7h 9min)
• Bali → Tokyo — 5,529 km (✈ ~7h 25min)
• Tokyo → Dubai — 7,930 km (✈ ~10h 25min)

To/From North America (4 routes)

• Honolulu → Tokyo — 6,209 km (✈ ~8h 16min)
• San Francisco → Tokyo — 8,275 km (✈ ~10h 51min)
• Los Angeles → Tokyo — 8,819 km (✈ ~11h 31min)
• New York → Tokyo — 10,852 km (✈ ~14h 4min)

To/From Europe (3 routes)

• Helsinki → Tokyo — 7,818 km (✈ ~10h 16min)
• London → Tokyo — 9,559 km (✈ ~12h 27min)
• Paris → Tokyo — 9,712 km (✈ ~12h 38min)

To/From Oceania (3 routes)

• Tokyo → Sydney — 7,826 km (✈ ~10h 17min)
• Melbourne → Tokyo — 8,190 km (✈ ~10h 44min)
• Wellington → Tokyo — 9,277 km (✈ ~12h 6min)

Route Comparisons for Japan

Compare routes side by side:

• New York→Tokyo vs New York→London
• Los Angeles→Tokyo vs Los Angeles→London
• Los Angeles→Honolulu vs Los Angeles→Tokyo
• Paris→New York vs Paris→Tokyo
• Dubai→Tokyo vs Dubai→Singapore
• Tokyo→Seoul vs Tokyo→Shanghai
• Tokyo→Singapore vs Tokyo→Bangkok
• Tokyo→Osaka vs Tokyo→Kyoto

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cities in Japan are covered?

We cover 6 cities in Japan: Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Fukuoka, Kyoto.

What is the shortest domestic route in Japan?

The shortest domestic route is Kyoto to Osaka at 43 km.

What is the longest domestic distance in Japan?

The longest domestic route is Sapporo to Osaka at 1,059 km.

How many international routes go from Japan?

There are 34 international routes from Japan to 4 continents.

What is the average distance between cities in Japan?

The average domestic distance is approximately 494 km.

Explore More

• Distance Calculator — Calculate any route instantly
• From One Location — Distances from any city
• Compare Routes — Side-by-side comparison
• Interactive Map — Visual distance explorer
• Travel Guides — Distance tips & insights
• How Far Is It? — Detailed guide
• Average City Distances — Country comparison

📍 Data: Coordinates from OpenStreetMap contributors. Distances calculated using the Haversine formula. Travel times are estimates only. Last verified: May 11, 2026.