NRT to TPE: which side of the plane should you sit on?
Narita (NRT) to Taoyuan (TPE) is a 2,181 km (1,355 mi), roughly 3h 4m westbound flight. Here is where the sun sits along that path, computed with the same astronomy as our live calculator.
On most daytime NRT to TPE departures the sun favors the left side — sit on the right (a window on the right) for shade.
Sun side by season and departure time
| Season | Morning (8 am) | Midday (1 pm) | Evening (6 pm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | Left | Both | Night |
| June solstice | Left | Right | Right |
| September equinox | Left | Both | Night |
| December solstice | Left | Left | Night |
What you’ll see on this flight
The right side wins on both counts.
Sit on the right side. It wins for both the views and the shade on this westbound flight.
Takeoff
Keep right after departure, depending on the runway in use. Tokyo is close on climb-out, then Saitama and Lake Kasumigaura come into view on that side. Mito can also sit off to the right early on.
En route
- 13m inRight →Mount Fuji
About 13 minutes in, Mount Fuji stands off the right side. It is a clean, high cone, easy to spot on a clear day.
- 34m inRight →Kyoto
Roughly half an hour after takeoff, Kyoto stays on the right. You do not get a direct overflight, just a steady city-side glimpse from cruise altitude.
- 38m inRight →Osaka
A few minutes later, Osaka also stays to the right. It reads as a broad urban spread rather than a single landmark.
- 40m inRight →Kobe
Around 40 minutes in, Kobe is on the right as well. It sits in the same busy city belt, with the coast implied more than spelled out.
- 1h 25m inRight →Sakurajima
Near the midway point, Sakurajima appears on the right. It is the more dramatic shape in this stretch, a volcano-and-island profile that stands apart from the cities.
- 2h 45m in← LeftSenkaku Islands
Late in the flight, the Senkaku Islands slip by on the left, so they are not your best-view side. They are a brief, distant note before descent.
Landing
On descent, keep the left side in mind. Depending on the runway in use, Yangmingshan National Park passes nearly under the aircraft about three minutes before landing, then Taipei and New Taipei follow on that side. Taoyuan is also left-side and close at arrival.
Sides and timings are computed from this route’s geometry. What you actually see depends on weather, air-traffic routing, and the runway in use on the day.
Frequently asked
Which side of the plane avoids the sun from NRT to TPE?
Across typical daytime departures, the sun predominantly hits the left side of the aircraft, so the right side stays shadier. Seat letters start at the left window, so choose the highest window letter (F on narrowbodies, K on many widebodies).
Which side has the sunset views on NRT to TPE flights?
For sunset views, flip the advice: on evening departures the sun sits on the right side of this route, so that is the side with the show.
How long is the flight from NRT to TPE?
The great-circle distance is 2,181 km (1,355 mi), which works out to roughly 3h 4m in the air on this westbound routing. Winds and routing move the real block time around that estimate.
Does the date or departure time change the answer?
Yes — that is why the table shows both. The sun's path shifts with the season, and a morning departure can put the glare on the opposite side compared to an evening one. For a specific flight, the calculator samples the sun along the whole route for your exact date and time.
Which side should I sit on for NRT to TPE?
Sit on the right side. It gets the better views, and it is also the shaded side on this route.
What can I see on the NRT to TPE flight?
On the right, you can pick out Tokyo early, then Mount Fuji, several Japanese cities, and Sakurajima. Near landing, the left side gets Yangmingshan National Park and the Taipei area.