As someone who also owns a website about Japan, one of my favorite things about living in Taipei was how easy it was to get there. Most conveniently, if I flew via Songshan to Haneda, I could make it from my front door in Taiwan to my hotel in Tokyo in five hours flat.
(This is to say nothing of the dozens of Japanese airports directly accessible from Taoyuan Airport, though I’ll have more to say about that in just a minute.)
To be sure, flying EVA Air to Japan was never my only option—and it’s not your only choice, either. The purpose of this post, however, is to explain all the reasons it might be the best one.
EVA Air’s Impressive Japan Network
As I learned personally when I lived there, dozens of routes from Taiwan to Japan exist. Beyond Songshan-Haneda-Songshan, you can fly EVA Air directly from Taoyuan to the following airports:
- Aomori (AOJ)
- Fukuoka (FUK)
- Komatsu (KMJ)
- Matsuyama (MYJ)
- Okinawa (OKA)
- Osaka (KIX)
- Sapporo (CTS)
- Sendai (SDJ)
- Tokyo (NRT)
This is in addition to all the flights that exist on other airlines like China Airlines and Starlux, plus JAL, ANA and all the low-cost carriers operating in both countries.
Why I Love Flying EVA Air to Japan
Convenience
As you can see above, EVA Air can take you from Taipei to almost anywhere in Japan. When I lived in Taiwan, this was instrumental to helping me dig deep into Japan without wasting a lot of time. It empowered me to take many short trips that wouldn’t have been feasible as one- or two-week jaunts.
Cash fares
Although flying from Taipei to Tokyo (or at least from Songshan to Haneda) can sometimes be pricey, it’s generally pretty affordable to fly from Taiwan to most destinations in Japan, even given that EVA Air is a full-service carrier. Well, at least in economy—more on that in the next section.
Mileage redemptions
The bad news? Buying business class tickets outright is usually a terrible value on short sectors like the ones connecting Taiwan and Japan. The good news? Mileage redemptions are an affordable way around this, particularly when using Air Canada Aeroplan points to book travel on EVA Air.
Planes
On my recent business class flight from Haneda to Songshan, I was pleased to discover that EVA Air finally replaced its decrepit A330 aircraft with brand-new 787-10s. These are a joy to fly in any class of service, and feel especially luxurious given how short the flight is. Compare this to three-hour flights in the US or Europe!
Food
I can’t lie: Economy class food is never as good as what you enjoy up-front. Still, economy class meals I’ve had flying EVA between Japan and Taiwan in the past haven’t been, even if none compare to the feast I enjoyed on my recent flight (Taiwanese braised pork? Yes please!) in business class.
Other Ways from Taiwan to Japan
Don’t want to fly with EVA Air, or simply can’t given your schedule? There are many other ways to travel between Taiwan and Japan:
- China Airlines flies to a variety of primarily, secondary and tertiary cities in Japan, including ones like Kagoshima, which EVA doesn’t serve.
- While Starlux has a much smaller network than either EVA Air or China Airlines, it serves cities like Kumamoto (which EVA doesn’t).
- Low-cost carriers like Tigerair Taiwan and Japan’s Peach are usually not my top choice. However, in addition to serving many secondary markets, they are the only option connection Taoyuan with Haneda, which can be key for connections.
Whether you take an EVA Air Japan or get to Taiwan some other way, I do hope you’ll consider hiring me to plan your trip.
Other Ways from Taiwan to Japan
How do I get from Taiwan to Japan?
Dozens of flights per day operate between Taipei’s two airports and various places in Japan, from major cities like Tokyo and Osaka to secondary and even tertiary spots like Komatsu, Matsuyama and Kagoshima. Most of these routes are operated by major Taiwanese airlines like China Airlines, EVA Air and Starlux.
How far is Tokyo from Taiwan by plane?
Although the flight time is just over three hours in either direction, my general rule of thumb for flying between Tokyo and Taiwan is that you need around 5-6 hours door to door. Add more time if you’re using Tokyo-Narita and/or Taipei-Taoyuan, as opposed to the more convenient Haneda and Songshan airports in Tokyo and Taipei, respectively.
Is EVA Air a Japanese airline?
EVA Air is not a Japanese airline, although I can understand why you might believe that. In addition to an ongoing and well-known partnership with Sanrio (the creator of Hello Kitty), EVA Air serves more airports in Japan than almost any other non-Japanese carrier, with the possible exception of China Airlines.
The Bottom Line
Flying EVA Air to Japan is never your only option, but it’s often the best one. I especially love flying the carrier between convenient Songshan and Haneda airports, particularly if I’m able to snag a seat in EVA’s awesome business class. Beyond the TSA-HND route, EVA serves many Japanese cities nonstop from Taoyuan Airport, further increasing the value proposition of flying the airline. No matter which transport choice you make, I do hope you’ll consider hiring me to plan a custom travel itinerary for you. Whether for Taiwan or Japan, my years of expertise will allow you to get it right on the first try—you’ll feel like an expert, even if you’re a total novice!
