10 Things to Do at Kansai Airport to Kill Time
Traveling alone to a country that — (1) you’ve never been to, (2) you barely speak the language (just enough to ask where the toilet is), (3) you don’t know much about the culture, can be a little daunting. And the first place that you typically set your foot on, at said country, is the airport.
So come last November, I found myself for the first time in Japan, staring at the brightly lit predawn runway as the airplane taxied at Kansai International Airport. I was going to have plenty of time to kill because I needed to wait for the Post Office to open to pick up my pocket wifi. What was I going to do until then?
Turns out there’s plenty to do. Here’s a little guide for those of you stuck in the same dilemma I was.
Where is Kansai Airport (is it the same as Osaka Airport)?
Before we get down to the nitty-gritty, let me be clear that we’re talking about Kansai International Airport (KIX), as opposed to Osaka International (Itami) Airport (ITM). I know that question’s been asked before.
Kansai Airport is located on an artificially made island in Osaka Bay, the first of its kind in fact. It’s about an hour away by train from Osaka city, and if you’re flying internationally to Osaka, you’ll land here, not Itami Airport. Itami Airport handles domestic flights only.
The airport itself has a rather stylish architecture, designed by architect Renzo Piano who also designed London’s energy efficient Shard tower and the New York Times Building in Manhattan.
And oh, free wifi is readily available at Kansai Airport and connectivity is excellent. So, no worries about checking in with family and friends once you’re there.
Things to do at (or near) Kansai Airport
So you’re at the airport, with plenty of time to kill. Here’s a run through of ideas to while away those minutes:
#1: Toilet break
You didn’t think that would be #1 did you? But seriously, toilets in Japan are awesome (at least, the ones I encountered in my 3 weeks there were). I’m Malaysian and the toilets in my country are notorious for being less than user-pleasing (sorry, fellow countrymen). So you can imagine my joy at finding toilets that not only have heated seats, but fitted bidet with warm water, copious supply of toilet paper and hey, some even have flushing sounds you can play to camouflage the noise of your ‘big business’.
#2: What is there to eat at Kansai Airport?
Please don’t think I’m gross — first mentioning the toilet, then talking about food. I figured most travelers will be thinking about food when they get off a plane. Well, Kansai Airport has a fair selection of munchies to satisfy any hunger pangs. Go ahead, stumble over a McD order in your broken Japanese, or find a seat in an udon restaurant to have your food delivered over a conveyor belt. Order a juicy beef Mos Burger, or kill your sushi cravings if that’s what calls to you. Just note that most of these places will be open from 7 am, though there are exceptions. Find out here.
#3: Take a shower
Now here’s an option I’m really fond of. After a long flight, nothing is nicer than to get rid of that recycled airplane cabin feel. You can grab a shower the KIX Airport Lounge or you can walk to the Aeroplaza and there are showers to the left of the entryway. Both options cost around 500 yen. But do note that you might have to book the shower ahead for the KIX Airport Lounge because spots can fill up. That’s how I found out about the other option — it was full up, so the lady at the lounge reception was nice enough to direct me to the showers at the Aeroplaza.
#4: Can you sleep at Kansai Airport? Yes, go ahead. Take a nap.
Grabbing a quick shuteye is another option but we’re often lacking good space to do so at an airport. If you can’t get a spot in the KIX Airport Lounge and aren’t a member of one of the other airline lounges, there’s a waiting area in the Aeroplaza, just next to the showers. It’s quiet and is relatively safe. I took an hour nap there and no one bothered me or my stuff. They even have those square sofa bed thingies where you can just sprawl.
#5: Grab your JR Pass, ICOCA card & train tickets
The JR Ticket Office at Kansai Airport is open as early as 5:30 am. This makes it really easy to go grab your JR Pass (if you’ve booked one), train tickets or an IC card (at Kansai you’ll get the ICOCA). I recommend getting an IC card as it just makes travel via public transport so much easier. You can get the IC card and your train tickets at the machines outside the ticket office too. But if you want the ICOCA & Haruka deal, you’ll have to go into the JR Ticket Office.
#6: Grab your pocket wifi for uninterrupted connectivity
Well, this was the main reason I was bumming around Kansai Airport in the first place — waiting for the Post Office to open at 9am so I could pick up my pre-booked pocket wifi. But hey, this is one of the things foreign travelers into Japan usually need, and there are a bunch of pocket wifi vendors on the first floor (1F) of the airport to help you out.
#7: Airport business centre for the workaholics…
If you’re one of those who urgently need business services like using a PC, photocopying etc, the airport Business Centre is available from 7am, located on level 4F of Terminal 1.
#8: … and Kansai Airport Shops for the shopaholics
And if you’re one of those who like to find stuff to spend money on, there are plenty of shops on level 3F to occupy your time. Grab a souvenir or find a new scarf to wear on your trip.
#9: Hop on over to the Observation Hall SkyView
For the shutter bugs, you can get a pretty awesome view from the SkyView observation deck. There’s a free shuttle from bus stop #1 at Terminal 1 that will get you there. The shuttle is available every 20 minutes, starting at 8 am.
#10: Leave bags in coin lockers & go to Rinku Town
If you have more time to kill and hanging around the airport isn’t your thing, you can easily leave your baggage at a storage counter on level 1F or make use of one of the many coin lockers about the airport. Then grab the train or bus (from bus stop #12) to the Rinku Town Premium Outlets. The outlet opens from 10 am.
Bonus ideas
That’s only 10 of the things you can do to kill time and there’s definitely more. Here are a couple that don’t necessarily apply to short-term layovers or delays:
#11: Stay at the hotels if you have even more time to kill
There are 2 hotels at Kansai Airport, both located in the Aeroplaza. If you want a nice, upscale place, Hotel Nikko is available to meet your needs. I went for the cheaper First Cabin (which is literally that — a ‘cabin’ to yourself with shared bathroom facilities) because I just had to try a pod kind of stay since it’s Japan.
#12: Doctor’s Clinic & Dental Services
I thought I’d just mention these. You never really want them, but you never know when you might need them. There’s a Doctor’s clinic and dental services available.
Map of Kansai Airport
The Kansai Airport website has a very detailed map, which I’ve found very helpful.
So, that’s about it. Hope this piece has given you some ideas the next time you’re stuck with time to kill at Kansai International Airport.
