This charmless airport terminal is the world’s longest (and is slowly sinking)

The airport

Kansai International Airport, Osaka, Japan

The flight

Jetstar JQ14 from Osaka to Sydney

The departure

Kansai International Airport (KIX) is located 50 kilometres from Osaka city centre. A taxi will set you back at least $200. A convenient and economical alternative is the train. I take the Nankai Limited Express from Osaka Namba station, a journey of 40 minutes. For 1380 yen ($13), I have a reserved seat. Osaka Namba has a direct connection to Terminal 1 and a Family Mart where you can pick up last-minute snacks (egg sandwiches and fried chicken for the win).

The look

Kansai International Airport is a reclaimed-land airport built on an artificial island in Osaka Bay. It’s been sinking ever since it was constructed at a cost of $US15 billion ($21.1 billion). Don’t be too alarmed though; the rate of sinking is currently between two and seven centimetres a year, a big improvement on 50 centimetres a year when it opened in 1994.

Designed by the Renzo Piano Building Workshop, the airport features the longest airport terminal in the world (1.7 kilometres). The look inside is very industrial (dare I say, charmless), a vast steel structure favouring function over form. It was given a glow-up in the lead-up to the 2025 World Expo, an attempt to soften the aesthetic with warmer natural materials, wood floors and lighter walls.

Check-in

There’s a 45-minute wait to check in at Jetstar’s counters in Terminal 1 for this Friday night departure. Anticipating that my luggage might be over the weight limit with Japanese souvenirs, I’ve prepaid online for an additional five kilogram allowance.

Security

After the long Jetstar line, things flow smoothly with signature Japanese efficiency. I scan my boarding pass at an electronic gate, then choose from a dozen open lanes for hand-luggage scanning. The final step is to clear immigration at an automated passport check. For anyone feeling a bit frazzled by this stage, there’s a screened-off seating area to take a pause before entering the duty-free shopping zone, charmingly named the “Calm down, Cool down Space”.

Food + drink

Perhaps because Osaka is known as Japan’s kitchen, I had high hopes of a tasty pre-flight dinner. Guess again. I’m disappointed by the options I find in the international departures area after security. There’s Onigiri Burger, a fusion takeaway spot that manages to dish up nothing so delicious as traditional onigiri or a burger, Pronto takeaway pasta and Mensho ramen.

I learn later that most of the best dining options are located landside, before security, on the second and third floors, where you can find udon noodles, handmade pork buns, Japanese curry and tonkatsu.

Retail therapy

It’s a case of high/low shopping at KIX, with dedicated boutiques for high-end luxury brands, including Chanel, Gucci, Cartier and Louis Vuitton, as well as branches of Daiso, the 100-yen shop, affordable clothing retailer Uniqlo and convenience store Lawson. The central duty-free store offers more than 200 brands and is the place for Japanese whiskies, skincare and confectionery. Pick up exclusive airport-themed Pikachu merch at the Pokemon Store. Taste of Japan sells souvenirs and treats, at notably higher prices than you’ll pay in the city.

Passing time

Airport Wi-Fi is fast and free. There are vending machines and massage chairs at many gates. If you have a long layover, check out the Sky View Observation Hall, a museum and deck with 360-degree views of the active runways.

The verdict

KIX ticks all the boxes for convenience, efficiency and Japanese quirkiness, but could do with more options for dining and entertainment.

Our rating out of five

★★★½

The writer travelled as a guest of Hyogo Tourism Bureau.