Chubu Centrair International Airport — Tokoname, Japan

Japan's automotive heartland gained a purpose-built international gateway when this airport opened on an artificial island in Ise Bay in February 2005, timed to coincide with that year's World Expo near Nagoya. NGO, widely known as Centrair, took over most international and many domestic flights from the older Nagoya Airport at Komaki, offering runway and terminal capacity suited to the export needs of Toyota and the dense cluster of manufacturers based in the surrounding Chubu region. Unusual amenities set it apart from typical Japanese airports, including a rooftop observation deck, an extensive shopping and dining concourse styled as a small town, and even a public bathing facility with views over the bay, reflecting the country's onsen culture. Nagoya itself, Japan's fourth-largest metropolitan area, blends heavy industry with a growing profile in design and technology, and the airport's efficient, uncrowded feel compared with Narita or Haneda has won it a loyal following among frequent travelers.