We arrived at Haneda on October 6^th for the start of a much anticipated two week trip to Japan which is my favourite country to visit for aircraft and has such friendly welcoming people. My favourite aircraft the Phantom is gone now unfortunately but there is still plenty good stuff to see.

Our first day was a quiet day at NAS Atsugi to recover from the jet lag and Monday we headed to Kisarazu in the hope of seeing some Chinooks and the new Ospreys. Unfortunately it was a down day as un-beknown to us there had been an airshow the day before which we found out when we got home. We carried on to NAS Tateyama on the southern tip of the Chiba peninsula. This was much better and many based SH-60 Seahawks were seen and the Navy were very good to us this trip. It was a shame all of the gate guards had gone, most likely scrapped.

After this we headed back up to Atsugi for the afternoon in good weather. The highlight being the nicely marked UP-3 Orion doing circuits and photos can be seen in the report along with an SH-60 and P-1 here.

Tuesday would be a look at Yokota and a little time at Iruma but the weather took a turn for the worst for the next two days. The good news at Yokota was all but one based Hercules were seen. As we arrived at Iruma we were greeted by the sight of a few hundred photographers in the pouring rain! Something must be happening we thought. So we set up trying to keep cameras dry and after a few based T-4s and a C-2 departed a Komatsu based 306 Hikotai F-15J Eagle appeared out of the gloom on the taxi-way in glorious special marks for the 70^th anniversary of the JASDF. A picture can be seen in the article along with a C-2 landing in the rain.

The rest of the day was wrecks and relics hunting north west of Tokyo before heading to our hotel for the next day at Hyakuri AB.

Wednesday and the rain continued to pour down with only a Blackhawk flying at Hyakuri and a few F-2s seen on the ramp. A very disappointing visit. We then had a look at Utsonomiya army base but again little was flying. The day ending with a visit to Utsonomiya University where resides a two very well kept aircraft for technical instruction. A T-2 and T-3. We were allowed to sit in the cockpit of the T-2.

Thursday was a short visit to Matsushima AB before we caught an internal flight to Amori via Chitose. We only had an hour but it was productive with some F-2Bs and T-4s seen flying and photographed. See pictures in the report.

On arrival two of us ventured north west to Goshogawara to see a preserved T-2 in a park in the dark.

Friday was a look at Hachinohe dodging huge spiders! Then a few hours on the viewing deck and a visit to the museum at Misawa AB. The 302 and 301 Hikotai F-35s were active but the based WW USAF F-16s were not to be seen. The north was not being too good to us. A highlight for me was seeing my first JASDF Hawkeye fly. A new E-2D. Three US Navy P-8As also departed and a based rescue sqn JASDF Chinook flew a mission.

We then left to catch a short flight to Chitose for a weekend on the beautiful island of Hokkaido.

Over the course of the weekend some of us drive 1200miles to see the wrecks and relics scattered around. The weather was great and the views spectacular passing by dormant volcanoes. The monday was to be most of the day at Chitose AB but this was badly timed as we didn't realise the day was a Japanese holiday and only two of the based Eagles flew. Before this we took a quick look at Okadama army base and were lucky to catch three AH-1 Cobras returning to base in nice light. We then took a flight to Fukuoka in the hope that the south would be much more productive.

The Tuesday got off to a good start with a look at Fukuoka airport and some based aircraft were seen. We then headed south to Omura Navy base near Nagasaki and the Navy came up with the goods again. Such a fantastic place for viewing with a lot of flying and nearly all the SH-60 Seahawks on base were seen with all the hangar doors open. Then it was back north to try to catch some flying at Ashiya AB where six T-4s were seen flying. You can see some pictures in the article here. 

Wednesday would be a busy day with visits to four bases. Tsuiki AB was first and this base is becoming more and more unfriendly with access to the sea wall now forbidden and an inner earth wall being constructed with now only a very limited view of the base. A good number of based F-2s were seen before we headed to the training bases at Ozuki and Hofu where a good number of aircraft were seen. Last stop was Iwakuni were another good few hours were enjoyed with the highlight being two US-2 flying boats in action and a P-3C Orion doing circuits. 

Thursday was a two hour drive from our hotel to Miho AB where a good number of aircraft were logged. There are quite a few nicely preserved aircraft here. Then it was a 5 hour drive to Akeno army base for a fantastic few hours with many AH-1 Cobras, UH-1 and HU-2 Hueys, UH-60 Blackhawks, OH-1s and Enstrom helicopters flying training missions. The day ended with a superb formation take off. 

We spent friday morning at Gifu AB for another good morning's action with the highlight being the red and white XF-2A doing a flying display. The museum wasn't open last time I visited in 2016 and I was very glad to find it was open this time. It has some fantastic exhibits including the T-2CCV and the F-4EJ Phantom which made the type's last flight in JASDF service. 

The afternoon was spent at Hammamatsu AB where a good number of T-4s and T-400s were seen returning to base. 

The South had certainly been much better than the north and the early disappointments were mostly forgotten. On saturday morning we passed Mount Fuji heading north to Tokyo for quick looks at Yokota and Iruma again , a visit to Tokorozawa museum, and then a short stop at Atsugi before heading to our hotel at Haneda airport for our flight home next morning.

Author & photography Paul Newbold