Japan Airshows 2016

[Starman]

Konnichi-wah Uni-san,

The site you mentioned http://www.mod.go.jp/asdf/pr_report/event/ translates OK with G/Chrome, and I see that mid-July there were "Base Open" festival days at various bases around 20-22Jul, did you visit any of these and do you know if it is an annual "event"?

Arigatou

Starman-oji

[Stilwell]

The website for Hyakuri has been updated with plans for their Open House, particularly schedules for 27 November: http://www.mod.go.jp/asdf/hyakuri/img/28air/suke2.pdf
And the 26 November: http://www.mod.go.jp/asdf/hyakuri/img/28air/suke1.pdf

It would appear they are going for distinct "morning" and "afternoon" flying displays, so departing when the Blue Impulse go up to avoid the crush later would involve missing some flying.

Tsuiki also has some details:
http://www.mod.go.jp/asdf/tsuiki/kouhou ... es/p28.pdf
A lot of F-2 action, as one would expect, plus Hofu T-7s, Ashiya T-4s and an F-15 from Nyutabaru.

Nyutabaru have set up a minisite for their Air Festival:
http://www.mod.go.jp/asdf/nyutabaru/air ... ex.html#pa
Little detail yet, though.

The Naha Open House has a name now - Birashima Air Festa
http://www.mod.go.jp/asdf/naha/kouhou_event/index.html
And opening times: 10:00 to 19:00 on Saturday; 10:00 to 16:00 on Sunday.
But no more details yet.

Jonathan.

[Uni]

Hi all,
The name of the JASDF Naha OH is not "Birashima".
It is " "Churashima" Air Festa" or " "Churajima" Air Festa".

Well, when you translate the term using with "normal" translation tools, it will become "Bi-ra-shima" indeed.
But it is a dialect of the Okinawa pref., so it become "Chu-ra-shima" or "Chu-ra-jima".

"Chura" means "beautiful" in Okinawa pref., and "shima(jima) " means "island" in all-over Japan.
So the OH name means "Beautiful Island Air Festa".

Uni

[Uni]

Hi Starman-oji,

"Summer festival(at the JASDF bases)" is quite annual event and I sometimes go there to take photos of the gate-guard a/cs.
Usually, they open only their athletic field or ground for the "Bon-Odori(Japanese local dance)" or some P.R.-events.
You cannot see any "active" a/cs at these events, so I will not inform these events to you in this forum.

Uni

[Uni]

There will be 3 open house days in early 2017.

08 Jan. 2017 JGSDF Narashino, 1st. drop training of the year.
Gate open 0830, Event 1100-1200, Gate close 1500.
Some helicopters will arrive at the training area at around 0800-0900.
http://www.mod.go.jp/gsdf/1abnb/event/index.html

25 Feb. JGSDF Kisarazu
http://www.mod.go.jp/gsdf/crf/heridan/

5 Mar. JASDF Komaki, 0900-1500
(No URL by now)

That's all today.

Uni

[Starman]

I know advertising is not allowed in these hallowed pages but, I've just been to Kisarazu, and stayed (for the first time) in an airbnb. A whole Japanese house to myself. Amazing. Walking distance from the base. Send me a pm if you need the link.

[Stilwell]

> "Chura" means "beautiful" in Okinawa pref., and "shima(jima) " means "island" in all-over Japan.
> So the OH name means "Beautiful Island Air Festa".

That makes sense. They made some interesting changes at the show - the night flying on Saturday was a departure from previous shows, as was moving the flying slot from the early morning quiet period at the civil airport to early afternoon. If was very apparent they were slotting in between the airliner movements, which limited the display to flypasts and pattern work. But it did mean they avoided the early start that characterises Japanese shows.
Uni, thank you very much for your invaluable information in 2016. As usual it has made organising trips much more simple, reliable and productive than would otherwise be the case.

Thanks,
Jonathan.