Community-youth, Featured-articles, Plane-spotting, Youth

Military Plane Spotting in Tokyo

06 Dec 2023
Text by Timothy Liu, an avid plane spotter in Singapore

Plane spotting is a hobby that involves observing and photographing airplanes. It is a fun way to see and learn about different types of aircraft while photographing them in different locations. Since I am primarily interested in military aircraft, I love to do plane spotting at military air bases. However, in Singapore, laws and regulations prohibit photography at our air bases. Hence, I was excited to get the chance to do plane spotting in Japan. As part of the two-part “Plane Spotting in Japan” series, in this article, I would like to share my experience with military plane spotting in the Tokyo area, at three air bases: Atsugi Air Base, Yokota Air Base and Iruma Air Base.

Naval Air Facility Atsugi

Naval Air Facility Atsugi is a joint Japan-US naval air base located in Kanagawa. This has become my favourite spotting location in Tokyo since there are relatively frequent weekend flights. As I am working during the weekdays when the military planes usually fly, I am glad that there are locations where I can reliably spot planes during the weekend.

Atsugi is home to a variety of American and Japanese fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. Every morning, at least one JMSDF (Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force) P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) will take off for patrols. Additionally, the US Navy and Marine Corps aircraft also frequently visit the base for transportation-related missions. If you’re fortunate, you might catch a glimpse of the unique red-and-white UP-3C aircraft while it’s out on a sortie. The UP-3C serves as a testbed for MPA equipment, and it’s important to note that only one such aircraft exists currently.

Atsugi is also great for aviation photography enthusiasts. At both ends of the runway, there are parks which offer vantage points where you can see across the entire runway. The main downside of these parks is the long walk to the nearest train stations.

Yokata Air Base

Yokota serves as the headquarters for the United States Forces in Japan, making it a relatively busy air base for a variety of US aircraft, including some that are not commonly seen. On weekends, the activity level is varied. On some days, there can be no activity at all. Otherwise, you’re likely to observe transport planes and civilian aircraft, such as the C-17, Cessna 172 from the Yokota Flight Club, and Patriot Express flights (chartered by the US Government and operated by companies like Western Global and ATI). Most of the perimeter is protected by a double fence, making it impossible to shoot through. However, there are numerous excellent spots near the air base where you can take photos. When the weather is favourable (mainly during the winter months), you can even capture aircraft against the backdrop of Mount Fuji.

Iruma Air Base

Iruma, located in Saitama, is a Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) base. The aircraft are primarily transport aircraft (C-1, C-2), jet trainers (T-4). Two aircraft of particular interest to the local community are the electronic warfare EC-1 and the YS-11 aircraft. To photograph aircraft within the base, a stepladder is needed as there are no accessible spots where you can shoot over the single-mesh fence. The weekend and night flying schedules are also available on their website, with the weekend schedule typically being uploaded at around 5pm on Fridays.

Special Highlight: Japan Air Force One

JASDF operates special Boeing-777 aircraft used for VIP transport. This squadron is based in Chitose Airport in Hokkaido. The mission set of these aircraft often involve the transportation of the Prime Minister or members of the royal family for overseas trips. Typically, a primary aircraft and a backup aircraft will accompany each other on these missions. The departure schedule for these flights is made available on the Ministry of Defense (MOD) website, usually on the day the aircraft departure from Haneda. You can track the aircraft’s journey from Chitose to Haneda on the ADSB-exchange website and then verify if there is any published schedule online. The usual routine involves the aircraft arriving at Haneda, where it stays overnight, and then departing from Japan the following day. It’s worth noting that capturing photographs of the parked aircraft can be a challenge, as they are often positioned at the distant end of the cargo terminal, making it difficult to get close-up shots.

Struggles

Plane spotting in Japan can be quite demanding, primarily due to the significant amount of walking involved. Essentially, it often feels like a route march from your initial point of public transport to the various spotting locations. Hence, an advice would be to plan your routes and get familiar with the key landmarks near the area on Google Maps beforehand to navigate more effectively.

During the summer months, you will likely be drenched in sweat, so it is wise to carry a towel with you. Like plane spotting in Singapore, it is essential to prepare some sunscreen, insect repellent, and a cap to shield yourself from the sun.

Language barriers are quite frankly not a major hindrance when it comes to plane spotting. In most cases, you won’t need to interact much with other locals, and some can converse in simple English. Most of the local spotters are very friendly, and if needed you can always communicate with the aid of Google Translate.

Photo Credits: Timothy Liu