Naha Air Base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force was in a festive mood | I went to the Chura Island Air Festa

Naha Air Base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force is located very close to Naha Airport.
Every December, the base is opened to the public for the "Chura-jima Air Festa," which features fighter jet flight shows and various other events.

Combined with the fact that admission was free, it was bustling with activity, much like a festival.

To be honest, I wasn't particularly interested in fighter jets, but when I went, I had an amazing time!

*The event will be held on December 10th, 2023. For details, please see below.Japan Air Self-Defense Force Naha Air Base.
The following text is based on my previous visit.

<Table of Contents>
1. Chura Island Air Festa Schedule
2. There are lots of delicious-looking food stalls.
3. Get close to a fighter jet
4. The hangar is the most festive place.
5. Conclusion

1. Chura Island Air Festa Schedule

Let's start with the 2017 schedule. Since 2016, it has been held over two days, and this year the first day was from 9:50 to 19:00 and the second day was from 9:50 to 16:00.

*Click to enlarge

There will be fighter jet flight shows on both days, but the lottery for night flights, projection mapping, and transport helicopter rides is only open on the first day.
The Blue Impulse, overwhelmingly popular among aviation enthusiasts, did not perform a formation flight.

A floor plan of the venue.

*Click to enlarge

The nearest station to Naha Air Base is Akamine Station on the Yui Rail. From the station, it's about a 5-minute walk up the hill beside the base to the entrance (main gate).
For those traveling by car, designated parking areas were Chura SUN Beach or Naha Military Port West, and a free shuttle bus ran to Naha Air Base.

2. A variety of Okinawan street food awaits you.

After going through a baggage check at the main gate tent, we headed to Naha Air Base.
People are walking in a single file along the sidewalk towards the main venue. The main venue is quite a distance (about 1 kilometer?) from the entrance (main gate), so it's quiet right after you enter.

After walking for about 10 minutes, we finally reached the lively atmosphere of the festival. Starting with the food stall area, we could see the Jinbei Jet in the distance! The runway of Naha Airport was right there.

The food stalls offered a mix of classic street food like yakisoba and takoyaki, as well as Okinawan specialties such as curly fries and brown sugar agarasa.

I've never seen chicken over rice anywhere else. The dollar sign is also typical of Okinawa.

Even in December, it can get hot when the sun is out, so the shaded areas created by trees and buildings are full of people looking to grab a bite to eat.

3. Get close to a fighter jet

After passing the food stall area, you'll see a row of fighter jets in a wide open space adjacent to the runway at Naha Airport.
I can casually stick things on the fighter jet. Snap, snap. I can't believe I can touch it so easily!

A line of people has formed in front of the aircraft, eager to take pictures. While the vast majority are families with children, adults are welcome too.

The most prominent part of the exhibition space faces the runway, and there are adults with professional SLR cameras.

Actually, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force Naha Air Base shares its runway with Naha Airport, so passenger planes take off and land all the time. You can hear the sound of camera shutters clicking as passenger planes appear one after another.

A fancy runway tour vehicle passes by in front of these serious airplane enthusiasts. It seems the adults are enjoying every single tour vehicle more.

4. The hangar is the most festive place.

Having seen all the fighter jets and food stalls, next up is the hangar. Inside the hangar, in addition to stage performances, there are rows of stalls selling airplane-related items.
In addition to goods such as patches and towels, we also make used clothing and dog tags.

The cosplay zone was particularly popular. In addition to the Japan Self-Defense Forces, companies such as ANA and JAL also had booths, offering costumes of flight attendants, pilots, mechanics, and more.
You can also take photos with the whole family.

Churaumi Aquarium also had a small exhibit, and young children were happily looking through the viewing boxes.

And on stage, there was a singing show accompanied by live music from a band.
The hangar itself is a place you rarely get to enter, but the raw sounds echoing in the spacious hangar with its high ceiling create an incredible sense of power.

There were also some playful exhibits like this. It was heartwarming to see so many Self-Defense Force personnel spending time with their families.

There was a wide variety of shops, and events were held one after another. The hangar was also incredibly fun.

5. Conclusion

The Chura Island Air Festa offers a variety of fun activities for free, including rides in large vehicles and airplanes, and a stamp rally.
The venue also has nursing rooms and diaper changing spaces, so it's no wonder there are so many families with children.