Ebetsu Airfield

The airfield was closed primarily due to economic and demographic reasons. The operating body, the Hokkaido Aero Sports Association (北海道航空協会), faced significant and prolonged financial difficulties. This was compounded by challenges related to its aging membership, which made sustaining the volunteer-based operations of the airfield untenable. Faced with these pressures, the association made the decision to cease operations and sell the land.

The former airfield site has been completely redeveloped. Following its closure, the land was sold and converted into a large-scale solar power plant. The facility is now the 'SoftBank Ebetsu Solar Park' (ソフトバンク江別ソーラーパーク), which began commercial operations in October 2015. The solar panels now cover the entire area of the former runway and associated grounds, completely erasing any visible remnants of the airfield.

Opened in 1977, Ebetsu Airfield was a private, non-public airfield (known in Japan as a 場外離着陸場, or 'off-field landing/takeoff site'). It was a key center for general aviation and recreational flying in the greater Sapporo area. The airfield featured a single unpaved runway, approximately 800 meters long and 50 meters wide, with a 02/20 orientation. It primarily served light aircraft and gliders, hosting activities for the Hokkaido Aero Sports Association and other private pilots. For over 30 years, it was a vital community hub for aviation enthusiasts, supporting flight training and aero sports in a region with few such dedicated facilities.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening Ebetsu Airfield. The land has been permanently and fundamentally repurposed for industrial-scale renewable energy generation. The existence of the large, operational solar park makes any return to aviation use practically and economically impossible.