Uzurano Airfield

Military Decommissioning. The airfield was an Imperial Japanese Navy base that ceased all operations following the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II. It was subsequently disarmed and decommissioned as part of the post-war demilitarization of the country.

The former airfield site is now preserved as a significant historical park and open-air museum managed by Kasai City. It is a designated 'War Heritage Site' (戦争遺跡) focused on peace education. Key features include:

- **Preserved Runway:** A large section of the original 2.8-meter-thick concrete runway is preserved and accessible to the public.
- **Wartime Ruins:** Numerous original structures remain, including the ruins of the command headquarters bunker, air-raid shelters, ammunition depots, and fighter emplacements, which visitors can explore.
- **Sora no Eki Uzurano Museum:** A visitor center and museum on the site displays historical artifacts, photographs, and information about the airfield's history.
- **Shiden-Kai Replica:** A full-scale, detailed replica of the Shiden-Kai fighter aircraft is the centerpiece of the museum, honoring the aircraft tested at the site.

The surrounding land that was once part of the airfield has largely returned to agricultural use, primarily rice paddies and fields.

Uzurano Airfield was a significant Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) base during the Pacific War. Constructed between 1942 and 1943, it served two primary functions:

1. **Pilot Training Center:** It was one of the largest and most important training centers for naval aviators, training pilots for various aircraft, including carrier-based bombers and fighters. Towards the end of the war, it became a key base for training pilots for 'Tokkōtai' (Special Attack Units), commonly known as Kamikaze missions. The 'Hakuro-tai' (白鷺隊) Kamikaze unit was formed and launched from this airfield.

2. **Aircraft Assembly and Testing:** The airfield was strategically located near the Kawanishi Aircraft Company's factories. It served as the final assembly and test flight facility for one of Japan's most advanced late-war fighters, the Kawanishi N1K-J 'Shiden' and its improved variant, the N1K2-J 'Shiden-Kai' (Allied reporting name: 'George'). Many of these elite fighters, which equipped famous units like the 343rd Air Group (Tsurugi Butai), had their maiden flights from Uzurano's runway. The base was targeted and bombed by US forces in 1945 due to its strategic importance.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening Uzurano Airfield as a functional airport for aviation. The focus is exclusively on its preservation and development as a historical, educational, and tourism site. Kasai City continues to invest in the site to enhance its role as a 'Peace Museum' to teach future generations about the history of the war.