Kashima Airfield

The airfield was a base for the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (Kashima Naval Air Group). It was closed and decommissioned following the surrender of Japan and the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces at the end of World War II.

The site of the former airfield has been extensively redeveloped. The majority of the land is now occupied by the Japan Racing Association (JRA) Miho Training Center, one of the two main training facilities for thoroughbred racehorses in Japan, which opened in 1978. This large complex includes multiple training tracks, stables, and veterinary facilities. Some historical remnants of the naval base, including a memorial monument, original gateposts, and building foundations, still exist on or near the site, preserving its military heritage.

Established on April 1, 1938, Kashima Airfield was the base for the Kashima Naval Air Group of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Its primary role was as a major training center for seaplane crews, utilizing the adjacent Lake Kasumigaura for water landings and takeoffs. It trained pilots and observers for reconnaissance and patrol seaplanes, such as the Mitsubishi F1M 'Pete' and Aichi E13A 'Jake', which were crucial for the Japanese fleet's operations during the Pacific War. As a key training facility, thousands of naval aviators passed through its gates. Towards the end of the war, it was also involved in homeland defense preparations.

None. The site has been fully and permanently repurposed as a large-scale, critical infrastructure for the Japanese horse racing industry for several decades, making any prospect of reopening as an airport nonexistent.