Ochi, JP 🇯🇵 Closed Airport
ICAO
JP-1280
IATA
-
Elevation
- ft
Region
JP-39
Local Time
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 33.539722° N, 133.250556° E
Continent: Asia
Type: Closed Airport
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| Designation | Length | Width | Surface | Status |
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October 2004
The gliderport, situated on the Niyodo River floodplain, was catastrophically damaged by severe flooding caused by Typhoon Namtheun (known in Japan as Typhoon No. 21) in October 2004. The destruction of the runway and facilities made the site inoperable. The primary operator, the Kochi University Aviation Club, found it economically unfeasible to rebuild and subsequently relocated their entire operation to Okegawa Airfield (RJTO) in Saitama Prefecture.
The site is no longer an airport and has reverted to its natural state as a riverbed (kasenshiki) within the Niyodo River floodplain. The long, straight outline of the former runway is still visible on satellite imagery as an open, grassy area. The land is now managed by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism primarily for flood control purposes and is also used by the public for informal recreation. All aviation-related infrastructure has been removed.
From the 1970s until its closure, Imanari Gliderport was the home base for the Kochi University Aviation Club (高知大学航空部). It was the central hub for glider pilot training and general aviation activity in the Kōchi region for several decades. Operations consisted mainly of winch-launched glider flights for university students and club members, making it an important local institution for fostering aviation skills.
There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Imanari Gliderport. The original operating club is permanently established elsewhere, and the land's official designation for flood control and public use makes the re-establishment of an aviation facility highly unlikely.