Yanagimoto Airfield

Military Demobilization. The airfield was a military installation for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It ceased operations with the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II and was subsequently dismantled.

The airfield no longer exists. After the war, the site was completely redeveloped and returned to civilian use. Today, the land is occupied by a mixture of agricultural fields, residential housing, and public facilities. A significant portion of the former airfield grounds is now the Nara Prefecture Health and Sports Center (奈良県健康づくりセンター), also known as Mabuchi Sports Park. A peace monument (平和の碑) has been erected on the site to commemorate the history of the air base and the individuals who served there.

Yanagimoto Airfield, known officially as the Yamato Naval Air Base (大和海軍航空隊基地, Yamato Kaigun Kōkūtai Kichi), was constructed in the late stages of World War II (c. 1943-1945). Its primary purpose was to serve as a training base for the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. Pilots were trained here on aircraft such as the Kyushu K11W 'Shiragiku' (White Chrysanthemum) operational trainer. As the war situation deteriorated for Japan, the base was also designated as a staging point for 'Special Attack' (Kamikaze) units in preparation for the anticipated Allied invasion of the Japanese mainland (Operation Downfall). However, the war ended in August 1945 before the base could be used extensively for these attack missions. Its construction, like many late-war projects, heavily relied on mobilized labor, including local students.

None. The site has been fully integrated into the urban and agricultural landscape of Tenri City. The land is occupied by critical public infrastructure, private homes, and farms, making any prospect of reopening it as an airfield entirely infeasible.