Chikugogawa Emergency Landing Field

Natural Disaster. The landing field was located on the gravel riverbed (kasenjiki) of the Chikugo River. The severe floods of July 2017, which devastated the Asakura region, completely washed away the landing strip, deposited massive amounts of debris, and altered the topography of the riverbed, making it permanently unusable for aviation. Subsequent river engineering and flood control work by authorities has prioritized public safety, precluding its use as an airfield.

The site has completely reverted to a natural riverbed. Satellite imagery shows an uneven, gravelly terrain with no remaining traces of a runway, windsock, hangars, or any other aviation infrastructure. The land is now part of the Chikugo River's natural floodplain, managed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) for flood control purposes.

The Chikugogawa Emergency Landing Field was not a formal airport but a 'Jōgai Richakuriku-jō' (an unofficial, off-field landing and takeoff site). It was also known as the Haki Glider Port (杷木滑空場). Its significance was primarily local, serving as a key hub for recreational and general aviation in the Fukuoka Prefecture. The site was actively used by aviation enthusiasts for ultralight aircraft (ULP) and gliders. Local organizations, like the Asakura Flying Club, used it as a home base for training, leisure flights, and community aviation events.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the airfield. Given the demonstrated high risk of catastrophic flooding and the government's subsequent focus on disaster prevention and mitigation in the region, it is extremely unlikely that permission would be granted to re-establish an airfield in such a vulnerable location. The priority for the site's use is now exclusively flood management and public safety.