Kanazawa Airfield

The airport was closed and its functions were relocated due to significant operational limitations. The primary reasons for closure were:
1. **Inadequate Runway:** The runway was only 1,200 meters long and could not be extended due to the surrounding urban development. This length was insufficient for the larger jet aircraft (like the Boeing 737) that were becoming the standard for domestic travel.
2. **Urban Encroachment:** As the city of Kanazawa grew, the airport became surrounded by residential and commercial areas, leading to noise pollution complaints and posing safety risks.
3. **Relocation to a Superior Facility:** Operations were transferred to the nearby Komatsu Air Base (now Komatsu Airport - KMQ/RJNK), which had a much longer runway (initially 2,700 meters) capable of handling large jets and international flights. This move allowed for a significant upgrade in air service for the entire region.

The former airport site has been completely redeveloped and is now unrecognizable as an airfield. It has been transformed into a bustling commercial and residential district known as **Morinosato (杜の里)**. The area is now home to large shopping centers (such as the Apita Kanazawa department store), numerous restaurants, retail stores, schools, and dense residential housing. A small monument commemorating the former airport stands in the district to preserve its memory. The ICAO code 'JP-2094' is a non-standard, unofficial identifier used in some third-party databases to catalog closed airfields; it was not the airport's official ICAO code during its operational years.

Kanazawa Airfield has a history that spans both military and civil aviation.
- **Military Origins:** It was originally established in 1937 as the Kanazawa Army Airfield (金沢陸軍飛行場) for the Imperial Japanese Army.
- **Post-War Transition:** After World War II, it was briefly managed by the Allied occupation forces before being returned to Japanese control.
- **Civil Aviation Hub:** In 1960, it was officially designated as a third-class airport and opened for civilian use. Scheduled passenger services began in 1962, with All Nippon Airways (ANA) operating flights to major hubs like Tokyo (Haneda) and Osaka (Itami). Due to its short runway, it primarily handled turboprop aircraft, most notably the Fokker F27 Friendship and the domestically produced NAMC YS-11. For over a decade, it was the primary air gateway to Kanazawa and the Ishikawa Prefecture.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening Kanazawa Airfield. The land has been fully and permanently redeveloped into a high-value urban area. The region's aviation needs are comprehensively met by the modern and far more capable Komatsu Airport, making the revival of the old city airport both impossible and unnecessary.