Ueda Airfield

The airfield was closed due to land redevelopment. The city of Ueda repurposed the government-owned riverbed land to construct a large public sports complex. The decision was made to prioritize community recreational facilities over the continuation of glider operations at the site.

The site of the former airfield has been completely transformed into the Ueda Chikuma Riverfront Sports Garden (上田千曲リバーフロントスポーツガーデン). This large municipal park features multiple baseball diamonds, soccer pitches, softball fields, and other green spaces for public recreation. The long, linear layout of the sports park still follows the footprint of the old runway.

Ueda Airfield, often referred to as Ueda Gliderport, was a non-public airfield (場外離着陸場 - jōgai richakuriku-jō) that served as a crucial center for collegiate aviation and glider sports in Japan. Opened around 1968, it was operated by the Japan Student Aviation Federation. Its approximately 800-meter grass runway along the Chikuma River was renowned for hosting the annual All Japan Student Glider Championship (全日本学生グライダー競技選手権大会). For decades, it was a primary training and competition ground for university aviation clubs, playing a significant role in fostering new generations of pilots and promoting the sport of gliding in the country.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening Ueda Airfield. The land has been permanently and fully redeveloped into a major public sports and recreation facility, making a return to aviation use virtually impossible.