Irifune-cho Seaplane Base

The seaplane base was closed because it was a small, temporary facility that was replaced by the larger, more modern, and permanent Fukuoka First Airfield (also known as Gannosu Airfield). The new airport, which opened in 1936, had superior infrastructure and could handle both landplanes and seaplanes, making the original Irifune-cho base obsolete.

The original site of the seaplane base is now completely redeveloped and unrecognizable. It is located within the modern, bustling Hakata Port. The area is occupied by major maritime and commercial infrastructure, including the Hakata Port International Terminal (serving cruise ships and ferries to South Korea), the Chuo Wharf, the Bayside Place Hakata Futoh commercial complex, and numerous warehouses. The water area where seaplanes once landed is now a busy shipping channel and mooring area for large vessels.

Irifune-cho Seaplane Base was one of Japan's earliest international airfields and served as Fukuoka's primary air gateway from its opening in 1929 until 1936. It was historically significant as the western hub for Japan Air Transport (a predecessor to Japan Airlines), operating Japan's first major domestic air routes to Osaka and pioneering international seaplane routes to mainland Asia, including Shanghai and Dalian. The base primarily handled seaplanes like the Fokker Super Universal and Dornier Wal, playing a crucial role in the dawn of commercial aviation in the Kyushu region. The ICAO code JP-2680 is a modern, unofficial identifier used in some databases to catalog this historical site and was not in use during the airport's operational period.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Irifune-cho Seaplane Base. The site is now a critical part of a major international port and urban center. Re-establishing an aviation facility here is considered infeasible due to the dense maritime traffic, extensive port infrastructure, and conflict with the airspace of the current Fukuoka Airport (FUK).