Shikishima Glider Training Center

Maebashi, JP 🇯🇵 Closed Airport

ICAO

JP-3386

IATA

-

Elevation

- ft

Region

JP-10

Local Time

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Airport Information

GPS Code: Not available

Local Code: Not available

Location: 36.41316° N, 139.05088° E

Continent: AS

Type: Closed Airport

Terminal Information Not Available
Terminal arrivals and departures are only available for airports with scheduled commercial service and IATA codes.

External Links

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Airport Information

Airport Closure Information

Last updated: Jul 25, 2025
Closure Date

March 31, 2012

Reason for Closure

The closure was primarily due to the redevelopment of the land. The site was chosen for the construction of the Gunma Prefectural Shikishima Park Auxiliary Athletics Stadium. Contributing factors included the aging of the airfield's facilities and a gradual decline in the number of users over the years, which made the facility less viable.

Current Status

The site of the former glider field has been completely redeveloped and is no longer recognizable as an airfield. It is now occupied by the Gunma Prefectural Shikishima Park Auxiliary Athletics Stadium (群馬県立敷島公園補助陸上競技場), a modern sports facility featuring a running track and an artificial turf field. The area is part of the larger Shikishima Park sports complex.

Historical Significance

The Shikishima Glider Training Center, officially known as Maebashi City Shikishima Park Shikishima Glider Field (前橋市敷島公園敷島滑空場), was a significant training center for non-powered flight in Japan's Kanto region. Located on the floodplain of the Tone River, its primary function was to serve as a home base for the aviation and glider clubs of numerous major universities, including Keio University, Chuo University, Hosei University, Gakushuin University, and the University of Tokyo. For decades, it was a crucial site where countless student pilots learned to fly gliders, typically using winch-launch methods. It was an important hub for fostering interest in aviation among young people.

Reopening Prospects

There are no plans or prospects for reopening the glider field. The land has been permanently and irreversibly repurposed for a major public sports facility, making any return to aviation use infeasible. The university clubs that once used the site have since relocated their operations to other active glider fields in the region, such as those in Menuma and Itakura.

Nearby Airports

Gunma University Hospital Helipad
JP-0448
Maebashi, JP
Heliport
~1 km away
Gunma Prefectural Police Headquarters Heliport
JP-2135
Maebashi, JP
Heliport
~3 km away
Gunma Prefectural Government Office Heliport
JP-2134
Maebashi, JP
Heliport
~3 km away
Maebashi Airfield
JP-0446
Takasaki, JP
Closed Airport
~5 km away
North Kanto Cardiology Hospital Heliport
JP-0618
Shibukawa, JP
Heliport
~5 km away
Japan Red Cross Maebashi Hospital Heliport
JP-2136
Maebashi, JP
Heliport
~7 km away
Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.

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