Toyohara Airfield

The primary reason for closure was its replacement by a new, larger, and more modern facility—the current Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport (Khhomutovo, ICAO: UHSS). The original Toyohara Airfield had a relatively short, unpaved runway that was unsuitable for the new generation of larger and heavier Soviet turboprop and jet airliners (like the Il-18) entering service in the 1960s. Furthermore, its location within the expanding city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk prevented any significant expansion or modernization.

The site is completely abandoned as an aviation facility. Satellite imagery shows the faint outline of a former runway, which is now heavily deteriorated, overgrown with grass, and crisscrossed by dirt tracks. The area is a mix of open fields, light industrial zones, numerous private car garages, and container storage lots. It is known by locals as the 'Stary Aerodrom' (Старый аэродром - Old Airfield) and is sometimes used by residents for learning to drive or walking dogs. All aviation infrastructure is either removed or in a state of advanced decay.

The airfield has a significant two-part history:

1. **Japanese Period (c. 1930s - 1945):** Originally built by Japan, it was known as Toyohara Airfield (豊原飛行場). It served as the main airport for Toyohara, the capital city of the Japanese Karafuto Prefecture. The airfield handled both civilian traffic and was a strategic base for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service. It played a role during World War II, particularly during the Soviet invasion of South Sakhalin in August 1945.

2. **Soviet Period (1945 - c. 1990s):** After the Soviet Union took control of the territory, the airfield was renamed and became known locally as Bolshaya Elan (Большая Елань) or simply the 'old airfield'. It served as the primary airport for the newly named city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, handling passenger and cargo flights with propeller aircraft such as the Lisunov Li-2, Ilyushin Il-12, and Ilyushin Il-14. After major civilian operations moved to the new airport in the mid-1960s, the site was retained by the Soviet military (Air Force and PVO) and DOSAAF (a state-sponsored paramilitary sports society) for helicopter operations, transport, and flight training.

None. There are no plans or prospects for reopening the airfield. Its location is now well within the urban fabric of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, and the land is far more valuable for potential urban redevelopment. The city is served by the large, modern, and fully operational Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk International Airport (UHSS), making a second, smaller airfield redundant.