Ibaraki Airport (茨城空港, Ibaraki Kūkō) (IBR/RJAH) is an airport in the city of Omitama, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. It also serves as air base for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) under the name Hyakuri Air Base. It is the closest fighter base to Tokyo. The airport is located about 85 km (53 mi) north of Tokyo, and is intended to serve as a low-cost alternative to Tokyo’s larger Narita and Haneda airports. Built as a result of large public investment, the airport has been criticized as being a symbol of wasteful government spending and as being unnecessary, opening with only one flight per day. As of 2017 all of the remaining (R)F4s of the JASDF are operated from Hyakuri. As of today there are only a handful F-4s and RF4s left, the RF-4s are to be phased out soon, the normal F4s of 301SQN should care on some time. Since the end of 2019 there are a F-2s based here as well.

Apart from military flights, the airport also experiences civil usage as several services flown by regional Asian Airlines a day create a bit variety. Most routes are flown by Skymark Airlines within Japan, but also Spring Airlines is a regular guest here as well as sometimes FDA and Bamboo Airways. However, this all just brought Ibaraki airport a bit more than 500.000 passenger last year. The civil usage was just started back in March 2010 after huge investments and is slowly growing.

Written by Jérôme Bonniel & Wout Goossens. Last Update: November 2019

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
03R/21L	2.700m / 8.858ft – Concrete: dark
03L/21R	2.700m / 8.858ft – Concrete: light
Terminals
Passenger terminal	Located in the southwest of the airfield serving all civil flights.
Military terminal	Located in the northwest of the airfield serving all military flights.
Spotting Information
Ladder	At spot 2 yes with a minimum of 3 steps. Spot 1 and 3 no need.
Car/Public Transport	Car is needed, Public transport is possible but really not recommendable. There is an airport bus from Tokyo station that runs from early morning to late evening, and car rental is available at Hyakuri.
Restrooms	Restrooms are in the airport terminal or basic loo at spot 1.
Drinks/Food	Only at the airport.
Hotels	Hotel ‘The Green Life’ about 6k away from the base; no hotel directly there offering “spotterviews”.
Season	During summer heat haze is a huge issue, I went in November and still then there was some haze. I would recommend October-March period.
Security	We just want to remind you that you are spotting at an airbase! To be safe, always carry an ID with you although there were never any problems with spotters at this airfield. But also please take care and don’t plant too high ladders directly at the fence for a long time. As mentioned, be aware that this airport is used as military base therefore it is highly recommended to keep a low profile although our hobby is familiar to most people here!
Runway Usage
03L/21R	This is the western runway: it s paved with black asphalt and is only used by civil aircraft.
03R / 21L	This is the eastern runway: it is used by military aircraft operating out of Hyakuri airbase.

	Spot #1 – The Peace Towers
WHERE	This spot is situated on a private owned piece of land inside the base perimeter. You can access the spot via the gate marked on the map from the east. To get here, take the street marked on the map south of the base and drive till the towers where you can park, so easiest way to reach this spot is by car. Once you have passed the gate and came almost to the end, you can choose between two towers: one in the north-east and one in the south-west with 50 meter between them. As mentioned, you have to enter this spot via this gate!
WHAT	From this spot you can photograph aircraft on both the Mil / Civ runways aswell as the mil TWY and ramp.
TIME	From 0800-1200.
MISC.	To get access to the park you have to do the following things: 1. Write an email to hyakurip@gmail.com at least three days before your visit 2. Mention your name an address in the application 3. Pay the entrance fee of 1500 Yen at the entranceOf course you can try to enter the park withouth the application but there is no gurantee for access. Normally the manager arrives around 0800LT but this may differ from day to day.As you enter the peace park you will see a shrine and some monuments, please behave appropriate! Bring food and drinks with you as there is nothing nearby, there are a few basic field loo’s available. No ladder needed as you have 2 towers to stand on but there are some ladders provided as well.
FOCAL LENGTH	25-300 totally depending on what/where you want to shoot: B738 runway = 150mm / Fighter taxiway = 45mm

RJAH-SPOT1

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To get to spot #1, keep on moving on this way and pass this gate mentioned above. Shortly afterwards you’ll then end up at the spot.

Overview spot:

	Spot #2 – Holding Point rwy03
WHERE	The spot is at the end of a little road running, which is a bit hard to follow as it is bumby and the surface changes at some points. Enter the small street (marked on the map), which can be found between the terminal’s parking and a little pond. Follow this street for several hundred meters till it seems to end up at the fence directly. But then at the end turn right and drive towards the south parallel to the RWYs. After a while you can stop wherever you want as you can take pictures from all along the fence.
WHAT	Departures and line-ups on rwy 03L and 03R as well as Arrivals on these runways.
TIME	From 1300 to sunset.
MISC.	Nothing nearby, so bring with you what you need. Heat haze can be an issue during hot days. Shot through fence so we recommend you to bring a ladder at this spot with a minimum of 3 steps.
FOCAL LENGTH	18-300mm Helicopter & Fighter = ~220mm / ~18-30mm for civil aircraft on 03L

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Drive up to the fence from the west and then turn right as marked and keep moving between the fences till you get to the spot in the south – source: Google

Overview spot:

	Spot #3 – The Panthoms Hill
WHERE	From spot 2, drive back on the dirty path along the airport fences. You will notice the airport car park already on your right while exiting the dirty round. You will reach a crossroad and take on your left until you reach the main road 360 take on your right until you reach a crossroad from which you have to take again on your right direction Airport. Follow the road until you notice the Ibaraki Airport Park a parking place will be just near there.
WHAT	Arrivals rwys03 or departures rwy21L. Heat haze can be an issue during hot days. There are two F-4 on display, JA-37-8319 and JA-87-6412.
TIME	From 1300 to sunset.
MISC.	Everything you need is at 10 minutes walk to the terminal.
FOCAL LENGTH	300-500mm

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	Spot #4 – Terminal Observation Deck
WHERE	From spot 3 you can simply walk towards the terminal. While you are instead please follow the signs Observation deck. If you don’t come from spot 3, we recommend you to simply drive to the airport and follow the signs. Park you car at the airport car park and walk instead the terminal to find the observation deck.
WHAT	Arrivals rwys03 or departures rwys21. Heat haze can be an issue during hot days.
TIME	Open from 0630 to 2100 however we recommend you to come from 1200 to 2100 as before you are backlight.
MISC.	Everything you need is at 5 minutes walk to the terminal.
FOCAL LENGTH	300-500mm

++We do not have any sample pictures however if you do please email us, thank you++

	Spot #5 – Fieldpath – Arrivals on RWY 03R/L
WHERE	You can either access this spot from mainroad 360 from the west directly or from the south, if you turn off the terminal driveway. Both ways (both marked on the map) lead you on unnamed farmer tracks to this part of the fence north of the terminal, just where the path ends up directly at the fence. You can park your car directly there by the position.
WHAT	Most runway movements as long as they haven’t vacated or rotated there, but best for arrivals and departures on rwy 03L and 03R. Be aware, at this point aircraft will have touched down and drag chute deployed.
TIME	Late afternoon – sunset.
MISC.	A small ladder is needed. Terminal building is the closest facility, probably a store and restroom inside – nothing else here.
FOCAL LENGTH	18mm for civil aircraft on 03L /// at least 300mm for UH-60 and 250-300mm for an F4 on 03R

++We do not have any sample pictures however if you do please email us, thank you++

	Spot #6 – The Field
WHERE	At the junction of main-road 360 with a big storage hall at the northwestern corner, turn off to the east and follow this street till the end as it leads you to the parking of spot #4. From there you can search your favourite position along the fence.
WHAT	A ladder is recommended in order to have prop shots of arrivals and departures on rwy 03L/21R and 03R/21L as well as view onto the military apron.
TIME	From 1300 until sunset.
MISC.	A small ladder is needed. Nothing around here, terminal is supposed to be the closest facility apart from a jelly shop nearby.
FOCAL LENGTH	18-400mm Fighter on the other side = ~330mm / ~18-30mm for civil aircraft on 03L

Spot itself looks like THIS and pictures taken from there like the example below:

IBR-Spot 6

IBR-Spot 6

IBR-Spot 6

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	Spot #7 – Crash Gate
WHERE	Once driving from the terminal northbound on 360 main road, you have to keep to the right/north-east where te main road actually makes a little curve to the west. Follow the unnamed street till its end and it will lead you to a crash gate in the fence, where you can leave your car and take pictures from.
WHAT	A ladder is recommended in order to have prop shots of line-ups / arrivals RWY 21R and 21L.
TIME	From 1300 until sunset.
MISC.	Some supermarkets within 10′ driving radius. Ladder may be useful, but not needed.
FOCAL LENGTH	75-300mm

++We do not have any sample pictures however if you do please email us, thank you++