Japan South – Chūgoku & Shikoku

The Chūgoku region, the westernmost part of Honshū in Japan, means "middle country," though its origin is uncertain. Historically, provinces were classified by power and distance from Kansai as "near," "middle," or "far" countries. One theory suggests Chūgoku once referred to the "middle countries" west of the capital, but only a few included provinces fit this classification. Another explanation is that the term described provinces between Kansai and Kyūshū, serving as a key link between Japan and mainland Asia.

Shikoku is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan. It has a population of 3.8 million, the least populated of Japan's four main islands.  Mountains running east and west divide Shikoku into a narrow northern subregion, fronting on the Seto Inland Sea, and a southern part facing the Pacific Ocean. Shikoku has historically been quite isolated and therefore it has kept the original characteristics of Japan for a longer period, especially in regards to vegetation and some architectural techniques. There are many Buddhist temples.

Flightplan HERE

 

Kitakyushu, in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, is the region’s second-largest city with about 940,978 residents as of June 2019. Established in 1963 from several merged municipalities around Kokura, it sits at northern Kyushu, opposite Shimonoseki across the Kanmon Straits. The two cities are linked by the Kanmon Bridge and multiple tunnels. Kitakyushu comprises seven wards and is one of three designated cities in Kyushu.

Shimonoseki, once part of Nagato Province, has long been a strategic gateway to Honshu from Kyushu, China, and Korea. Noted in the Nihon Shoki as a Kofun period imperial site and first called "Shimonoseki" in Heian documents (869 AD), it served as a checkpoint for access to the Seto Inland Sea. German explorer Engelbert Kaempfer described it as a major port in 1691. Events like the Bombardment of Shimonoseki (1864) and the Treaty of Shimonoseki (1895) marked its significance. In 1899, Shimonoseki became an open port for Western trade.

Ozuki Air Field is a military aerodrome of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Ozuki Air Base.  On September 28 2009, Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force YS-11M-A serial number 9044 overran the runway upon landing and was substantially damaged.

Yamaguchi City is located almost in the center of Yamaguchi Prefecture. The city area, which is the largest in the prefecture, is long from north to south, facing the Seto Inland Sea (Yamaguchi Bay) at the south end, and bordering Shimane Prefecture at the north end. The Fushino River runs through the center of the Yamaguchi Basin from north to south, and urban areas are formed on both sides of the river.

Masuda, located on Honshu's western edge between the Sea of Japan and the Chugoku Mountains, borders Yamaguchi and Hiroshima Prefectures. It is the largest municipality in Shimane Prefecture, with its urban area situated on a narrow floodplain between the Takatsu and Masuda Rivers. Iwami Airport opened in 1993, initially facing low passenger demand despite subsidies and reduced fees. Passenger numbers increased in 2013 after Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni began offering flights, enabling tour packages that connect regional attractions via both airports.

Hiroshima, established as a castle town on the Ōta River delta in 1589, became a city and industrial center after the 1868 Meiji Restoration. It gained official city status in 1889 and served as a key military base during the imperial era, including major wars such as the First Sino-Japanese War, Russo-Japanese War, and both world wars.  On August 6, 1945, Hiroshima became the first city targeted by a nuclear weapon when the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb "Little Boy." The blast destroyed much of the city, causing between 90,000 and 166,000 deaths by year's end. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial now commemorates this event.

The Tatara Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge on the Shimanami Kaidō, connects Honshū and Shikoku over the Seto Inland Sea in Japan.  Initially planned as a suspension bridge in 1973, its design switched to cable-stayed in 1989 to reduce environmental impact. The steel Y-shaped towers stand 220 meters tall, with side spans measuring 164.5 and 257.5 meters.

Matsuyama is located in central Ehime Prefecture, facing the Seto Inland Sea to the north, the mountains of the Takanawa Peninsula to the north and east, and the Saragamine Mountain Range, an extension of the Shikoku Mountains, to the south.   Matsuyama Airport (RJOM) was built on the coastline facing the Seto Inland Sea. The airport opened as an Imperial Japanese Navy airfield in 1941. At the end of the war it served as the base for the 353th Fighter Squadron which defended against B-29s' raid.  During the Korean War, the airport was used by the US and British Military. It was the first airport in Shikoku to see jet service following a runway extension project in 1972.

Mount Ishizuchi is the highest peak on Shikoku and west of Mount Haku, earning it the nickname "the roof of Shikoku." Its sharp summit resembles a stone hammer. The mountain is significant in local worship, serving as a major Shugendō centre, and features the Ishizuchi Shrine at its peak. It is also one of the Seven Holy Mountains.

Kōchi is located on the southern coast of Kōchi Prefecture, facing the Pacific Ocean to the south. The city area can be divided into three distinct geographic sections. The urban centre lies at the head of Urado Bay, in a narrow alluvial plain crossed by several rivers, notably the Kagami River and Kokubu River. The plain is bounded by mountains to the north and a range of hills to the south and west.

 

Our Kyushu tour will stop at the following airports.

•        RJFR – Kitakyushu (Asobo Enhanced)
•        RJOZ - Ozuki Aero
•        RJOF - Hofu Aero
•        RJOW - Iwami
•        RJOA - Hiroshima   &   RJOA Hiroshima Airport Enhanced - 2024 Corrections
•        RJOM - Matsuyama
•        RJOK - Kochi

The route is 425nm and an aircraft capable of 200+ knots will be needed.

Once again, I plan to fly the World Update 20 Japan Local Legend NAMC YS-11 in the All Nippon Airways (Mohican) livery.  I have included a camera.cfg with custom cabin wing and engine views for the YS-11.  The default Saab 340 would be a comparable commercial transport option.  As always you are free to fly what you like.

Recommend Departure time of 3:00 PM

Particulars:

·       Date and time: Wednesday Dec 10, 18:00 UTC    

·       RTWR Multiplayer Discord Channel

·       MFS Multiplayer: US Eastcoast Server

If you want to help others enjoy the multiplayer experience, don't forget to enter your aircraft details on the multiplayer spreadsheet (linked here). Your courtesy will save others a lot of time and effort. Thanks!

 

Excellent inscription of the part of Japan that's my favorite.  

NOTAM:  I have edited the flightplan and updated the dropbox file adding two airports to the tour. 

Eye-candy aficionados might like RJOS-Tokushima and RJOT-Takamatsu by KADO and hosted at Flightsim.to. They get good user ratings. The author certifies these only for FS2020, but users say they work well in FS2024. My quick experimental visits were fine.  Of course, the normal cautions about FS2020 content in FS2024 apply.

Is it just me who gets the Sunday flight with the link for today's flight? In that case, could someone please  mail me the flight plan?

Thank you!