Japan Tour 8 – Ibaraki, Fukushima & Niigata

Japan Tour 8 – Ibaraki, Fukushima & Niigata

The tour of Japan continues with a departure from Tokyo Haneda (RJTT), then heads north to Hyakuri Aero (RJAH).   The route repeatedly crosses Honshu north of Tokyo before finishing in Sendai (RJSS). 

 Flightplan HERE

Scenery Recommendations

•         RJTU -  Utsunomiya
•         RJSF - Fukushima Aerial and Terrain
•         RJFH - Fukushima-shi
•         RJSN - Niigata Airport
•         RJSN - Niigata Enhancement
•          RJSY - Shonai
•         RJSC - Yamagata
•         RJSC - Yamagata DEM
•         RJSS - Sendai

Ibaraki Airport, also known as Hyakuri Air Base, is a key Japan Air Self-Defense Force facility near Tokyo. Originally established by the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1937, it occupies land taken from local farmers. In 1976, a defected Soviet MiG-25 was transported here for inspection before being returned to the Soviet Union.

Utsunomiya, the capital and largest city of Tochigi Prefecture, is less than an hour north of Tokyo by shinkansen and near Nikko’s historic sites. Once rooted in mining, the city is now known for its Oya stone and especially its gyoza dumplings, with many local restaurants offering a variety of fillings like pork, kimchi, and seafood.

The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami was Japan's most powerful recorded earthquake and the world's fourth since 1900. The quake triggered tsunami waves reaching up to 133 ft in Miyako and traveling at 435 mph, reaching 6 miles inland near Sendai. Residents had only eight to ten minutes of warning, and more than a hundred evacuation sites were destroyed. As of 2021, official figures list 19,759 deaths, 6,242 injured, and over 228,000 people displaced or relocated.

The Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant, operated by TEPCO in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, was shut down after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Unlike its nearby sister plant, Daiichi, Daini's four reactors were quickly stabilized. The plant has remained inactive since then, and was officially slated for decommissioning in July 2019.

Engineer Who Saved Nuclear Plant From Meltdown Shares Leadership Lessons | Catholic University

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant was severely damaged by the 9.1 earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011, resulting in radiation leaks and irreparable reactors. The disaster disabled cooling systems, led to ongoing radioactive releases, and prompted a 19-mile evacuation zone around the plant that remains in effect as of February 2025.

Since 1993, Fukushima Airport (RJSF) has been a regional hub and attracts Ultraman fans due to displays and the first Ultraman store in Tōhoku, commemorating creator Eiji Tsuburaya from Sukagawa City.

Sado Island, rich in history, was once an exile destination for political figures who introduced new culture and religion, building shrines and temples resembling Kyoto's. The discovery of gold transformed it into a major mining site, attracting people from across Japan and shaping the island’s distinctive cultural heritage.

Niigata, a historic port city, became a key junction for maritime and river traffic. Named one of five treaty ports in 1858, it began operations in 1869 and remains important for land and water transport today. Rice is essential to Japanese cuisine, providing flavor through sake and mirin. Niigata, with ample land and water from the Shinano river, produces the highly regarded "Koshi Hikari" rice. Fresh harvests are enjoyed at local restaurants in late October, and local breweries like Hakkaisan start their sake batches for the coming year.

Shonai Airport (RJSY) is an airport, located in Sakata and Tsuruoka, which are cities facing the Sea of Japan in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan.

The Dewa Sanzan—Mt. Haguro, Mt. Gassan, and Mt. Yudono—are three sacred Japanese mountains central to Shugendo, a faith blending nature worship and esoteric Buddhism. Each mountain symbolizes a different time: Haguro (the present), Gassan (the past), and Yudono (the future). Edo period people viewed visiting these peaks as a spiritual journey towards rebirth.

Yamagata Airport (RJSC), located 14 miles north of Yamagata city, began as Kamiyama Training Airfield during World War II. It was later used by the U.S. military and then by Japan's Self-Defense Force. Commercial flights started in 1964 with All Nippon Airways to Tokyo, upgraded to YS-11s in 1972. After the 2011 Tohoku disaster, American forces used the airport for transporting supplies—marking the first use of a private Japanese airport by the U.S. military outside of emergency landings.

Sendai Airport (RJSS) is an international airport located in Natori of Miyagi Prefecture, 8.5 mi south-southeast of Sendai, Japan. The airport sustained serious damage in 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

Tsunami, Great East Japan Earthquake, Sendai airport, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan [11 Mar 2011] - YouTube

Recommend Departure time of 2:00 PM

•         Date and time: Saturday Feb 21, 18:00 UTC    
•         RTWR Multiplayer Discord Channel
•         MFS Multiplayer: South East Asia 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!