Gold mine of information on Japanese ports

[someotherguy]

https://partners-pamph.jnto.go.jp/simg/pamph/2349.pdf

 

Other topics here: https://www.japan.travel/brochures/eng/index.php?publisher[]=1
 

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

Wow, thank you.  That's great info.  I'm not going to Japan, but it's on my bucket list, so I copied the links to my packing list in case I go sometime in the future.

[Reisdawg]

This is extremely helpful for our July cruise.  Thanks so much!

[JBare]

Very useful, thankyou.

[Teeara]

Wow!  Those links are fantastic.  Thanks for sharing!

[Simon-t]

Fantastic resource thanks! Very useful for planning our cruise in November.

[MJC]

Another thank you for the helpful post!

[loeb]

Thank you for posting, this has so much useful information.

 

[the mice]

Thank you for posting these links.   Not going until March 2026, but have bookmarked these.

[TeanneTX]

Wow great links.  Thank you so much.  I plan to go to Japan next year.  I want to do Celebrity's "Best of Japan" cruise since it goes to Amori and Hakodate.  I was a kid in Japan at Misawa AFB which is near Amori.  I want to go back and see it again.  Not sure if I can get on the AFB or not.  Will probably do the cruise and then take the train up there and spend a few days.  Anyone know if you can get on the Air Force Base at Misawa?

[monkey@cruise]

On 5/19/2024 at 9:53 PM, TeanneTX said:

Wow great links.  Thank you so much.  I plan to go to Japan next year.  I want to do Celebrity's "Best of Japan" cruise since it goes to Amori and Hakodate.  I was a kid in Japan at Misawa AFB which is near Amori.  I want to go back and see it again.  Not sure if I can get on the AFB or not.  Will probably do the cruise and then take the train up there and spend a few days.  Anyone know if you can get on the Air Force Base at Misawa?

JAL has domestic flights between Haneda and Misawa (use Misawa AFB runways), 75 min flight time, fare is compatible with rail. For rail, you must travel from Yokohama to Tokyo station for Aomori shinkansen.

 

[TeanneTX]

On 5/21/2024 at 10:30 AM, monkey@cruise said:

JAL has domestic flights between Haneda and Misawa (use Misawa AFB runways), 75 min flight time, fare is compatible with rail. For rail, you must travel from Yokohama to Tokyo station for Aomori shinkansen.

 

Wow thank you so much.  I had no idea that you could fly there and land on the AFB.  That is incredibly helpful.  Just booked the Best of Japan on Millenial for Oct 2025.  its a long way off but thats ok. 

[Reisdawg]

3 hours ago, TeanneTX said:

Wow thank you so much.  I had no idea that you could fly there and land on the AFB.  That is incredibly helpful.  Just booked the Best of Japan on Millenial for Oct 2025.  its a long way off but thats ok. 

We booked our cruise in November of 2022 and are now 53 days away.  Time goes by fast enough and enjoy researching all the things you can see…. 

[monkey@cruise]

3 hours ago, TeanneTX said:

Wow thank you so much.  I had no idea that you could fly there and land on the AFB.  That is incredibly helpful.  Just booked the Best of Japan on Millenial for Oct 2025.  its a long way off but thats ok. 

Misawa Air Base is the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's only joint air operations base between Japan and the United States. Misawa Air Base Air Festival in early September.

[TeanneTX]

On 5/22/2024 at 8:43 PM, monkey@cruise said:

Misawa Air Base is the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's only joint air operations base between Japan and the United States. Misawa Air Base Air Festival in early September.

Any idea if they let civilians on the base?

[monkey@cruise]

7 hours ago, TeanneTX said:

Any idea if they let civilians on the base?

JASDF currently suspends base tour, don't know US side.

https://www.mod.go.jp/asdf/misawa/top.html

 

[TeanneTX]

On 5/24/2024 at 10:27 PM, monkey@cruise said:

JASDF currently suspends base tour, don't know US side.

https://www.mod.go.jp/asdf/misawa/top.html

 

Thanks for the info.  I was able to send an email to them and see if they allow civilians on the base.

[twruger]

On 5/19/2024 at 7:53 PM, TeanneTX said:

Wow great links.  Thank you so much.  I plan to go to Japan next year.  I want to do Celebrity's "Best of Japan" cruise since it goes to Amori and Hakodate. 

 

We are cruising next week and had Aomori and Hakodate on the itinerary.  About 1-2 months ago, Celebrity changed the itinerary and scrubbed both stops, with new stops in southern Japan instead.  There are several different cruises impacted, and others that were not impacted.  I believe this change only impacted a small number of cruises, and most kept those two ports.  Just a caution that ports can change, and these two stops have both definitely been removed from schedules in July and August 2024. I wouldn't worry about it this far out though, as this may mean nothing for 2025.  I hope you make it as planned!

[TeanneTX]

On 8/1/2024 at 4:03 PM, twruger said:

 

We are cruising next week and had Aomori and Hakodate on the itinerary.  About 1-2 months ago, Celebrity changed the itinerary and scrubbed both stops, with new stops in southern Japan instead.  There are several different cruises impacted, and others that were not impacted.  I believe this change only impacted a small number of cruises, and most kept those two ports.  Just a caution that ports can change, and these two stops have both definitely been removed from schedules in July and August 2024. I wouldn't worry about it this far out though, as this may mean nothing for 2025.  I hope you make it as planned!

Thanks for the heads up on these changes.  I agree it may not affect  our cruise next year but I will keep an eye out.  Thanks again.

Teanne

[Hlitner]

On 5/27/2024 at 12:04 PM, TeanneTX said:

Thanks for the info.  I was able to send an email to them and see if they allow civilians on the base.

Wondering what you would expect to see on the base.  Misawa was my home, from 1968-70, and the best part of those two years was when I went off the base (nearly every day).  In the 60s it was also a joint operation of JASDF and USAF.

 

Hank

[TeanneTX]

On 8/16/2024 at 5:20 PM, Hlitner said:

Wondering what you would expect to see on the base.  Misawa was my home, from 1968-70, and the best part of those two years was when I went off the base (nearly every day).  In the 60s it was also a joint operation of JASDF and USAF.

 

Hank

Good point.  I think the only thing that may still be there from the 60's is Sollars Elem School which is where I went to school.  I'm sure I won't recognize anything else.  My dad worked up on "The Hill" running the Univac computers that were used there.  I'm sad that the "elephant cage" isn't there anymore.  We used to go out to the lake up there for fireworks too.  I lived in off-base housing but I'm sure thats gone too.  Parents belong to the "Aeor-club" out on the flightline but sure thats not there anymore.  I was there the same time you were there-we left in '71.  I have very vivid memories of the big earthquake in '68.  I even still have the japanese magazine with all the pictures from that earthquake and all the damage that was done. 

[Hlitner]

1 minute ago, TeanneTX said:

Good point.  I think the only thing that may still be there from the 60's is Sollars Elem School which is where I went to school.  I'm sure I won't recognize anything else.  My dad worked up on "The Hill" running the Univac computers that were used there.  I'm sad that the "elephant cage" isn't there anymore.  We used to go out to the lake up there for fireworks too.  I lived in off-base housing but I'm sure thats gone too.  Parents belong to the "Aeor-club" out on the flightline but sure thats not there anymore.  I was there the same time you were there-we left in '71.  I have very vivid memories of the big earthquake in '68.  I even still have the Japanese magazine with all the pictures from that earthquake and all the damage that was done. 

Tis a small world since I also worked up on the Hill in the late 60s (Charlie Flight).  I left in March of 70 to go to Da Nang.  That 68-earthquake (May 16) happened the day after I arrived and always thought of it as a welcome jolt :).   I gather the Elephant Cage (AN-FLR-9) was dismantled when the 6921st left the base.  When I look on Google Earth, the most recent satillite photo still shows that Elephant Cage field and the adjacent operations building (where I worked).  We were in Aomore, last year, but I never considered (for a moment) taking the train over to Misawa.  Will be back next Spring, but still have no desire to drag DW to the old base.

 

Hank

[TeanneTX]

On 8/19/2024 at 10:54 AM, Hlitner said:

Tis a small world since I also worked up on the Hill in the late 60s (Charlie Flight).  I left in March of 70 to go to Da Nang.  That 68-earthquake (May 16) happened the day after I arrived and always thought of it as a welcome jolt :).   I gather the Elephant Cage (AN-FLR-9) was dismantled when the 6921st left the base.  When I look on Google Earth, the most recent satillite photo still shows that Elephant Cage field and the adjacent operations building (where I worked).  We were in Aomore, last year, but I never considered (for a moment) taking the train over to Misawa.  Will be back next Spring, but still have no desire to drag DW to the old base.

 

Hank

Wow I wonder if you ever came in contact with my father up on The Hill.  Even though we were civilians my parents hung out with all the Air Force guys.  They were a partying crowd back then and I remember lots of parties at our house.  lol  I remember that there were a bunch of people who spoke Russian who worked up on the Hill.  Yes I know we were spying on the Russians back then-guess that was during the Cold War.  I remember that the KAL 007 shooting in '83 was recorded by the listening station at Misawa.  We were in El Paso by then and my father worked at White Sands Missle Range but he told me that that is where they got the recordings from.  So much intrigue back then.  I'm rethinking the decision to go back to Misawa too.  We recently went to Iceland where my husband was stationed in the 70's on the Navy base and the only thing that was left was the actual runway.  Nothing else was left.  So I may just skip Misawa.  Especially since I can't get anyone to answer my question if they'll let civilians on the base these days.

Teanne