Yamagata Airport

山形空港
Summary
Airport typeMilitary/Public
ServesYamagata
LocationHigashine, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
Elevation AMSL345 ft / 105 m
Coordinates38°24′43″N 140°22′16″E / 38.41194°N 140.37111°E / 38.41194; 140.37111
Map
RJSC is located in Yamagata Prefecture
RJSC
RJSC
Location in Japan
RJSC is located in Japan
RJSC
RJSC
RJSC (Japan)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
01/19 2,000 6,562 Asphalt concrete
Statistics (2015)
Passengers223,111
Cargo (metric tonnes)0
Aircraft movement6,858

Yamagata Airport (山形空港, Yamagata Kūkō) (IATA: GAJ, ICAO: RJSC ) is a 2nd-class airport in Higashine, Yamagata, Japan. The airport is 23 kilometres (14 mi) north of the city of Yamagata.[2]

History

Kamiyama Training Airfield was opened by the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II. It was briefly used by the United States military after the war and then by the Japanese Self-Defense Force as a training facility.[3]

In June 1964, it was turned over to civilian control as “Jinmachi Airport” (神町空港), a third-class regional airport. It was renamed Yamagata Airport in 1965. A helicopter detachment from the JGSDF 6th Division has been based at the airport since 1969. The runway was extended to 1500 meters in 1972, and the airport was re-designated as Class-II in 1979. The runway was further extended to 2000 meters in 1981 and a new terminal building completed in 1984.[4]

Regularly scheduled services began in 1964, with All Nippon Airways operating Fokker F.27 service to Tokyo (Haneda). The service was upgraded to YS-11s in 1972 and to Boeing 737s in 1976.

By 1985 ANA offered five daily flights to Haneda, one of which was operated by a widebody Boeing 767. Japan Air System began service to Osaka (Itami) and Sapporo in 1979. International charter service commenced in 1981, and the airport hosted long-haul charters to countries such as Finland, Hungary, New Zealand and Mexico.[3]

The number of passengers using the airport peaked in 1991 and declined precipitously, particularly on the Tokyo route, due to the completion of the Yamagata Shinkansen in 1992. The Tokyo route saw 470,618 passengers in 1991 but was down to 43,447 passengers in 2002. All Nippon Airways suspended the Tokyo service and withdrew from the airport in 2002, with JAS resuming the route as a single daily MD-87 service in 2003. JAS also operated an Osaka (Kansai) service from 1995 to 2002, and a Fukuoka service from 2006 to 2008, while Nakanihon Airlines operated a summer seasonal Hakodate service from 1998 to 2001.

As of November 2023, the airport is served by JAL and FDA using an Embraer 170, Embraer 190 and Boeing 737 to Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo and Nagoya.[3]

During the aftermath of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, American troops used Yamagata Airport as a base for transporting fuel and materials to the disaster areas (part of Operation Tomodachi). According to the Ministry of Defense, this was the first time that the U.S. military had used a private airport in Japan for anything other than emergency landings.[5]

Terminal

The airport has a two-story terminal with two boarding gates and a rooftop observation deck.

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
Fuji Dream Airlines Nagoya–Komaki, Sapporo–Chitose
J-Air Osaka–Itami
Japan Airlines Tokyo–Haneda

Ground transportation

The airport has bus service to Yamagata Station timed to coincide with flight schedules to and from Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya.[6]

Sakurambo-Higashine Station is seven minutes by car but is not connected to the airport by scheduled transportation.

Buses

Name Via Destination Company Note
Yamagata Airport Bus Yamagata Prefecture Hall・Yamagata Minami Kōkō・Tōkamachi-kado Yamagata Station Yamakō Hire You are able to ride with this bus route at a flat rate of 980 yen(adult). And you don't have to reserve the seat.

Shared Taxi

Name Via Destination Company Note
Yamagata Airport Liner Non stop Higashine Station(Higashine) Higashine Transportation・Kamimachi Taxi When you would like use the services, you have to reserve the taxi by telephone.[7]
Tendō Station(Tendō, Yamagata) Tendō Taxi・Yamakō Hire
Murayama Station(Murayama, Yamagata) Tateoka Transportation・Murayama Taxi
Sagae Station(Sagae) Chūō Taxi・Sagae Taxi
Kamimachi Station(Kahoku, Yamagata) Hayama Taxi
おいしい山形空港観光貸し切りタクシー-Oishĩ Yamagata Airport Sightseeing Charterd Taxi[8] Tsuruoka Station(Tsuruoka City) Shōkō Travel
おいしい山形空港観光ライナー - Oishĩ Yamagata Airport Sightseeing Liner[9] Obanazawa Ginzan Onsen Hanagasa Bus The services are more expensive than the おいしい山形空港観光バス - Oishĩ Yamagata Airport Sightseeing Bus
Zao Liner[10] Zaō Onsen Tendō Taxi
Hijiori Onsen Sightseeing Liner[11] Hijiori Onsen Hanagasa Bus
Gassan Liner[12] Gassan Gassan Asahi Tourism Association

Sightseeing bus

Name Via Destination Company Note
おいしい山形空港観光バス-Oishĩ Yamagata Airport Sightseeing Bus Ōishida Station・Obanazawa Ginzan Onsen Hanagasa Bus The bus route is timed to coincide with the fight goes/comes to/from many Airports．The services are only 3．

References

  1. ↑ "Yamagata Airport" (PDF). Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  2. ↑ Dodd, Jan et al. (2001). The Rough Guide to Japan, p. 252., p. 252, at Google Books
  3. 1 2 3 "２０１４ 山形空港概要" (PDF). 山形県山形空港事務所. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "山形空港の概要". Yamagata Prefectural Government. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  5. ↑ "Japan-U.S. relief efforts expanding," The Daily Yomiuri (Japan). March 20, 2011; retrieved 29 March 2011.
  6. ↑ "Airport Shuttle". Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  7. ↑ "reservation shared taxi". Bureau of Transportation in Yamagata. Yamagata Prefecture. Retrieved 2014-03-14.
  8. ↑ connect the fight which goes/comes to/from Sapporo (FDA)"access to Yamagata Airport" (PNG). 山形空港. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
  9. ↑ You have to reserve the cars by before 5 p.m.
  10. ↑ You have to reserve the cars by before and before 5 p.m.
  11. ↑ You have to reserve the cars by before and before 5 p.m.
  12. ↑ You have to reserve the cars by before and before 5 p.m.
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