The abandoned US Air Force (USAF) base in Fuchu is a vine-slathered memento from the early days of Japanese/American war and peace, built shortly after World War II in co-operation with the still-active nearby Japan Self-Defence Force (SDF) Base, and abandoned in the 1980’s. Its huge twin parabolic dishes are still visible from the exterior- though now half-eaten up by the passing decades, rusted red and bobbing like hole-riddled yachts on the sea of green jungle. Its roads swim with weeds and trees shot up through the cracks, and its barracks buildings glisten with waterfalls of rushes and creepers, windows and doors barely peeping through the shadowy gaps.
This was my second time to visit the remnants of the Fuchu airbase- the first time was 4 years ago, days before I first left Japan, along with a fellow teacher very early in the morning. I’d heard about the base from local students- some who’d been inside, others who’d heard of people going in and shooting movies inside and getting ushered out with light warnings by local police.
We left at dawn and walked to the base- through the big park and past the current Japan SDF base. We hopped the fence easily and explored – through the long barracks buildings, to the 2 huge rusted-red satellite dishes, up to their tops, in their control stations, all without any real concern of trespassing or being caught. I took photos with my feeble camera phone, none of which I still have, and I blogged about the voyage in an extremely vague way on my then-blog at Live Journal.
Shortly after that, I got into a brief communication with a retired USAF captain who was stationed with the 5th Air Force in Fuchu from 1961-1966. I asked him for some details on the base, and described to him the gloriously overgrown nature of the base as was. He described to me the wonderful nature of the relations the USAF had with the JSDF, and some of his memories of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. He said there was a new law made called the ‘Cinderella Law’, which meant all military had to be off the streets from midnight to 6am- one supposes to stop them from carousing with the locals. However- since the relationship between the base and the locals was so strong in Fuchu- the law was not enacted there.
I returned this time last weekend, in the middle of the day. I was far more cautious, since my research on the web had shown that the base was not actually fully abandoned- the 2 huge parabolic dishes and all of the barracks were, but one large communications antenna (350 feet tall) was still in active use.
I began by walking the circumference of the base, trying to decide if I was foolhardy enough to enter. I walked around the base maybe 3 times, taking photographs from the outside, checking the integrity of the fences, mulling over the possibilities. I hung out in a park for several hours trying to decide if it was worth it. At stake was possible deportation if caught, if not absconsion to prison or some huge fine. I weighed the pros and cons in my head back and forth for a long time, while watching video podcasts about the coming US election. The next few photos are all taken from the exterior, through the fence.
After waiting for some time with one eye on the base’s fence, I saw a car driving on the interior. Not inside the section for the large antenna, which was re-fenced from the abandoned section, but actually inside the abandoned section. I chased the car from outside but failed to determine where it went, or exited. But that mostly decided it for me. If caught within the bounds of the base- I think the punishment would be severe. Last time I was protected by my ignorance and the fact I was leaving Japan within days. This time I wasn’t ignorant, nor do I have any desire to leave. So I turned tail, and walked away.
However- afterwards I searched the net, made another contact, and managed to get hold of some photos from INSIDE the base from an anonymous source. My source described entry by night, feeling constant tension and fear of being caught, climbing the huge parabolic dishes, and finally exiting in a hazy blur.
FACTFILE
Location – Fuchu, Tokyo
Entry - Non-entry! Interior photos from an anonymous source. Too dangerous to go in.
Highlights – Remembering the time I went in 4 years ago, revisiting my old neighbourhood.
RUINS / HAIKYO
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30-year abandoned US airbase…
Exploration of the 30-year abandoned US Air Base in Fuchu, including shots of the interior, from inside the huge parabole satellite dishes, and the barracks buildings….
I had been searching around on the net and found a lot of sites saying this one was a no go, still you never know till you try, I heard some similiar stories about the big old concrete factory in saitama too
I would be nervous to go in there as well being a former military base with a still active antenna. A little to risky.
Lovely haikyo pics.
Nice pictures, and sort of a shame to see such rundown disused facilities. Reminds me of some stomping around the former Tachikawa Air Base some years ago, which sat fallow for many years as legal disputes over land ownership played out. Fuchu was actually classified as an Air Station back in the US days there, no runway for fixed wing aircraft operations, essentially a headquarters base.
Japanese Eye- True, I might have run the gauntlet and been fine- but I don’t need that stress, especially with the extreme punishment I was imagining. Saitama Cement Factory, right, I want to go there too, you heard it’s guarded?
Tornadoes- Too risky, you said it!
Danny Choo- Thanks.
Pops- You’ve been inside the Tachikawa Base? I went there a few months ago, but got scared off by a security dude being in a shack within the fence well into the night, plus a patrol guy walking the darker recesses of the fencing on the outside. Was there much to see inside? You really can’t see much from the outside.
Hey Mike, Jason said I should ask you if I can join the next time you guys go on a haikyo trip.
So… any chance I can join along?
Fantim- That might be possible sure, though normally I just go alone or with a few close friends. I’m thinking of organizing some larger group outings, or even starting a group so haikyoists can go together and socialize. In the mean-time, if you’d like a map to a starter haikyo to check out solo- I can probably help out with that.
I was very interested to see your site and your pics of Fuchu JSDF base. I was stationed at Yokota AB and I was worked at the Fuchu from 1979-1983. I say JSDF because at that time much of the base had already been abandoned and the US had turned it over to Japanese control. The Japanese maintained a small presence there and a mess hall, and the USAF had two communications sites and a small command center. There was the Autovon site (the enclosed location with the antennae) and a crypto site in the old HQ building just inside the main gate.
It was the customary initiation for new personnel to the Autovon site to climb the MW tower (the tall slender tower ~100M) on their first graveyard shift. It was a bit scary. The platform at the top was about 10′x10′ with a 3′ railing around it. You could feel the tower gently swaying in the breeze. There was also a bit of concern about being up there during a tremor or a surprise visit from the brass as this was a definite no-no.
I, too, did some late night exploration of the abandoned areas. The commander’s quarters must have been quite impressive in its time. I loved doing that, just wondering around those building in the wee hours of the morning thinking of all who had passed through before me. One minute it’s a vital cog in the wheel with important work going on, the next – abandoned, overgrown, and, except for a very few us, forgotten. So it goes.
Ken- Thanks so much for your comment, the Autovahn Tower is it? It definitely towers over the base, must’ve been pretty chilling to climb. I remember when I entered years back and climbed one of the parabolic antennas which are not nearly as high, that was worrying enough.
Commanders quarters- I don’t think I ever visited there, when I went it was very much a pell-mell rush through before it got light out, heart racing at the thought of being caught. I remember concrete corridors with manholes in the middle, left open for unsuspecting non-flashlight-wielding explorers to fall through.
It seems they must still patrol the abandoned interior, and to some extent even maintain the roads- as they are not overgrown the way the buildings are. I wonder why?
I worked at this site from 1980 – 1984. I remember many a bus ride to Fuchu from Yokota. It was interesting to see the photos. The old Tropo dishes were in poor shape back in the 80’s. It’s interesting to see they haven’t fell or been removed yet. Thanks for bringing back the memories.
Hi Alan,
Remember me? Ken Bryant.
It’s been a long time. Hope you are well.
Really enjoyed viewing some of the pictures of Fuchu. I was stationed there from 1959 to 1960 and was transferred to Grant Heights from 1960 to 1963. I was the night med tech at the Dispensary and on a Purple Team that built Takhli in Thailand.
Thanks for the pix. We lived in Fuchu from end of ‘58 to mid ‘61. My brother and I were in grade school. We were wondering if anyone knows where the old Snack Bar was and the basketball court and the old round water tower?? We were looking at Google Earth but can’t quite get are bearings. Thanks,
The Google Earth coordinates of the base are: 35 40 23.49, 139 29 42.63
I was stationed there in 1966-67.
You would not happen to have more photos to share?
Your photos are what I refer to as the back of the base.
The front had the swimming pool and I was in the barricks behind the bowling alley. The big front building housed the P-55 Communications Relay Center. I think the swimming pool and big front building are all that might remain.
This was pre satellite days and messages went out on teletype tape.
There was a commisary and chow hall and a shop to buy gifts.
A really nice recreation center for the servicemen.
There was also the airmen’s club.
Just off base was the han and I spent time at the Club Zero.
I moved just off the base near where the new auditorium now stands.
I was very saddened the day I left.
I have nothing but fond memories of all the wonderful Japanese people that had befriended me.
Alan- My pleasure, happy to have brought back memories of happy times.
George- Thanks, and thanks for sharing your experiences here.
Chris- Maybe Mike J. answered your questions there- I’m afraid I don’t know any more than that. I scoured the Googlemap too, but you can’t really make out much, especially as it’s all forested over.
Mike J.- Thanks a lot for sharing your memories of the base- it’s fascinating for me to get this pieced-together picture of a place I’ve been intrigued by for over 5 years now. As for the front of the base- sorry, no, I don’t have any other pictures. You might try this site though, it’s in Japanese but you can use translation software to get an idea of what his comments are.
I have a web site for Tachikawa Air base, 1945 – 1977, we have 860 members, thousands of photos. if you would like to join the group, please emai me at Mike Skidmore mskids001@aol.com, i also have many videos on you tube.com for Tachikawa Air Base and Yamato High School.
hi guys.arrived fuchu 1952 when it was a repodepo .arrived in yokohoma by a 11 day cruse ship.at that time there was not to much there ,spent 3 days and shipped to k 10.returned in 1954 spent 18 months.best duty i ever had.the japanese had built new barracks and they were just great after living in whatever was available in korea. i don;t remember what it was used for in 1956 but married peope lived in green park. so,lets hear from some of you in that time.
Hello Ken Bryant,
Are you the Ken Bryant stationed at Tinker AFB, MWC, Okla. around 1988-89? Been trying to get in touch, call the Vet. Clinic in OKC 405-947-5545, Sam Nicolosi DVM.
Some where I have a map of the original base.
The Japanese website did help. Thanks.
I will pass the map along.
Hey! I was stationed at Yokota AB (manpower and organization) from January 1968 and lived off base there. In about October 1968 reassigned to Hq 5th AF at Fuchu and lived at Grant Heights. Left Japan February 1971 and by then we had already started to close down Tachi. Loved Japan but the traffic even then was bad. Used to go to the Officers Club in Tokyo, the Sanno I think. Thanks for all the pictures and the memories of everyone.
I was stationed at Fuchu Air Station 1957-1959 A2C, with the 1956 communications squadron, was on the base Karate team with Captain Salter and others…bad on names…..my site listed shows pictures of me. I am listed with Aunt Delores, my mother. Borrowed a couple of pics for the site.
Pictures of the Karate team are there as well. Would like to hear from anyone. Memorable times there, learned to dislike trouble making sailors, who would start a fight out on the strip within minutes of entering a bar.
I was stationed at Fuchu from Oct ‘63 to Oct ‘66. Worked in the ground radio and microwave shops. Was assigned to the tropo site as liaison for a few months. Helped implement the ground station for the Tiros/Nimbus weather sat – that gave us a map of the entire Pacific that was about 8″ square or so. Also, supervised the R-1 and R-3 relay sites to Zama. Was ham radio operator and held callsign KA2WF. Lived in Kunitachi for about 6 months then Grant Heights 359-B for the rest of the tour. My fate that most of the places I was stationed in 20 years, ‘57 to ‘77, have been closed and many razed. MSgt W.G. Franklin USAF(Ret) wfrank39@ritternet.com
Add note: the large dishes are troposcatter antennas pointed toward the Sendai station. The equipment pictured in the control room is some of the tropo power apmlifiers feeding the dishes – they were 1 kw amps phased together to provide 2 kw out. Comm feed to the south was a microwave shot to Zama, another microwave shot from Zama to Hakone.
I was stationed and lived at Fuchu Air Station for 13 months
1968 – 1969. Then it was Headquarters for 5th Air Force
Had a golf course on the grounds as well. Was on duty there
when The USS Pueblo was captured by North Korea.
The whole base went on yellow alert. First time that
level had happened since WW2.
Used to hang out with Horiuchi who then pitched for
the Tokyo Giants, who later would be inducted into
the Japanese Hall of Fame. Have a lot of wonderful
memories from those times. Thanks for the photos.
Hi John: Really enjoyed the photos of Fuchu always wonder what ever happened to the station.I was there in 1967 into 1968 worked in teletype maintenance. It was a very active base with many comm centers, as indicated in earlier post there was p55,base com,weather before it went computerized,air to ground rescue,crypto,upstairs was news service,the command center which was where I spent a lot of my time. I was up there when the Navy USS Pueblo was taken and bordered by the N Korea,a very uneasy time. I remember one morning going to work as I recal and seeing that big pool in front of the building with white foam coming out of it someone had put some type of liquid in it ,unkown it they ever found out who it was. I had a two year tour there but was cut short by six months and was shiped off to remote Alaska. It was a very busy base in its time and was told it was one of the two biggest bases communication wise in the USAF. Once again John thanks for the photos job well done.
I was stationed at Fuchu from May 1954 to Dec 1955, long before thr disks and tower were there. I was first sent to Tackiikawa, but within 2 weeks was transfered o Fuchu.
From the looka of the pictures and the comments I wastnt sure this was the same base.
Fuchu was a lot of new buildings and barracks and was starting to build new houses. No golf course, parks and no runway for aircraft.
Fuchu was at this time a 6000th Installation Squadren.
Spent a lot of off hours at the strip outside the main gate and the small town of Fuchu down the road a few blocks.
I enjoyed my time at Fuchu and made several trips to Tokoy via the train.
Money curency was $1.00 to 360 yen.
Enjoyed all of the comments sent in/
I was stationed at Fuchu from May 1954 to Dec 1955. This was before the disks and the tower were there. I was first sent to Tachikawa, but within a couple of weeks transfed to Fuchu. I sure did not recognize any the ictures of the web site or of any comments in the article.
Fuchu was a lot of new buildings and starting to build new houses. No golf course or swimming pool, but we did have a movie theater and airmans club. Spent a lot of off hours at the strip outside of the main gate and the small town of Fuchu down the road a few blocks.
I enjoyed my time at Fuchu. Made many trips to Tokyo via train. Money was $1.00 to 360 yen.
We used to buy a bottle of Yakidama wine or Tore ? whiskey and go to the local movie theater and watch french films with Bridget Bardot, with Japanese sub-titles. Didn’t have a clew what was going on, but there to watch Bridget in fairly racy films. Also watched the rats running along the walls.
Custom made clothes on the strip were dirt cheap as was booze. Each band of friends layed claim to a bar, but visited others and tried not to stir up trouble.
Too much booze, too much time and young bucks, like I was, led to too many fights. Would still like to re-connect with anyone on the station karete team 1958-1959 period.
Thanks to the builder of this web site…GREAT JOB. Please fell free to borrow any pictures from my site. ( I borrowed a couple of yours ). Like going home, to see these pictures and many memories came back……..Lee
Good pictures. It’s really sad though, since I had such a great time there. Especially out on the strip. Oh yeah, the Akadama wine, and Sun Tory’s whiskey helped me get knocked down in a bar one night just down from the Whori restaurant on the left. I was with the 1st Comm. Sqdn. that transferred from Tokyo FEAF Hq. 16th Comm. in 1956. I’m communicating with another brother named Ray Brady, who was also there at the same time…Ray was TTYM, AND I was TTYOPR.
John McCain
I was stationed at Fuchu AS 66-69
I was based at Fuchu in 1952 53 with the late Dick Bassinger..I guess everyone but me is dead, as these letters never
go back to 52
I’m sorry, but Fuchu A.B. wasn’t built after WWII, it was a Japanese fuel experimentall base during WWII. The equipment in the (unused by the U.S.) buildings on the rear of the base were filled with Emerson Elec., G.E..,Westinghouse &other U.S. mfgrs names. DAMM SHAME!! Going from Hdqtrs bldg, past officers club, NCO club, towards the rear of the base is where these buildings were, & unless corrected after 1952- its lucky no-one got access to these bldgs. In front of these bldgs were large concrete pads, parking areas?, NO they were the tops of ACID vats, & were still full of acid!! Golf course was outside the back gate, yes, even back then!! From the Hwy out front on the road into the base, the road was lined w/trees(whitewashed trunks), & about 1/2 way on the left of this access road, out in the field there was an entrance to a tunnel, that went to Tachi. There was also another entrance to the tunnels, after you passed the main gate, taking the left fork, heading towards the Snack Bar & Motor Pool going about 1/2 the distance to the snack bar, & on your left, these entrances looked like an old water well, i.e., wooden structure about 4 ft square, 3 ft high, in the tunnels were mess hall, barracks, I found 12 ancient Leica cameras …
Forgot to state that I was stationed at Fuchu, 1949-1952, 440th Sig (Avn) Hvy Cnstn Btln., P-X office, & Ground Safety officer.
i was at fuchu air station at the end of 1956 until around the end of 1957 or early 1958. i worked on the old manual telephone switchboard and teletype machines. I remember and old japanese infantry man named hojo the airforce had working on the switchboard. i got into some trouble because of my drinking (I stole my room-mates transistor radio and hocked it). they decided not to bust me but sent me to okinawa instead. i cant remember the sergeant’s name but he was a master sergeant with the diamond, a grade below a warrant officer. i was sure ashamed of what i did and still have nightmares about it. we were a pretty close team over there and i felt like i betrayed them. i continued to have problems and ended up with a general discharge and busted back to airman basic after 4 years service. no one understood alcholism back then but my sergeant told me to limit my drinking to 2 beers a day except when our bowling team was due to bowl. anyway, thanks for this website and the pictures of fuchu. i would appreciate an email from you. if you remember me or the incident that would be amazing.
My name is Karyn Salmon, formerly Burns. We lived in Fuchu from 65-69. My father was Kenneth W. Burns (Sarge) Stationed in Korea (USAF-SAC). This was such a hugh part of my life. Loved the NCO gioza. Looking for a Margie Wier or anyone from this erra that may have known my father or the Wiers.
I was stationed at Fuchu AS from May 65 – Apr 68. I worked at the Post Office, across the street from the BX. I have many fond memories of Fuchu, bowling, playing softball, basketball, etc. I worked for SSgt Phillips, and with Sgt Fawcett, Dwight D Dotson, Jerry Brogdon, Harold Thompson, and there were others that don’t come to mind. I would love to re-live those days of ole.
For Ralph Arnold…..
I had a friend that was a good bowler….tall guy….red headed if memory serves me right. I had a transistor radio stolen that cost my Dad $45 way back then. Might have been mine, but I don’t remember anyone being caught.
I was upset, because money was tight for my family back in the States. If you were in the 1956 Communications Squadron, then it might have been mine. You are of course forgiven.
We all drank too much Ralph. Booze was cheap, but we made damn little money. My pay grade at that time was ~$99 per month. My email is nporter@bellsouth.net, if you wish to communicate and I can send older and current photos.
I was stationed at Fuchu air station with the 1956 comm sq from 1961-1963
For Ralph Arnold….
The First Sgt’s name was Riggleman. Please contact me via email address. nporter@bellsouth.net