The military base is located in Iwakuni, Japan and is one of the many American military bases scattered around the islands of Japan. Incidentally this is the second American base that I have visited in Japan, the first being the Yokosuka Navy base near Tokyo way back in 2005.
Iwanuki is located roughly 1 hour by train from Hiroshima city and 1 hour and 30 minutes from Higashi-Hiroshima (where I live now).
The event was quite popular and all the trains headed to Iwanuki were jam-packed.
The base is located a fair distance from the main train station in Iwanuki so we had to take a bus to get there. This is the lineup for taking the bus to the base.
The offical flyer for the event.
The bus tickets.
Crowds on the road leading the to entrance of the base. Interestingly, for Japanese citizens, no identification is required for entrance to the base, but for all foreigners, they photocopied our passports and made us fill in a declaration form.
Aircraft display inside the base.
I believe the current base was an Imperial Japanese military base before the United States took it over following Japan's defeat in the Second World War. Therefore there was a Japanese "Zero" airplane on display inside the base.
Random pictures from inside the base.
They even have a mini driving range and golf course inside the base!
This is the lineup for food. Even though the only food that they were selling were burgers and hotdogs the line moved really slowly. I lined up for about one hour for one burger and one hot dog. It didn't make any sense why it took them so long to cook something as simple as burgers and hotdogs.
On the tarmac of the base.
Display of lowrider cars.
What better way to introduce "American culture" than to have kids impersonate Michael Jackson.
More pictures from the tarmac.
One of the fighter jets in a demonstration flyover.
The same fighter jet on the ground.
Most of the people reserved a spot near the runway as it offered the best views of the aircraft.
It wouldn't be complete without a beer stand featuring Budweiser.
A fighter jet up close.
There were also many stands which sold typical Japanese "festival-style" food and military clothing and replica guns.
Random pictures.
On the way out of the base, I stumbled upon the base's food court. It seems that every American base has a contract with various fast food chains to open franchises no matter where the bases are located in the world. The only Taco Bells in Japan are located inside the American military bases.
Given the chance of eating American junk food, I order a Steak Burrito box from Taco Bell for 700 yen for the long ride back to the dormitory.
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