Ishigaki Airport, New and Old 南ぬ島 石垣空港・旧石垣空港
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Ishigaki is the gateway to Okinawa Prefecture's Yaeyama Islands. Ishigaki Airport near central Ishigaki is how most visitors get to Yaeyama.Bird's eye view of central Ishigaki from a jet plane going to land at Ishigaki Airport.
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Descending toward Ishigaki Airport adjacent to farmland.
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Landed on Ishigaki Airport's runway.
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Ishigaki Airport's runway.
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Bird's eye view of New Ishigaki Airport. Only one runway, 2,000 meters long, long enough for widebody jets. Terminal has four jet bridges.(Photo from Wikipedia.)
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This new Ishigaki Airport opened in March 2013. Due to the Yaeyama islands becoming a popular tourist destination, there were calls to built a bigger airport since 1979.
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It took years to decide where to build the new airport. One disturbing plan was to reclaim part of Shiraho coral reef. Fortunately, this plan was scratched.In 2000, the location was finally decided inland on the island's east side and more northerly from the old airport. Construction began in 2006 with a 2,000-meter runway. New Ishigaki Airport opened in March 2013. Airport terminal with the control tower on the right.
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Approaching the jet bridge.
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View of Ishigaki Airport terminal from the jet bridge.
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Our JTA plane that landed at Ishigaki Airport.
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Baggage claim at Ishigaki Airport.
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At Ishigaki Airport, a large welcome and warning sign after getting out of baggage claim in fall 2020. It says to please wear masks, wash your hands, avoid crowds, etc., to protect local residents. We of course took all the necessary precautions.
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Ishigaki Airport Arrivals gate on the frist floor. Where local friends or tour guides can meet you after you arrive.
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First floor of Ishigaki Airport terminal also has a restaurant and gift shops.
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First floor of Ishigaki Airport terminal has a restaurant and gift shops.
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First floor of Ishigaki Airport terminal has a restaurant and gift shops.
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First floor of Ishigaki Airport terminal has a restaurant and gift shops.
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First floor of Ishigaki Airport terminal has a restaurant and gift shops. Second floor is the departure gates.
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Ishigaki Airport's nickname is "Painushima Ishigaki Airport" (南ぬ島 石垣空港) which means "Southern Island Ishigaki Airport." When it first opened, it was also commonly called "New Ishigaki Airport" to distinguis
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Outside Ishigaki Airport terminal for ground transportation.
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Car rentals across the road.
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Giant clam decoration at Ishigaki Airport.
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Some tropical plants at Ishigaki Airport.
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The drive between the airport and central Ishigaki is largely rural with farmland and cattle.
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Bales of grass for cattle feed.
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Ishigaki Airport can be seen.
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Ishigaki Airport's control tower.
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Ishigaki Airport terminal lookout deck on the top floor.
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Jet way
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JTA plane
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Another lookout deck at Ishigaki Airport.
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ANA at Ishigaki Airport.
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Another lookout deck, round, open-air structure.
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Oceanside from Ishigaki Airport.
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Ishigaki Airport control tower.
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Lookout deck, round, open-air structure.
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Ishigaki Airport
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JTA Boeing 737-800 plane at Ishigaki Airport.
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Ishigaki Airport
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Our JTA Boeing 737-800 plane at Ishigaki Airport.
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Passenger waiting area in front of the boarding gate. Very modern.
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Boarding gate at Ishigaki Airport for our flight to Naha. We just scan the QR code on our smartphone screen.
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Jet bridge
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View of Ishigaki Airport from the jet bridge.
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RAC commuter plane.
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Jet bridge
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View of Ishigaki Airport terminal from the jet bridge. The circular structure above the roof toward the control tower is a lookout deck.
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Pushback at Ishigaki Airport on JTA Boeing 737-800 for Naha. Didn't see any ground crew waving goodbye to us.
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JTA in-flight magazine "Coralway" had a nice Japanese article about the reconstruction of Shuri Castle in Naha.
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RAC (Ryukyu Air Commuter) prop plane.
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Leaving Ishigaki Airport.
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Boeing 737 winglet waving goodbye to the control tower at Ishigaki Airport.
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Ishigaki Airport control tower.
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Runway traffic stop for an incoming plane.
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Here it comes for a smooth landing.
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ANA Boeing 787 landing at Ishigaki Airport, probably from Haneda, Tokyo. Thanks to the new airport's longer runway, such wide-body jets can land here.
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Cleared for takeoff, Captain. Roger!
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Taking off from the runway at Ishigaki Airport.
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Up, up and away...
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Lots of farmland next to the airport.
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Flying over Shiraho, Ishigaki.
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Coral reef along Ishigaki.
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Looking at the Nosoko area of Ishigaki. Mt. Nosokodake can be seen. Bye-bye Ishigaki...
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Aerial view of Nosoko, Ishigaki.
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Aerial view of Ibaruma Coast, Ishigaki.
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Aerial view of Ibaruma and Hirakubo, Ishigaki.
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This is the old Ishigaki Airport before it closed in March 2013 and was replaced by the new and current airport slightly north of this old airport.
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Approaching the old Ishigaki Airport terminal.
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Old Ishigaki Airport terminal, Arrivals. No jet bridges. Jets (Boeing 737) started flying here only from 1979.
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Old Ishigaki Airport terminal for JTA, Arrivals. No jet bridges.
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Old Ishigaki Airport terminal for JTA. Small building. The old airport first opened in 1943 for military use. It became a civilian airport in 1956.This passenger terminal building was built in 1961 and used mainly by JTA (Japan Transocean Air) and RAC (Ryukyu Air Commuter). ANA had its own adjacent terminal.
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At the old Ishigaki Airport, inside the JTA passenger waiting area at the boarding gate.
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At the old Ishigaki Airport, JTA boarding gate. One of the check-in staff wears a yukata. Also notice the old digital signage.
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No jet bridge, but it wasn't a problem when it didn't rain.
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I liked walking on the tarmac to the plane at Ishigaki Airport.
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Walking on the tarmac to the JTA plane at Ishigaki Airport.
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JTA plane's see-sa at Ishigaki Airport.
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Inside JTA plane, flight attendants figuring out what to tell us.
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Ground crew at the old Ishigaki Airport waving goodbye to us. I waved back.
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Runway at the old Ishigaki Airport. The slanty white building visible is the ANA hotel on the beach. That's how close the old airport was to town.
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On Runway 04 at the old Ishigaki Airport. At 1,500 meters, it was too short for jets larger than a Boeing 737. So the new airport was built on a different location.
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Taking off at the old Ishigaki Airport.
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Taking off at the old Ishigaki Airport.
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Taking off at the old Ishigaki Airport.
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The center of this photo shows the site where the new airport was going to be built.
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Shiraho
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Shiraho coral reefs on Ishigaki.
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Shiraho coral reefs on Ishigaki.
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Shiraho coral reefs on Ishigaki.
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