Iruma Air Show 2026
The Iruma Air Show returned on November 3, 2026 (Culture Day), offering a fantastic experience for aviation photographers. It was the perfect day, with almost perfect weather. We got to see the latest and greatest aircraft in the Japan Air Self-Defense Force inventory. On top of that we also saw Blue Impulse, their acrobatic team.
This time, I also saw the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, which had been on my photo list for a long time. But when I walked on to the base, it wasn’t there. Luckily it flew in along with an F-15 shortly after.
Once again, I skipped the hangar displays. I’ve seen them before and they aren’t very interesting for photography. I wanted to photograph the aircraft in flight, not jet engines or military rations.
F-2 Viper 70th Anniversary “Kabuto Musha”
Even though I was excited to photograph the F-35, an F-2 Viper stole the show for best livery. The fighter featured a striking red-and-black Kabuto Musha (Samurai Warrior) scheme painted across its vertical stabilizer and fuselage.
The custom livery was unveiled in August 2026 to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the 3rd Tactical Fighter Squadron. Hopefully, someone has already replicated it for flight simulators!
Retirement of a Japanese workhorse aircraft
One aircraft was missing, the Kawasaki C-1, a transport aircraft that entered service in 1974. I thought it was a beautiful aircraft, but after long service it has been retired and its role has been taken over by the more capable C-2.
JASDF aircraft at Iruma Air Show 2026
- British Aerospace 125
- Kawasaki C-2
- Kawasaki CH-47 Chinook
- Kawasaki T-4 jet trainer
- Lockheed C-130H Hercules
- Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II
- Mitsubishi F-2 Viper multirole fighter
- Mitsubishi F-15J Eagle
- Saitama Police Department Leonardo AW109E Power
- Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk
- Subaru UH-2 Hayabusa (Japanese version of the Huey)
Blue Impulse at Iruma Air Show 2026
The Blue Impulse aerobatic team was the highlight of the day. They are Japan’s version of America’s Blue Angels, flying Kawasaki T-4 intermediate jet trainers. The team is 11 Squadron from the 4th Air Wing which serves at JASDF Matsushima Air Base.
Even though I’d been to the air show twice before I never saw them. 2026 made up for my previous lost opportunities. These pilots knew how to fly.
Blue Impulse put on a performance from 11:05 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. They did formation flying, flew upside down, and did head-on high-speed passes. It was a thrill a minute for aviation fans.
My only complaint, and it is a small one, was the smoke trails. The chemical they used was a greyish-white color. That was a pity, because it almost matched the color of the clouds.
Why doesn’t the JASDF use multi-colored smoke?
The JASDF doesn’t use colored smoke at routine base air shows like Iruma due to ground fallout risk and property damage concerns.
While white smoke is made of clean, vaporized oil that dissipates completely in mid-air, multi-colored smoke uses oil-soluble liquid dyes mixed into the exhaust. When dyed smoke is sprayed at lower altitudes over densely populated residential neighborhoods, like those surrounding Iruma Air Base in Saitama, unvaporized dye micro-droplets fall to the ground.
This dye can settle onto private property beneath the flight path, staining civilian cars, house roofs, and laundry drying outside. Because the dye is oil-based, standard car washes or household detergents can’t easily remove it, leading to clean-up claims and complaints directed at the Ministry of Defense.
The JASDF temporarily re-developed and used colored smoke for major national landmark celebrations (such as the 1964 and 2020 Tokyo Olympics), but for standard annual air shows, they restrict Blue Impulse strictly to white smoke to protect local residential neighborhoods and avoid property liability.
Iruma Air Show 2026 flight schedule
|
9:00 a.m. – 9:01 a.m. |
Kawasaki C-2 Opening Flight & JGSDF 1st Airborne Brigade Paratrooper Drop |
|
9:28 a.m. – 9:33 a.m. |
NAMC YS-11EB (Electronic Intelligence) Flight Display |
|
9:34 a.m. – 9:48 a.m. |
CH-47J Chinook Flight Demonstration |
|
9:49 a.m. – 10:04 a.m. |
Kawasaki T-4 Jet Trainer Display |
|
10:05 a.m. – 10:20 a.m. |
Kawasaki C-2 & U-4 Multi-Role Support Display |
|
11:05 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. |
Blue Impulse Main Aerobatic Display |
|
1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. |
U-680A Flight Inspection Display |
|
1:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. |
Kawasaki C-2 Departure / Final Display |
Is the show worth attending?
Absolutely yes, especially if you want to see modern Japanese military aircraft. But even if you are a casual observer the Blue Impulse acrobatic team will thrill you. Those pilots put on a great show.
The only downside to the show is getting there and back home. Unofficial reports said between 250,000 and 300,000 people attended it and that means huge crowds which I experienced. That made transport problematic.
But every year is crowded and that means the trains are packed. You get packed like sardines. But if you can handle that, head to the Iruma Air Show for some aviation action. To see photos from my previous visit to this event look at [Iruma Air Show 2024].
My camera gear for this photo shoot
- Camera Body: Canon EOS R5
- Lens: Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM
