What to See at the Maehama Aircraft Shelter Group
Aircraft Hangars Remaining in the Countryside
The Maehama Aircraft Shelter Group (Maehama Entaigun) consists of wartime aircraft hangars scattered across the rural landscape of Maehama in Nankoku City (Nankoku-shi), near Kochi Ryoma Airport (Kōchi Ryōma Kūkō).
An entai was a shelter designed to protect aircraft from enemy attacks. Some were made of reinforced concrete, while others used wood, bamboo, earth, retaining walls, and other materials.
The 7 structures that remain in Maehama today are made of concrete. Their large curved forms rise between fields and farm roads, revealing how military facilities have gradually become part of the everyday landscape.
Why They Are Preserved as a Municipal Historic Site
Nankoku City designated the 7 surviving structures as the Maehama Aircraft Shelter Group municipal historic site on February 21, 2006.
The city describes the shelters as places that convey the sorrow of war and the importance of peace. Visitors should therefore look beyond their rarity as buildings and consider why they were constructed.
A Perspective to Keep in Mind Before Your Visit
Rather than comparing their size or age, walk with an awareness that the facilities built to protect aircraft were connected to the construction of a military base, the requisition of land, and changes in the lives of local residents.
Noticing the contrast between the peaceful scenery and the role these structures once served makes it easier to consider the meaning of the ruins in your own words.
The Kochi Naval Air Group and the Land of Maehama
The Base History Behind Today’s Airport
The airfield and related facilities of the Kochi Naval Air Group (Kōchi Kaigun Kōkūtai) were built after land in the former Mishima Village (Mishima-mura) was requisitioned for a military airfield beginning in January 1941, forcing residents to relocate.
Today’s Kochi Ryoma Airport developed from this base, and after the war, efforts were made to restore the surrounding land to fields.
The shelters that escaped demolition now serve as records through which visitors can read both the history of the base and the postwar recovery of farmland in the same place.
Facilities Built in 1944
The shelters were constructed in 1944 as facilities for the Kochi Naval Air Group base.
Records indicate that there were once 15 medium shelters, 9 small shelters, and 17 W-shaped shelters, showing that the 7 surviving structures were only part of a much larger complex.
At the site, do more than memorize the numbers. Imagine the scale of a base that required so many facilities and the wartime circumstances in which construction proceeded within a short period.
Five Ways to Interpret the 7 Aircraft Shelters
Study the Openings and Curved Surfaces
From the front of each shelter, focus on the combination of the wide opening needed to accommodate an aircraft and the curved surface covering it.
Using only the present ground level and surrounding roads as a reference can lead to a mistaken understanding of the original structure. Observe from outside while considering that parts may be buried or altered at a later date.
Read the Marks on the Surface
Inside Shelter No. 5 (Gogō Entai), growth rings from the formwork and shoe prints remain in the concrete, and some of the materials used for the formwork during construction can still be identified.
These are not decorations intended to create a beautiful finish. They are traces of the work involved in assembling materials and pouring concrete to build the facility.
After taking in the overall shape from a distance, shift your attention to the uneven surface to view the structure from the perspectives of both function and labor.
Layer in the Traces of Postwar Use
Shelter No. 5 was used as a residence for a period after the war, and traces remain of posts and postholes that supported a wall closing off the front.
Rather than assuming that the military facility lost all meaning when the war ended, consider how it was reused to meet local needs and gradually became part of the rural landscape.
Organizing the key observation points as follows helps you compare differences in structure and time instead of simply counting the 7 shelters.
| Observation focus | Where to look | What it reveals |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Opening and curved roof | Function of housing and protecting aircraft |
| Construction | Formwork marks and concrete surfaces | Building methods and traces of labor |
| Ground | Base and differences in surrounding elevation | Possible burial or semi-underground structure |
| Postwar period | Traces of posts and a closed wall | Local reuse and change |
| Landscape | Relationship with fields, farm roads, and the airport | Overlap between the former base and life today |
What Shelter No. 5 Revealed About the Structure
A Semi-Underground Design
An archaeological excavation conducted before Shelter No. 5 Park (Gogō Entai Kōen) was developed confirmed that the facility was not used at the current ground level. It had a semi-underground design excavated to match the shape of an aircraft.
Grooves for guiding the wheels were also found in the floor, showing that the facility included not only the shell visible from outside but also a planned floor system for housing and moving aircraft.
Because the present ground level may not match the floor level at the time of construction, it is important not to estimate the size of the aircraft from the height of the entrance alone.
Challenges Revealed by Preservation Work
A layer of silt had accumulated beneath Shelter No. 5. Settlement caused by the structure’s own weight opened the front arch and created a large crack in the ceiling.
Nankoku City secured the exterior with steel members and injected resin into cracks, among other measures, carrying out repairs and reinforcement without compromising the site’s value as a war ruin.
Viewing the reinforcing materials as part of the site helps visitors understand that ruins do not remain naturally when left alone; they are passed on through repeated investigation, decisions, and construction work.
Prepare to Walk Safely on the Farm Roads
Parking and Getting Around
Nankoku City advises visitors parking at the Maehama Community Center (Maehama Kōminkan) to park close to the information-board side so they do not interfere with use of the facility.
The roads around the shelters are farm roads. Parking there can obstruct agricultural work, so avoid driving into the surrounding area and explore on foot.
Give priority to farm vehicles and local traffic, and be considerate about where you stop on narrow roads.
Respect No-Entry Areas
Do not enter the shelters because their interiors are dangerous. View them only from outside.
The land surrounding all shelters other than Shelter No. 5 is private property. Visitors are explicitly instructed not to enter or touch fields, paths between fields, or crops.
Even if a place appears accessible, it may not be within the public viewing area. Follow signs and fences at the site, and use a telephoto lens or zoom to document details safely.
Prepare for the Weather
Because the visit involves walking through farmland, anticipate sun, rain, wind, and muddy surfaces. Bring comfortable walking shoes, drinking water, a hat, and rain gear.
In severe weather or at times of poor visibility, do not push ahead. Change to a plan that allows brief observation from a place that does not block the farm road.
Prioritizing safety and consideration for the community also helps preserve the ruins for the future.
How to Deepen Your Understanding
Read Official Materials Before You Go
Begin by reading Nankoku City’s pages about the Maehama Aircraft Shelter Group and the development of Shelter No. 5 Park to learn the role of the shelters, their designation as a municipal historic site, excavation findings, and visitor rules.
Checking the city’s pamphlets and development overview materials also makes it easier to connect the forms visible at the site with structures buried underground.
Observe in a Set Order at the Site
At the site, move your gaze in order from the full view to the opening, surface, base, and surrounding fields, taking brief notes using the same criteria for each shelter.
Do not make getting close to all 7 shelters your goal. Prioritize comparing them from places where you can remain within the public area and stay safe.
Organizing your actions before and after the visit as follows turns the experience into a learning process that includes research and reflection rather than ending as simple sightseeing.
| Stage | Action | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Before the visit | Read Nankoku City’s official pages and materials | History, structure, and current precautions |
| On arrival | Check information boards and the parking position | Public areas and consideration for local use |
| During observation | View from outside using the same observation criteria | Shape, construction marks, postwar use, and surroundings |
| While recording | Match photographs with notes | Distinction between facts and personal impressions |
| After the visit | Review your observations against official materials | The meaning of preserving war ruins and a perspective on peace |
Summary: Reflect on Peace Through Ruins in the Countryside
The Maehama Aircraft Shelter Group is a place where visitors can consider in one continuous story the hangars built to protect aircraft, the land transformed by base construction, the farmland restored after the war, and today’s preservation efforts.
Look beyond the shapes of the 7 shelters to the semi-underground structure and construction marks of Shelter No. 5, its reinforcement work, and the surrounding environment where agriculture continues. Together, they reveal the many layers of time carried by the ruins.
Do not enter the interiors or private land. Give priority to traffic and agricultural work on the farm roads, and confirm the facts through official materials as you walk.
Standing before the curved concrete forms in the quiet countryside and asking yourself how memories of war should be passed on and how peace can be protected is an important reason to visit this place.
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