Hill overlooking Kadena Air Base, the largest U.S. military base in Japan
The hill overlooking the U.S. Kadena Air Base in Kadena Town, Okinawa Prefecture, is called Security Hill. Kadena Air Base is the largest U.S. military base in Asia, with two runways over 3,500 meters long in a vast area of 19.52 km2, twice the size of Haneda Airport.
Although the Security Hill is nothing more than a plain dirt hill, it has become a popular destination for photographers with tripods, military enthusiasts, and families watching fighter jets take off and land.
Japan’s Security on Security Hill
Why was this place named Security Hill in the first place? It is because the reason for the existence of U.S. military bases in Japan, like this Kadena Air Base, is because of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty that Japan and the U.S. signed after World War II.
The hill is called “Anpo no Mieru Oka” or “Anpo no Oka” because it was the only place where one could have a panoramic view of the U.S. military bases that existed for the purpose of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty.
The U.S. military base is currently one of the most controversial issues in Japan. It may be a good idea to think about security by actually visiting such a place and looking at the U.S. military base seriously.
There are also houses around Kadena Air Base that can be seen from Security Hill…
What can be seen from Anpo Hill is not only the Kadena Air Base but also the homes of the residents who live in the surrounding area. Conflicts with residents are inevitable in the history of U.S. military bases in Okinawa, such as base noise problems and base relocation issues.
The view of buildings that look like residences next to the base makes us think once again about the state of security between Japan and the U.S., which is the reason why the area is called “Security Hill. This is the only place where you can experience security firsthand, so why not visit for the sake of social study?
Anpo Hill is now home to the roadside station “Kadena”!
Anpo Hill is just a hill, but across the street is Michi no Eki (Roadside Station) “Kadena”, whose top-floor observation space offers the same panoramic view of Kadena Air Base as Anpo Hill.
On the third floor of the Roadside Station “Kadena,” visitors can learn about the history of Kadena Air Base and how the base has interacted with the local community.
On April 1, 2022, the roadside station “Kadena” was expanded and reopened. The new observation deck will offer a panoramic view of Kadena Air Base, so why not stop by on your way home from visiting Anpo Hill?
