At Mrs. Kangaeroo’s whim, we headed off to the nearby U.S. Air Force Yokota Air Base to “enjoy” its Friendship Festival where it opens its gates to the general public and gives them a glimpse of what goes on behind its barbed wire. The huge crowds reminded me of how much so many Japanese adore the United States.
It was my first visit to the Friendship Festival almost 30 years and things have changed significantly.
We needed to line up for more than an hour in a queue more than a kilometer long to get in, then spent another hour in a massive crowd as we lined up to get out.
In-between, we had fun looking at the aircraft (including a controversial Osprey and stealth fighters, which came as a surprise), buying foods and listening to music. As has been my general experience with the U.S. military in Japan, people were polite, friendly, courteous and respectful and we did have a fun time!
