Migration
Friendship Festival draws large crowds to Yokota Air Base
Stars and Stripes
September 19, 2016
A child pokes her head out of the window of a C-130 Hercules at the 2016 Friendship Festival at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016. (Michael Washburn/U.S. Air Force photo)
A child pokes her head out of the window of a C-130 Hercules at the 2016 Friendship Festival at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016. (Michael Washburn/U.S. Air Force photo)
A boy plays with toy aircraft during the 2016 Friendship Festival at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016. Tens of thousands of people attend the festival every year to learn more about the U.S. military and American culture. (Cody Ramirez/U.S. Air Force photo)
1st Lt. Lionel Alford, a 36th Airlift Squadron C-130 Hercules pilot, poses with Friendship Festival attendees at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016. The event included live music, a strongman competition, aerial and static displays and a military working dog demonstration. (David Danford/U.S. Air Force photo)
Fireworks explode over Yokota Air Base, Japan, during the 2016 Friendship Festival on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016. Tens of thousands of people attend the festival every year to learn more about the U.S. military and American culture. (Delano Scott/U.S. Air Force photo)
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — Tens of thousands of Japanese nationals poured onto the flight line at Yokota Air Base over the weekend for a taste of American and military culture.
The annual Japanese-American Friendship Festival, which took place Saturday and Sunday, gives the surrounding community a chance to learn about and meet the American and Japan Self-Defense Force servicemembers who work and live on the western Tokyo air base.
This year’s festival included live performances — from rock bands to traditional Japanese drumming and dancing — a strongman competition, static aircraft displays and military demonstrations.
Visitors could also enjoy classic American festival fare such as hamburgers, hot dogs, turkey legs and fries.
The festivities wrapped up with a large fireworks display on Sunday evening.