Minakami ('Grand – Volee')

Minakami ('Grand-Volee') launches at about 520 m in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, from a well-maintained takeoff reached by minibus, by rail, or by a 45-to-60-minute hike to the top, passing a small shrine just below launch with good valley views. The site only works for southerly, south-west or south-east wind - it can't be flown in north, west or east conditions. Getting there from Tokyo is straightforward: the Joetsu Shinkansen runs to Jomo-Kogen station in about 1 hour 15 minutes, and the flying site is a few kilometres further, reachable by a roughly 2,000 yen taxi ride or a club pickup. It's a friendly site with a mix of Japanese and international pilots, staff and instructors who speak some English, food and drink available at the club, and a simple bunkhouse for overnight stays - there are no showers on site, but a local hot spring is nearby. A takeoff and landing fee is payable to the club. Landing is a medium-sized, slightly sloping field a little way up the valley, with practice slopes along the edge; it can get quite thermic, and the standard approach in southerly conditions is a figure-of-eight pattern to the west. Expect summer thunderstorms, and be careful of slipping on a snow-covered takeoff in winter.

Launch & conditions

Takeoff is well maintained and reached by minibus, by rail, or by a 45-to-60-minute hike to the top, passing a small shrine just below launch. It only works for southerly, south-west or south-east wind - it can't be flown in north, west or east conditions.

Getting there & local rules

From Tokyo, take the Joetsu Shinkansen to Jomo-Kogen station (about 1 hour 15 minutes); the flying site is a few kilometres further, reachable by a roughly 2,000 yen taxi ride or a club pickup. A takeoff and landing fee is payable to the club.

Local rules & hazards

Expect summer thunderstorms, and be careful of slipping on a snow-covered takeoff in winter. Landing is a medium, slightly sloping field up the valley that can get quite thermic; the standard approach in the usual southerly conditions is a figure-of-eight pattern to the west.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Minakami ('Grand – Volee'), read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Minakami ('Grand – Volee') with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.