mad mike küng - Japan 2004 Shishiku Sky Festa

A visit to the land of the rising sun

It took our plane 12 hours to get to Japan. At Narita International Airport, there was a very warm welcome by Miss Miyuki Tanaka, one of the world's best pilots. She was our guide, getting us through the Tokyo labyrinth of undergrounds, trains and cable railways. Within a radius of 50 km this megapolis houses 30 million people, an incomprehensible dimension for Europeans.

Then another plane takes us to Komatsu, situated on the west coast of the main Japanese island of Honshu.
We are going to take part in the Shishuki Sky Festa, the Japanese version of fancy dress flying. It is a very mixed event: traditional, modern, incredible and sometimes just funny.

Our hosts, Sadao Hangai and Miyuki Tanaka, and their AEROTACT team, have done a great job organising the event. They lovingly planned everything, even the minutest details.
You can’t find a better place for flying anywhere: the starting area is covered with artificial lawn and has got the ideal tilt, the landing area looks like a very well kept golf course.

The day before the festival, everyone was busy checking

whether the colourful fancy dresses and vehicles were airworthy. Does the giraffe really fly? Which is the best way to land an engine? The air is full of paragliders. The starting area is packed. But there is no hectic or chaos, everyone helps everyone. When a pilot wants to take off, two or three other pilots help him to get his glider ready. Quite a helpful custom.

After Mike has made sure that his glider is all right if the air temperature is 39 degrees centigrade and humidity is up to 80% he is off to a TV-studio with Miyuki Tanaka. NHK-TV is going to produce a programme about the festival and they want to interview Mad Mike.

In the evening there is a culinary highlight at the wonderful traditional hotel.
We have Sushi and Kaiseki. Right in front of our eyes the chef prepares small fish of an open fire and celebrates a royal meal.

On Saturday, there is a ceremonious opening of the festival. Two days of paragliding and celebrations follow. Mr Sadao Hangai in person helps to get the fishes, the orange boxes, and all the other paragliders off into the air.

Kaoru Ogisawa, Japan's top pilot and member of the GIN GLIDERS team,
is in charge of the landing area. During the whole event, Miyuki Tanaka is busy commenting the colourful hustle and bustle.

Several times a day, MadMikeKüng performs his full Acro programme.
And there is a first for Japan: there has never been a jump from a helicopter before.

Just a short distance above the starting area, Mike climbs out of a helicopter and on to the skids. Then he jumps backwards.
About 100 m above the spectators his glider opens. Everyone can watch every detail. All the spectators are most enthusiastic. This is the start for Mike's dynamic manoeuvres.

To finish the event, Mike is allowed to fly Gin Seok Song’s most recent glider.
Without hesitating Mike is off for a long flight.

What a great festival! Two days full of fun, enthusiasm, friendship and perfect organisation.

The day before our departure, Miyuki Tanaka and Sadao Hangai show us the Nagano Region. This is the place where the 1998 Winter Olympics took place.
This region looks a bit like the foothills of our Alps.
There are lots and lots of beautiful areas for paragliding. And then it is time to fly back to Europe. What a pity!

Our time in Japan was packed with great hospitality and new impressions.
We would have liked to stay much longer. Many thanks to Sadao Hangai, Miyuki Tanaka, and Kaouro Ogisawa. We will never forget our visit to the land of the rising sun!

Pictures: Masaaki Yamamoto und Ines Sattler

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