Hovercrafts Return to Oita After 15-Year Hiatus

After a 15-year absence, hovercrafts are making a comeback in Oita Prefecture. The prefecture is preparing to reopen Japan's only passenger route for the watercraft, with a tentative launch date of December.

The hovercrafts will provide a 30-minute connection between Oita Airport in Kunisaki and Oita city, traversing Beppu Bay. Oita Daiichi Hoverdrive Co., a subsidiary of Daiichi Koutsu Sangyo Co., will operate the vessels.

Prior to the official launch, the company plans to run sightseeing cruises on weekends starting November 30th. This will allow them to gain operational experience before resuming the regular airport route in December.

Hovercrafts have a long history in Japan, dating back to the late 1960s. They were used on routes between Kumamoto and Shimabara cities, as well as in the Seto Inland Sea. However, none of these routes remain in operation today.

In Oita Prefecture, a hovercraft route to and from the airport was established in 1971. At its peak in the 1990s, it served around 400,000 passengers annually. However, declining passenger numbers led to the discontinuation of the service in 2009.

The Oita prefectural government recently decided to reconsider using hovercrafts to improve access to the airport, which is an hour away from Oita city by express bus. The prefecture will cover the cost of the vessels and boarding terminals, while a private company will operate the hovercrafts.

However, the project has faced setbacks. Since navigation and operations training began in November 2022, four accidents have occurred, including hitting a guardrail and crashing into a seawall. These incidents have delayed the start of operations by nearly a year.