Early Aviators of Japan

Early Aviators of Japan 日本の初期の飛行士

I live in the USA and I enjoy reading about aviation’s history that has occurred here. It is a bit more difficult to learn of that history in Europe and Russia and even more difficult to learn of Asia’s early aviation heritage. When I began reading of the Wright Brothers and their accomplishments I learned that more people had attempted to fly before the Wright Brothers other than Lilienthal — and there were many.

Then I began to get curious about Japan’s early aviation history and was enlightened, learning of these early Japanese aviators:

• Ukita Kōkichi 浮田 幸吉 is considered to be the first Japanese citizen to fly and the event took place in Okayama Japan during 1785. There isn’t much information except that he built wings and either glided or fell from a bridge over the Asahigawa River. The citizens and ruling lord were unhappy with this abnormal behaviour and banished Ukita, which apparently ended his aviation career. The modern Okayama has recognized Ukita’s achievement and has placed a monument in his honor at 34º 39′ 30″ N / 133º 56′ 01″ E in a nice looking park on the western bank of the Asahigawa River.
• Chūhachi Ninomiya 二宮 忠八 produced model designs in the 1890s, in what is now Yawatahama 八幡浜 Japan 日本, after observing how crows could glide through the air. What is considered to be the first aircraft model in Japan was his and is called 烏型模型飛行器 (Karasu-gata mokei hikouki — or crow type model aircraft) and it flew for a significant distance. The second model, 玉虫型飛行器 (Tamamushi-gata hikouki or Jewel beetle type flyer), does not appear to have flown. Models of these designs are on display in the Modern Transportation Museum 現代の交通博物館 located in Osaka 大阪 Japan 日本.
• Ryōichi Yazu 矢頭 良)一 of Fukuoka Japan had a powered aircraft design for a single pilot in 1901, but did not get to the prototype stage.
• Masaaki Iinuma 飯沼正明 of what is now Azumino Japan flew the first Japanese built aircraft, a Mitsubishi Ki-15 Karigane named Kamikaze, from Tokyo to London in a record wetting flight which marked the Japanese aviation industry as a world player.