Has anyone been stationed in Misawa, Yokota, or Kadena?

Question

If so, did you like it? I am thinking about Japan as a follow-on after Korea. Which base is better and why?

Answer 1

Misawa seems to be fairly family friendly. Things tend to be more focused on AirForce (they will help service members of any branch however some services such as free child care while PCS'ing in and out are only available to AirForce due to funding) but there are services for other branches. The housing for 2 and 3 bedrooms has almost no wait. Transportation is simple. Service members pass along cars as the PCS or out grow their current car. A NICE family car will cost you about $1,500 to $3,000.00. They drive on the wrong side of the road here but you get used to it after the first few days. As with all overseas tours, you get to deal with "fun" AFN commercials but Mr. Soapy is just so cute isn't he. The exhange is small (as compaired to those state side) and has a smaller selection than my wife would like but places like Walmart.com and Target.com deliver. The locals here in Misawa are very kind and helpful. Hope this helps.
RR

Answer 2

It has been many years, but I was stationed at Kadena 8 yrs, Yokota 2 yrs, Misawa 6 years. Liked all. Misawa was the best in my life. Previous answers have spelled it out for you. I say Go For Any....

Answer 3

We lived in Misawa for 7 years and visited Yokota frequently. We loved Misawa. It is far more rural than Yokota, but has one of the best host nation relationships of any military base in the world. The base is very active with the Japanese community. Japan Day is held on base once a year, with displays of traditional Japanese crafts, music, dance, flower arranging and the like. American Day is off base, once a year with displays of American holidays, traditions, foods and the like. There is an active Japanese American friendship club, the base has it's own Taiko drum team (at the time we were there, it was the only one in Japan comprised solely of Americans). The base is small and the area is very rural. The closest mall is about 20 minutes away. Off base, there is little international community and less English than you would find in Tokyo. The winters are LONG...we had snow for Halloween several times...and there is a fair amount of snow (think up-state New York levels). There is som fabulous skiing in the area and the base has it;s own small ski slope and rope pull. The base is used to it, so you won't see the snow days you may back in the states! Summer in Misawa is much shorter than in Tokyo, with humidity being the largest factor and only for a few weeks in August. There is no central AC in any of the housing and window units are not allowed, but you really don't need it enough to worry. The only people that issue can affect are folks with bad pollen allergies. Tokyo has milder winters, but the summers are much hotter and more humid and really uncomfortable....think DC and VA for a comparison. Tokyo has tons to do, all the time, but you will be dealing with higher costs (even for Japan), far more traffice and poor air quality. We had friends in Kadena. Tons of water sports, warmer climate year round (really hot in summer..think FL) but the relations with off base neighbors is a bit more strained. Am sure you can tell, we loved Misawa, but it really is not for everyone as it is so secluded from other military bases and other international communities. If you want a big city experience, head for Yokota. If you want to see life in Japan as it is in most area, head for Misawa. If snorkeling is your passion, head for Kadena.

Answer 4

you definitely want either Kadena or Misawa unless you are into the big city life. So choose.....mountains (misawa) or beach (kadena) We were at Yokota, Japan is great the people are great and there is lots to do. BUT traffic is horrible....pollution is bad....and the base itself has very limited medical facilities. (for instance if your pregnant and high risk ...or have multiples, they send you to okinawa at around 28-30 weeks and you have to stay there until 2 weeks after your baby is born because they dont have NICU facilities..pretty much everyone who needs surgery has to go to Hawaii for it and so on) as far as traffic is concerned think about the worst traffic youve ever seen in the US (new york city, washington DC beltway, Golden gate bridge) which is usually only bad at "rush hour" and plan on seeing that pretty much 24 hours a day..... my husband had to drive to Tokyo a few times (around 25 miles) and would leave at 4 am to get there by 8. I visited both Misawa and Kadena while I was over there though and both are very nice bases (you still run into the medical issue at misawa but not as bad) .....there is still plenty to do but the area around the bases is so much nicer IMO.

Answer 5

My husband was stationed on the USMC base of Camp Hansen on Okinawa, but we lived in Kadena housing. This was our first interaction with an AF base. As far as my kids were concerned, they loved it. I loved it. There is so much the base offers for families and they don't leav eout the other branches. Okinawa has all four branches on Island. As far as the island, there is so much to do, very friendly, it doesn't snow like in Korea. The typhoons shouldn't scare you off either, the island was build for those things. It felt like being in the US living aboard Kadena, but in a more relaxed mode. Don't let the language barrier scare you, the nationals speak English and if they don''t just point and somehow you will get an answers.

Answer 6

we were in Yokosuka( about an hour from Yokota) and Hubby did some TADs to the Det in Misawa.

LOVED Japan. Misawa: think snow. lots of snow. Yokotoa: think Eastern Seaboard, around Virginia.

Answer 7

I was not stationed at Kadena, I was down the road about 30 mins at camp foster but of the bases on Okinawa it is the best one, we used to go there to shop and go to the enlisted club there. I don't have any info on the other bases you mentioned but I loved Japan, so if your not ready to come back to the states yet I would definitely pull a tour there.

Answer 8

well if i remember right i have a friend who just came out of boot camp. literally. he came home on the 23rd. I think he is on his way to Misawa. hes looking forward to it.