Frozen in America’s 1950’s in Saitama Prefecture

Saitama Prefecture (埼玉県, Saitama-ken) is a landlocked prefecture of Japan and is part of the Greater Tokyo Area. Saitama Prefecture is considered to be a suburb of Tokyo and many people who work in the country’s capital brave the daily commute and call Saitama home.

The area of Saitama was known throughout history as a fertile agricultural region that produced most of the food for the Kantō region. Many feudal daimyos during the Edo period ruled small domains in the area. By the end of the early modern Edo period, large parts of present-day Saitama were part of the Shogunate domain while major areas were part of the fiefdoms.

Iruma Air Base

Established in 1937, Iruma Air Base is located along the borders of the towns of Sayama and Iruma in Saitama Prefecture. It is a busy Japanese military flight hub that serves as the headquarters of the Japan Self Defense Force’s Air Defense Flight Group. The airplanes found at the base range in size and they come and go at regular intervals on a daily basis. During WWII, the air base played a significant role including the deployment of kamikaze missions.

When the U.S. took over Iruma Air Base after the war ended, it was renamed to Johnson Air Base. The base became one of the most important U.S. military installations in Japan. Iruma Air Base housed all major air force units operating all over the country including South Korea. During the Korean War (1950-1953), Iruma Air Base reached peak activity.

Johnson Town 入間市 埼玉県

Within close distance to Iruma Air Base is Johnson Town. For many American Air Force personnel deployed to the base so as to make them feel like still being at home, exclusive officer neighborhoods were built to resemble the exact American family-style suburbs of the 1950’s. Wooden homes with front porches and neatly trimmed lawns, American diners, bars, American schools and other community related activities were all nearby.

Johnson Town today remains stuck in time during the 1950’s .Now a privately owned neighborhood that keeps the mid century vibe. The are a number of American 1950’s restaurants and antique shops specializing in Americana. Great burgers, fries and a milkshake will not be hard to find. Though American culture is widely seen all around Jonson Town, almost all of the shop owners are Japanese and cater to Japanese customers, with nary an American in sight.