August 24, 2021, was the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Paralympics. If you didn’t know, I’m not a big supporter of the Olympics. But, as you probably do know, I like airplanes. So, when my wife told me the Blue Impulse acrobatics team would soon fly over the city, I scrambled to put my Fujifilm XF 100-400mm on my X-T3. I was completely unprepared, but I photographed them. Military jets are always a thrill to see.
Blue Impulse is the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s aerobatic team. They are from 11 Squadron of the 4th Air Wing and fly the Kawasaki T-4 intermediate jet trainer. They’re based at Miyagi Prefecture’s Matsushima Air Base.
The team flew over Tokyo trailing plumes of red, blue, and green from the Paralympics. Over the city’s center, they laid the colors in the three “agitos.” Agito means “I move” in Latin. It symbolizes movement in the shape of an asymmetrical crescent.
And the three colors? Most countries use them in their national flags. That’s an easy answer!
The aircraft only made two passes near my apartment. My pictures were the best I could do under the circumstances. What did I learn from this? It is better to get some photos than end up with none. The Paralympics are a big event, and memories of those are important.
What’s the most difficult aviation shot you’ve ever tried to get?
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and plans to capture the entire city.
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