Ship spotting photographs and video of vessels sailing the Kanmon Straits of Japan between Kitakyushu and Shimonoseki. Accompanied with insightful details and meaningless commentary by Ship Freakazoid.
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JS HYUGA ひゅうが
photographed January 30, 2025 around 17:00 by Ship Freakazoid while JMSDF military vessel ship spotting in the Kanmon Straits of Japan. The helicopter carrier made an eerie metallic sound as it passed between Garden Paradise Kitakyushu and So-So Shimonoseki City on a hazy, frigid and windy winter afternoon.
JS HYUGA ・ ひゅうが sailing the Kanmon Straits of Japan
This Japan Maritime Self Defense Force ASW vessel's paintjob and construction gives it a unique look and makes it look very different from different angles and under differing lighting conditions. Interesting... And, certainly well planned out by what some call the Japanese Navy.
DDH-181 HYUGA a JMSDF anti-submarine warfare helicopter carrier
関門海峡を通る (HYUGA) ひゅうが型護衛艦
Ship Freakazoid captured the ASW (anti-submarine warfare) carrier HYUGA (DDH-181) as it sailed thru Kanmon Straits of Japan on January 30, 2025 at around 17:00. It's passage was announced in advance and posted on a Japan Coast Guard website. The old (very old) and faithful antique JVC Everio video camera with 54x Konica Minolta lens mounted on a secondhand Slik tripod was used to record video of this Japan Maritime Self Defense Force helicopter carrier. For photographs an old Olympus E-520 DSLR with 150mm Zuiko lens was used.
Here are some details on the ship:
Vessel Name: JS HYUGA ひゅうが
Type: Military Ops (ASW carrier / Helicopter Carrier - Hyuga Class ひゅうが型護衛艦)
Displacement: 13,950 tons standard; 19,000 tons full load
Length: 197 m (646 ft)
Width: 33 m (108 ft)
Draft: 7 m (23 ft)
Namesake: Hyūga Province
Ordered: 2004
Builder: IHI, Yokohama
Laid down: 11 May 2006
Launched: 23 August 2007
Commissioned: 18 March 2009
Homeport: Maizuru
IDENTIFICATION
MMSI number: 431999693
Callsign: JSNI
Pennant number: DDH-181
PROPULSION
COGAG, 4 Ishikawajima Harima/General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines
Two shafts 5-bladed CP props
100,000 shaft horsepower (75 MW)
Speed Over 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
SENSORS & PROCESSING SYSTEMS
ATECS (advanced technology command system)
OYQ-10 advanced combat direction system
FCS-3 AAW system
OQQ-21 ASW system
NOLQ-3C EW system
OPS-20C surface search radar
ARMAMENT
16 cells Mk 41 VLS
16 ESSM
12 RUM-139 VL ASROC
2 × 20 mm Phalanx CIWS
2 × triple 324 mm torpedo tubes
12.7mm MG
AIRCRAFT CARRIED
3 × SH-60K, 1 × MCH-101
18 aircraft maximum
AVIATION FACILITIES
Flight deck and enclosed hangar
The brand spanking new container ship A SUWA (Flag of Hong Kong) sailed thru the Kanmon Straits of Japan on a lovely Japanese autumn day (November 11, 2024) and was filmed with an antique JVC Everio video camera (Konica Minolta 54x lens) by a sissy sicko with no credentials known as Ship Freakazoid. More footage from ship spotting the vessels passing by Kitakyushu and Shimonoseki Japan can be seen on this YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ShipFreakazoid Like, subscribe, and comment should you so please... A SUWA It was nice to see such a new and colorful container ship pass by the glorious coastline of Garden Paradise Kitakyushu. The vessel A SUWA sails under the Flag of Hong Kong and was built in 2024 (also known as the year DJT won his 3rd str8 prez elexion ( ^)o(^ )). General cargo ship, container ship and tanker in Kanmon Straits The Kanmon Straits are always busy and provide a beautiful sight when several vessels can be seen entering the strait from the west side. Th...
Alright, so check this out! FATA MORGANA is this wild optical illusion that happens when you're standing on land, looking out over the ocean, and you see a ship that looks like it's floating above the horizon. It's not magic, though—it’s science at work. Fata Morgana - Ship sailing in the sky as viewed from Kitakyushu Here’s the lowdown. The air above the ocean is usually colder than the air higher up in the atmosphere. But sometimes, you get a temperature inversion where the air closer to the water is actually warmer than the air above it. This temperature difference makes light bend or "refract." So instead of light traveling in a straight line, it curves and can make things appear in places where they shouldn’t be. Kind of like when you’re staring into a glass of water and the spoon looks all weird. It’s the same principle. Fata Morgana - Cargo ship appears to be sailing in the sky Now, when you're on land looking out at the ocean, and you spot a ship tha...
a Takanami-class destroyer of Japan Maritime Self Defense Force sailed thru the Kanmon Straits on the morning of March 10, 2025. JS SUZUNAMI すずなみ DD-114 Ship Freakazoid was about to call it a day after a cold morning of shooting ships with cameras when a dodgy looking ship caught his eye. It sort of looked like a gray colored tugboat at first. Chinese Navy doesn't like this Japanese Destroyer Just goes to show military designs and paint schemes work. Especially considering the badass armaments and destructive capabilities it possesses. The CCP's People's Liberation Army Navy doesn't like this Japanese Destroyer. They (the Chinese Navy) unsuccessfully tried to scare Japan by flying a helicopter dangerously close to the JS Suzunami some years ago. They obviously were intimidated by the superior JMSDF vessel. JMSDF Destroyer SUZUNAMI (DD-114) sailing the Kanmon Straits 関門海峡を通るJS SUZUNAMI（すずなみ）海上自衛隊の護衛艦 The video camera battery ran out during shooting, but there was just ...
