logo
Funny Animals Interesting Freaky Pop Culture

$20 Billion Remote Airport Slowly Sinking Into The Sea

by Damjan

Kansai International Airport is one of Japan’s most remarkable feats of engineering, showcasing the country’s innovative approach to solving infrastructure challenges. Situated on a man-made island in Osaka Bay, this $20 billion airport was constructed to relieve overcrowding at Osaka International Airport.

Building an entire airport in the sea was ambitious, but it reflects Japan’s ability to push the boundaries of what is possible in modern architecture and civil engineering. The airport is on an artificial island named Kankūjima, around 300 miles west of Tokyo.

According to Google, Osaka Bay, where the island was built, is a significant body of water with an average depth of 27 meters. This bay flows into Wakayama Bay and, ultimately, the Pacific Ocean, providing a unique setting for this large-scale project.

Kansai International Airport is divided into terminals: Terminal 1, designed by the world-renowned architect Renzo Piano, and Terminal 2. Terminal 1 handles domestic and international flights and is the most extended airport terminal globally, spanning 1.7 kilometers. Terminal 2 is used for local flights, serving regional airlines and passengers.

Despite meticulous planning, Kansai International Airport has faced challenges since its opening in 1994, most notably due to the island’s gradual sinking. Although engineers took measures to reinforce the clay foundation beneath the airport, they underestimated the unpredictability of the sea floor.

The island has already sunk 38 feet since its construction and is expected to sink an additional 13 feet by 2056, raising concerns that it could be submerged by 2100.

The flooding of Kansai International Airport occurred in 2018 when Typhoon Jebi struck Japan’s west coast.

The unique design of the airport, which appears to float on water, has caught the attention of social media users worldwide. Enthusiastic posts describe it as a civil engineering marvel, with one user calling it "a wonderful site" and another praising it as "an airport floating in the middle of the ocean."

The flooding of Kansai International Airport occurred in 2018 when Typhoon Jebi struck Japan’s west coast.Getty Stock

The airport, with its luxurious shops, including Chanel, Hermes, and Cartier, continues to draw admiration for its services and remarkable location and design. It sees approximately 20 million passengers annually, making it the third busiest airport in Japan.

According to the YouTube channel Design Nerd, Kansai International transports around one million tons of cargo yearly.

A picture of Kansai International Airport from before the addition of its second terminal.

One challenge occurred in 2018 when Typhoon Jebi hit Japan, causing severe damage to the airport. The storm breached the seawalls and flooded the terminal buildings.

The powerful winds were so intense that they pushed an oil tanker into the bridge connecting the airport to the mainland, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded. While the airport’s construction was hailed as groundbreaking, events like this typhoon demonstrate the vulnerabilities of building on an artificial island in the ocean.

A picture of Kansai International Airport from before the addition of its second terminal.Getty Stock

Kansai International Airport is a testament to human ingenuity and Japan’s drive to solve urban infrastructure problems.

However, it also reminds us that even the most advanced engineering projects can encounter unforeseen challenges.

The island's ongoing sinking and the risks posed by natural disasters like typhoons continue to test the resilience of this incredible structure.

Share this article:

Facebook icon Pinterest icon Tumblr icon Link icon Twitter icon

Related Articles

Revolutionary AI Tool Generates Stunningly Hyper-Realistic Photos

Revolutionary AI Tool Generates Stunningly Hyper-Realistic Photos

After 178 Days In Space, Astronaut Discovers Structure That Proves We've Been Living A 'Big Lie' All Along

After 178 Days In Space, Astronaut Discovers Structure That Proves We've Been Living A 'Big Lie' All Along

Saturn’s Rings Are About To Disappear—Here’s Why And What It Means For The Future

Saturn’s Rings Are About To Disappear—Here’s Why And What It Means For The Future

Scientists Make Mouse Skin Transparent Using Food Dye In A Real-Life 'Invisible Man' Discovery

Scientists Make Mouse Skin Transparent Using Food Dye In A Real-Life 'Invisible Man' Discovery

Apple Watch Series 10 Has Beautiful Design, But It Might Not Be All It’s Cracked Up To Be

Apple Watch Series 10 Has Beautiful Design, But It Might Not Be All It’s Cracked Up To Be

The Mystery Of A 400-Year-Old Ship Carrying Gold Could Be Solved

The Mystery Of A 400-Year-Old Ship Carrying Gold Could Be Solved

Scientists Detect DNA Of Alive Prehistoric Fish In The Connecticut River, Kicking Off A Race To Locate It

Scientists Detect DNA Of Alive Prehistoric Fish In The Connecticut River, Kicking Off A Race To Locate It

This Quick, Painless Skin Cancer Screening Could Save Thousands of Lives

This Quick, Painless Skin Cancer Screening Could Save Thousands of Lives

Shark Tank's Biggest Mistake—The Billion-Dollar Product They Rejected Now Protects Homes Across America

Shark Tank's Biggest Mistake—The Billion-Dollar Product They Rejected Now Protects Homes Across America

Tobey Maguire’s Iconic Spider-Man Cafeteria Scene Was Actually Real—No CGI Involved

Tobey Maguire’s Iconic Spider-Man Cafeteria Scene Was Actually Real—No CGI Involved

Gen Z Revamps Animal Shelter’s Marketing, and the Internet Can't Get Enough

Gen Z Revamps Animal Shelter’s Marketing, and the Internet Can't Get Enough

Japanese Researchers Win Ig Nobel Prize For Uncovering A Crazy Secret About Mammals

Japanese Researchers Win Ig Nobel Prize For Uncovering A Crazy Secret About Mammals

Teacher Outsmarts Cheating Students With "Impossible" Exam Questions They Can't Resist Googling

Teacher Outsmarts Cheating Students With "Impossible" Exam Questions They Can't Resist Googling

Earth To Acquire A Second Moon This Month — But It’s Only Temporary

Earth To Acquire A Second Moon This Month — But It’s Only Temporary

Content Creator Reveals YouTube Earnings For 10-Million-Views Video, Leaving Fans Stunned

Content Creator Reveals YouTube Earnings For 10-Million-Views Video, Leaving Fans Stunned

Bill Gates' 15 Bold Predictions From 25 Years Ago That All Came True

Bill Gates' 15 Bold Predictions From 25 Years Ago That All Came True

IT Expert Advocates For Downgrading Phones — Here’s How It Helped Him

IT Expert Advocates For Downgrading Phones — Here’s How It Helped Him

People Stunned After Finding Out How Much It Costs To Charge A Cybertruck

People Stunned After Finding Out How Much It Costs To Charge A Cybertruck

James May Proves Cybertruck Isn't All Straight Edges And Flat Surfaces After Doing A Full Review

James May Proves Cybertruck Isn't All Straight Edges And Flat Surfaces After Doing A Full Review

This 'Crazy' Plan To Save Arctic Sea Ice Might Just Work—And Scientists Are On It

This 'Crazy' Plan To Save Arctic Sea Ice Might Just Work—And Scientists Are On It

Tesla Owner Reveals Savings He’s Made On Gas After Six Years And 144,225 Miles On The Road

Tesla Owner Reveals Savings He’s Made On Gas After Six Years And 144,225 Miles On The Road

Man On A Mission To Revive Extinct Woolly Mammoths—Predicts Their Return By 2028

Man On A Mission To Revive Extinct Woolly Mammoths—Predicts Their Return By 2028

Apple’s Iconic 9:41 Time Stamp—A Tribute To Steve Jobs’ Legacy And The iPhone 16 Launch

Apple’s Iconic 9:41 Time Stamp—A Tribute To Steve Jobs’ Legacy And The iPhone 16 Launch

This Powder Costs $140 Million Per Gram, Making It The Most Expensive Item On Earth

This Powder Costs $140 Million Per Gram, Making It The Most Expensive Item On Earth

Apple Watch Users Stunned By App That Detects Illness Before Symptoms Appear—Is This the Future Of Healthcare

Apple Watch Users Stunned By App That Detects Illness Before Symptoms Appear—Is This the Future Of Healthcare

The Asteroid 16 Psyche Is Worth A Whooping $100,000 Quadrillion And NASA Is Explaining Why

The Asteroid 16 Psyche Is Worth A Whooping $100,000 Quadrillion And NASA Is Explaining Why

Categories

Funny Animals Interesting Freaky Pop Culture

Business

About Us Advertise Contact Us

Legal

Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy DMCA Removal
 Logo
About Us Privacy DMCA Removal Contact Us Terms Funny Animals Interesting Freaky Pop Culture

© 2025 - All Rights Reserved

 logo

Sign In to

facebook icon Sign in with facebook
facebook icon Sign in with google

Or sign in with email

Need an account? Sign Up

Forgot Password?

By creating an account, you agree to the Terms of Service

 logo

Sign Up to

Already have an account? Sign In

By creating an account, you agree to the Terms of Service

Edit profile

User Photo