Lake Biwa Birdman Contest 2026 launches with TV coverage and safety tragedy

The Iwatani Special Birdman Contest 2026 opened on July 25 at the shore of Lake Biwa in Hikone, Shiga, with 12 human‑propeller teams taking off. A total of 11 teams entered the propeller division and 17 entered the glide‑plane division, drawing participants from across Japan.

The event will be broadcast nationwide on Yomiuri TV and Nippon TV networks on September 2, featuring a three‑hour program hosted by Hiroyuki Yabe and Shunichi Hatori. Former Snow Man member Ryohei Abe returns for a third consecutive year, and the contest is highlighted by a major collaboration with the anime Detective Conan, whose characters appear in the logo, T‑shirts and promotional video.

New real‑time onboard cameras were installed in eight of the twelve propeller‑team cockpits, allowing live streams of pilots’ expressions. Hours before the start, a construction worker died after falling from an 11‑metre scaffold, prompting a moment of silence and the addition of safety barriers around the platform. The glide‑plane division is scheduled for September 26.