Okinawa, Japan
(April 12, 2025)
After some very long sea days, we arrived in Okinawa. We went on the Battle of Okinawa tour, which included:
1. The Former Japanese Navy Headquarters. It consists of a series of underground tunnels that were dug by hand and reinforced with concrete and posts to withstand the bombardment by the American troops. The tunnels were able to sustain 4000 Japanese soldiers.
2. The Peace Museum and Memorial in Okinawa recounts the battle. Chilling videotaped eyewitness accounts were told by the survivors in the exhibition room. The grounds are beautifully landscaped with trees and numerous engraved walls with the names of the 220,000 whose lives were taken.
3. The memorial in honor of female school students and teachers of the Himeyuri School who perished during the war, where a total of 227 lives were lost. The Himeyuri Peace Memorial was built one year after the Battle of Okinawa ended. It was built above the cave where most of the lives were lost.
The long, arched tunnel stretched ahead, lit softly as it curved into the distance.
The memorial grounds, with their buildings and red roofs, stretched out under a bright sky.
Walking the damp tunnel, with its rock walls and wet floor, was a sobering part of the tour.
Rows of engraved stones stood among the trees on the beautifully landscaped grounds.
The tall white tower rose above the landscaped grounds, a striking landmark on the hill.
The cave entrance, framed by rock and hanging greenery, felt both quiet and solemn.
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