Friday – March 20, 2026 – Naha
Today’s featured photo shows senbazuru – sets of 1,000 folded paper cranes to memorialize victims of the war in Okinawa.
Naha is the capital of the island of Okinawa. The population is approximately 1.5 million – so it is a fairly large city. Our excursions today will take us to memorials recounting World War II. As we were waiting for the bus to leave, we found that 2 of our tablemates (Gerrit and Hilde) were on this excursion with us. There is a photo of them in the gallery.
First stop was Heiwakinen Memorial Park. This memorial has several unique segments. The park contains the physical area where the battle of Okinawa ended, a museum commemorating the war at Okinawa, the Cornerstone of Peace (record of those who died in the war) and a stone arch memorial on Peace Hill where the Prime Minister comes each year to remember the conflict and honor those who died. It was sobering to read the history of the battle of Okinawa in the museum. The area was shelled so heavily that it is estimated it will take 100 years to recover and remove all the ordinance still in the soil around Naha. Shells of all sizes continue to be found as new construction disturbs the soil.
Next stop was the Himeyuri Peace Museum. This museum is dedicated to the female high school students and their teachers who were conscripted to help with field hospitals during the battle of Okinawa. Today’s featured photo was taken at the museum where thousands of senbazuru were on display at the entrance to the museum. Photography is not permitted in the museum so clicking on the museum link will provide more information concerning the student involvement. I remember one video of a woman who survived explaining that the students believed it was their responsibility to commit suicide rather than surrender to the American forces – that suicide would honor the Emperor. War is truly hell and exhibits such as this make that statement clear.
We made a reservation to attend the Butcher’s Cut restaurant this evening to remember the date Jan and I met in 1971. We enjoyed our first visit and were glad to be back. The only disappointment was that crab cakes were not available (one of Jan’s favorite starters) because the ship couldn’t get any that met their standards at the ports we have visited in the Pacific. Perhaps they will be back on the menu when we make our third visit to Butcher’s Cut sometime in April or May. In place of the crab cakes Jan selected a shrimp dish – there is a photo in the gallery.
The gallery for today is here.