Historic Sites

Kyushu’s Underwater Kamikazes: Hiji Oga Kaiten Memorial Park and Ruins
Kyushu’s Underwater Kamikazes: Hiji Oga Kaiten Memorial Park and Ruins

Kyushu’s Underwater Kamikazes: Hiji Oga Kaiten Memorial Park and Ruins

The suicidal kamikazes were the Japanese empire’s last ditch effort to slow advancing Allied forces. Viewed as tragic heroes today, most of them sortied out from Kyushu and many of the former kamikaze bases have sprouted memorial hall museums and…

Meiji Maru and Monjayaki: Tokyo’s Free Museum Ship and Eating Tsukishima-Style
Meiji Maru and Monjayaki: Tokyo’s Free Museum Ship and Eating Tsukishima-Style

Meiji Maru and Monjayaki: Tokyo’s Free Museum Ship and Eating Tsukishima-Style

Meiji Maru is a ship with unique bragging rights- it’s the reason for a Japanese holiday. After the shogunate was deposed in 1868 and a new government took power, Japan began its rapid transition from feudalism to a modern industrial…

Experiencing Japanese History Through Travel: Sasebo Chinjufu Kaiheidan (Sasebo & Nimitz Park)
Experiencing Japanese History Through Travel: Sasebo Chinjufu Kaiheidan (Sasebo & Nimitz Park)

Experiencing Japanese History Through Travel: Sasebo Chinjufu Kaiheidan (Sasebo & Nimitz Park)

Today we look at the shared past of Nimitz Park and Sasebo Park as the Sasebo Chinjufu’s Kaiheidan. All history postcards are in my personal collection and all uncredited photography is by me. Photos/Videos of individuals taken with permission. Sakai…

The Last Samurai and the Satsuma Rebellion: Battle of Wadagoe and Fall Back to Tawarano (Nobeoka)
The Last Samurai and the Satsuma Rebellion: Battle of Wadagoe and Fall Back to Tawarano (Nobeoka)

The Last Samurai and the Satsuma Rebellion: Battle of Wadagoe and Fall Back to Tawarano (Nobeoka)

Saigo Takamori was a samurai who helped bring about the modern Japanese state in 1868 with the Meiji Restoration. He led its government for a time but retired after falling out over what he perceived as corrupt politics. A few…

Sacred Sefa-utaki and Chinen’s Charming Overlook
Sacred Sefa-utaki and Chinen’s Charming Overlook

Sacred Sefa-utaki and Chinen’s Charming Overlook

According to legend the goddess Amamikyo first came to the island of Okinawa in what’s now Nanjo City on Okinawa’s southeastern Chinen peninsula. With her came the beginning of Ryukyu’s culture and native religion. Her children where the first kings…