wwii

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…

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…

Haebaru’s Hellish Hospital Tunnels: Haebaru Okinawa Army Hospital Tunnel No. 20
Haebaru’s Hellish Hospital Tunnels: Haebaru Okinawa Army Hospital Tunnel No. 20

Haebaru’s Hellish Hospital Tunnels: Haebaru Okinawa Army Hospital Tunnel No. 20

Though it can be read as a standalone article, this is the second in a series on the Himeyuri Student Corps where we follow their story to the place they first went to war, the Haebaru Okinawa Army Hospital. A…

Himeyuri Corps: Female High School Student Nurses during the Battle of Okinawa  
Himeyuri Corps: Female High School Student Nurses during the Battle of Okinawa  

Himeyuri Corps: Female High School Student Nurses during the Battle of Okinawa  

During World War II Japan expected everyone to do their part in securing the nation’s unquestionable ultimate victory and this included teenagers. On the mainland high school students were drafted en masse to work in munitions factories turning out weapons…

Visit Suzu’s House, a World War II Japanese Home at Showa Living History Museum
Visit Suzu’s House, a World War II Japanese Home at Showa Living History Museum

Visit Suzu’s House, a World War II Japanese Home at Showa Living History Museum

An old-fashioned wooden home hidden in an otherwise unassuming modern Tokyo suburb, Showa no Kurashi (Showa Living History Museum)* normally depicts post-war Tokyo life but for a limited time its taking visitors back to World War II to show life…

Nagasaki’s Atomic-Bomb Surviving School: Shiroyama Elementary School
Nagasaki’s Atomic-Bomb Surviving School: Shiroyama Elementary School

Nagasaki’s Atomic-Bomb Surviving School: Shiroyama Elementary School

The Atomic Bomb Museum, Peace Park and hypocenter are Nagasaki’s most well-known cluster of sites associated with Aug. 9, 1945 atomic bombing but less than 500 meters away there’s another place that’s less known but with its own unique perspective…

Hidden War Brought to Light: Defunct Imperial Japanese Army Noborito Laboratory Museum for Education in Peace
Hidden War Brought to Light: Defunct Imperial Japanese Army Noborito Laboratory Museum for Education in Peace

Hidden War Brought to Light: Defunct Imperial Japanese Army Noborito Laboratory Museum for Education in Peace

In a corner of Meiji University’s Ikuta campus sits a small drab building. Well-maintained and completely non-descript it could be another classroom tucked away from the campus’ other towering facility. The only unusual thing about it is a large sign…