知覧特攻平和会館(가고시마)

Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots in Minami-Kyushu City, Kagoshima Prefecture: Learning about the Past, the Preciousness of Life, and the Importance of Peace

The visitors’ impressions are as follows,
“I want to cherish life more. I am glad I came here” (elementary school student),
“I think that in order to hope for peace, we need to learn more about the thoughts and feelings of these soldiers so that we can prevent them from repeating them. I don’t want the death of a young man who cared for his family to the end to be in vain. I want to reconsider my responsibility to live.” (High school student).
At the end of World War II, suicide attacks were carried out. This was an unprecedented operation in the history of mankind.
The Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots exhibits artifacts and related materials belonging to the members of the Army Special Attack Force, who sacrificed their bodies to attack enemy vessels with bomb-loaded airplanes.
The museum was built on the site of the former airfield. (from which the Kamikaze pilots took off) It was constructed to convey the tragedy of war and the value of peace and life so that the tragedy will never be repeated, and to contribute to lasting peace in the world.
The War History Exhibition Room introduces how people were involved in the war through video testimonies and other materials.
The museum also exhibits the wills and letters of many of the men, their flight uniforms, an Army Type 4 fighter “Shippou,” and a Navy Type Zero fighter (Zero fighter) salvaged from the sea.
A visit to the museum gives the rare opportunity to hear directly from war survivors nearly 80 years after the war.
About a 6-minute drive from the hall is the Firefly Museum Tomiya Shokudo, a museum that faithfully recreates the original location of a dining hall that was the designated dining hall for the army. The museum exhibits the records of Tome Torihama, who was designated to the dining hall for the army and was adored as a mother, and the Kamikaze pilots.
Sightseeing spots in the vicinity include,
The “Cape of Hope,” a popular scenic spot along the sea that is about a 30-minute drive away and offers a superb view of Mount Kaimondake. There is also Satsuma Fuji; the “Bandokorobana Nature Park,” a scenic spot praised by Ino Tadataka, who measured the entire country to create a map of Japan. He said it is “the most beautiful view under heaven.” Lastly there is “Kamafuta Shrine,” which is believed to bring good luck for success, fortune, pioneering, protection from evil, and longevity of military fortune. Kamafuta Shrine, which is said to be beneficial for victory, good luck, pioneering, exorcism, and longevity of military fortune.
After learning about the painful and sad history of the Kamikaze and the preciousness of life, why not contemplate life, peace, and hope for the future as you look out over the ocean?

Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots
Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (last admission by 4:30 p.m.)
Open all year round
Location: 17881, Gun, Chiran-cho, Minami-Kyushu, Kagoshima 897-0302
Telephone number: 0993-83-2525

Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots  https://www.chiran-tokkou.jp/

Cover photograph provided by 鹿児島県観光連盟