Praying for peace from the hill where the Tochka of the former Japanese army remains
There is a small hill in the village of Kasazu in Ginowan City, which was a fierce battleground during the Battle of Okinawa.
The Japanese Army once established a position on this hill, which is called “Kasadachi”, and fierce battles were fought between the U.S. forces advancing from the north.
After the war, the view from the hill changed drastically.
The vast U.S. military base “Futenma Air Base” was built in what was once a peaceful rural area.
What did the soldiers who fought and died on the Tochka that remains at the top of the hill protect?
Looking down on the Futenma base, which is said to be the most dangerous in the world, you may want to think about what true
Observatory in the shape of the earth
At the top of the long flight of stairs from the parking lot is a cute earth-shaped observatory.
Designed to pray for world peace, climbing to the top of this observatory offers a spectacular view of the entire central region of Okinawa’s main island!
Below you can see the Futenma base, which has been rocked by the relocation issue, and the Osprey aircraft assigned to it.
The images of the Futenma base often seen on the news are often filmed from here.
The coastline stretching from Chatan to Yomitan was the landing point of the U.S. forces during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945.
It is not only a nice view, but also a place where you can feel the “history” of Okinawa from the Battle of Okinawa to the present.
Tochka of the former Japanese Army
Taking advantage of its location, a strong Japanese military position was built on this hill during the Battle of Okinawa.
Although it is inaccessible, an underground position dug out in a mesh-like pattern under the hill is said to still remain.
The concrete structure beside the observation deck is a tochka that was used to fire on the oncoming U.S. troops.
The concrete surface has been lost and battered by heavy counterattacks from the U.S. forces.
Inside is a small, dimly lit space.
I wonder how the soldiers of that time must have felt when they fought inside.
Why here? Pagoda in Kyoto
One of the most popular destinations for visitors to Okinawa is the Cornerstone of Peace in Itoman City.
Cenotaphs for those who were called up by the Japanese military and died in Okinawa are erected in each prefecture.
However, there is no cenotaph for Kyoto Prefecture at the Cornerstone of Peace.
It is located here on the Kasado Highland.
It stands quietly at a distance of about 50 meters from the observatory.
The troops assigned here were called up in Kyoto.
In a fierce battle, they were all killed.
Many residents of the village were also killed in the battle.
