Travel Photos: Sōgen-ji (崇元寺) Arched Stone Gates in Naha

Formerly a Buddhist Temple

 

Built sometime during the reign of King Sho Shin 1477-1526, only the walls remain.

The buildings and grounds were destroyed during the Battle of Okinawa.

The three arched stone gates are probably what most people photograph.

There isn't much to see, besides a public park, beyond them.

It only took a minute, to get some close-up shots of the stonework.

Soon, I'll be going back down that way, to take more photos of this historical monument.

There's a real gem of a Then and Now, waiting at  Sōgen-ji (崇元寺) for me.

As soon as the weather and Naha traffic cooperate, we'll getterdun.

This Old House Could Use Some American Lovin'

In the never-ending pursuit of photos for my Then and Now Series I found this beauty.

It's one of the few houses that survived the Battle of Okinawa.

Over 100 years old, it is a wooden home built without a single nail.

  

The photo, I borrowed off this historical sign, posted in front of the house.

Next, I cropped the sign some more so you could read it without me having to type a lot.

 This old house was the first postwar museum on the island of Okinawa.

And, it's still standing today.

It would make a great Then and Now story.

There is one small problem with me doing it.

Whatever type of funding the place was getting from the government has been cut off.

That's according to emails I have been getting from some reliable sources.

The valuable artifacts that were in this museum are now in the Okinawa Prefectural Museum. 

The place should have been declared a World Heritage Site.

It may be demolished for lack of the few pennies a day it would take to keep it standing.

Look at the historical documents on the first postwar museum.

Then, you'll understand why I say this old house could use some American lovin'.

TRUST ME.  I KNOW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT FUNDRAISING.

But, if you do, we can do something about this situation.

Get with me on Facebook if you'd like to help.

Some military unit, church, base commander, chaplain, wives club, scout troop, housing agency,

 franchise, philanthropist, or even, a decent motorcycle gang, can save this old house.

Don't you think so?

More about the Higashionna Museum and Directions

Then and Now Photos: The Stone Lion of Tomori Okinawa, Japan

The Stone Lion of Tomori is probably the most published and oldest Shisa (lion dog statue) on the island of Okinawa, Japan. The photo was taken June 18, 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa.

This copy of the original press release photo was provided by

REMEMBERING OKINAWA

The scene, as it looks now, comes from the camera of Russell Robertson (RyukyuRusty) and was taken just this week, on March 18, 2012.

Photo #3, also dated March 18, 2012, I took from a slightly higher elevation, to show more of the background.

As this Then and Now Series progresses we will put together some articles explaining exactly how it's done.  Right now, we're on a learning curve and gaining some valuable experience.

It's a lot of hard work and involves being willing to travel long distances at exactly the right time in order to capture the light and shadows to best duplicate the original scene.

The support I've received from Donn Cuson (Remembering Okinawa), RyukyuRu, RyukyuRusty and Doc Graff (Maybe, I should start calling him RyukyuDoc), make this possible and I owe them all an immense debt.

  Between the lot of us, I don't think we've accumulated a dime doing this business, yet.  But, we are having fun.

Most important is the unbelievable support we have gotten from local Community Centers (公民館) and individual Okinawans we've met on the streets or working their fields.


They learn what I'm trying to do and they smile.


That's good enough for me.


See the original article THE TOMORI LION by DOC GRAFF


MORE THEN AND NOW POSTS

Leaving this Cave in Okinawa had to Feel Great: A Photo Essay

To appreciate what it must feel like being bombed into the Stone Age it's probably best to show you this cave from the inside, looking out.  Welcome to a cave called Shimuku Gama in Yomitan Okinawa, Japan.

Over a thousand residents of Yomitan Village took shelter in this cave during the battle of Okinawa 1945.

With no flashlights or electricity this is the only daylight visible from inside Shimuku Gama.  It's dark.

The only nice thing about this natural bombshelter is the watersupply; it runs right through the front door.

Outside, to the left of the main entrance, this area could be considered the patio; it's covered, sort of.

A little bit to the right of the monument in this photo is the path that you would take to enter the cave.

The monument recognizes two men, I think we should call heroes, Heiji and his nephew Heizo Higa.

The occupying forces of the Japanese Imperial Army had instructed the civilians who took shelter in the cave to kill themselves rather than be captured when American forces arrived at the cave.

When the Americans arrived at the entrance to Shimuku Gama, the Okinawan residents were perpared to take their own lives. 

They had been told they would be tortured, mutilated and raped by the American beasts and belived it.

Heiji and Heizo convinced them otherwise.  They had both lived and worked with Americans in Hawaii and knew that US soldiers would not harm unarmed civilians. Not one civilian from this cave died.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case in many other caves during World War II.

Leaving this cave in Okinawa had to feel great.

REFERENCES:

SURVIVORS REMEMBER COMMOTION THEN CALM INSIDE OKINAWA CAVE

COMPULSORY SUICIDES DURING BATTLE OF OKINAWA


RELATED LINK: REMINDER OF WAR IN OKINAWA