It happened on September 27, 1948
The Governor of Hawaii declared Pigs from the Sea Day on the 70th anniversary.
The Okinawan spirit of Yuimaru - Helping each other is seen in this story.
Let the monument do the talking.
LINKS
Have a look at photos of wildlife, festivals and travel sites here. Sharing tips for travelers with a twist of humor is part the life I enjoy in Okinawa, Japan. Photos and text Copyright © Michael Lynch. All photos contain traced digital watermarks. You may contact:http://www.ryukyulife.com/ for licensing.
Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Saturday, August 18, 2018
Yonabaru Railroad Station Museum
In Days of Old
Before the Yui-rail was invented or, even dreamed of, a railroad once existed on Okinawa.
The original Yonabaru Station is a museum nowadays, dedicated to the original train line.
Friday's camera excursion led us to this attraction.
Some research had led us to believe photography was forbidden.
We planned on making a quick visit, snapping a few outdoor photos and checking it out.
A staff member was at the door, watching us snap photos of the exterior.
Using some sign language (Pointing at the camera and flashing OK?) paid off.
She signaled, "Cameras OK" and that got us indoors with smiles.
This frame on the wall shows the Yonabaru Station as it appeared in 1914.
Yonabaru had a busy shipping port. The rail line transported goods and people to Naha.
An old black and white photo shows the train at the station in the year 1920.
The museum sells trinkets, souvenirs, t-shirts and whatever but not much in English.
It would have been worth my while, to purchase a history of this train.
Here's a 1943 photo of the railroad staff posing by the train.
Much more cargo and passengers could be hauled on that line than, today's 2 car trains.
War in the Pacific
Before the Battle of Okinawa started in 1945, the Typhoon of Steel softened things up.
It was the end of the line for this railroad and the Yonabaru Station.
Much of the southern parts of Okinawa were destroyed during the battle.
Iron was scarce and scavenged for other needs so, the railroad was never restored.
It's a shame, the governments of Japan and the USA didn't restore the railroads of Okinawa.
Now, it seems the 2 car monorail, packed with tourists, is the wave of the future.
On the Bright Side
The museum has free parking for five automobiles.
The building is climate controlled so, it's cool in summer and warm during winter.
Entrance fees are less than it costs to buy a cup of coffee.
Special thanks to Chisato the museum worker for an enjoyable visit.
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Two Old Favorite Shisa in Yaese Town Okinawa
Tomori Stone Lion
There are 14 of these original stone lions (Shisa) to be found in Yaese.
The most famous is the bullet scared one pictured above.
It's considered the granddaddy of them all and has been written about extensively.
See Doc Graff's version of the legend at Apogee Photo Magazine.
Yesterday, three of us went out and visited some of the antique Shisa statues down south.
Lighting conditions were fairly horrible but, we had fun anyway.
One old dude (named Jerry) had never seen these statues before so, we felt like tour guides.
I'd post a photo of him doing photography but, am waiting for his approval.
People can take you to court if, you don't have permission to publish their photo.
This guy is older and probably wiser than me so, you'll have to keep on waiting.
Kogusuku Nise Ishi
This one doesn't look like much but, it's becoming as famous with tourists as the one above.
Over the years, I have noticed improvements to the sites and the ease of access.
Convenient parking, stairways and, trimming of vegetation are bonuses.
Getting out to find local treasures can be a chore when you're sweating swatting bugs.
These statues are easy to reach and even have stairs with handrails, to assist you in climbing.
No Typing Necessary
Here they placed a sign, giving the story in English and Japanese.
In case you're new around here let me tell you, "I Hate Typing."
Whenever you see a sign like this, you should shoot it with your camera.
That way, it won't require translation and, writing a short story becomes simple!
Visit the Stone Shisa of Yaese
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Thursday, August 3, 2017
Seeing Hacksaw Ridge
Not the Movie - The Terrain
War movies aren't something you'll catch me watching very often. War kinda sucks.
We've heard about the film "Hacksaw Ridge" and, seen a few promotional clips.
Doc Graff and I, decided to take a hike, with cameras and, check the place out.
It was a blazing hot August day and, we were sweating like a few hogs in a roaster.
There's a little museum-looking building we came across and, saw this poster.
The building is called Urasoe Youdore and, it's well worth paying 100 yen to visit.
The staff are friendly and gave us permission to take photos. Little English is spoken.
But, we get by with our pidgin Japanese and Okinawan Hogen.
There are all sorts of treasures in this climate controlled building.
They have archaeological, historical and war-related artifacts on display and, I found this photo.
It shows Medal of Honor recipient, Desmond Doss, visiting Okinawa in 1995.
For those who never heard of Desmond Doss or Hacksaw Ridge, I shot this photo.
The stone marker, dedicated to him, has been moved over the years.
We had trekked the lower levels of the hill but, wanted to walk Hacksaw Ridge entirely.
That's because there's a spot named Desmond Doss Point, up there somewhere.
All along the walkways, going up and down those hills, there are caves.
The vegetation is too thick, to see many of them and, it's fairly rough terrain.
Not far from the Urasoe Castle walls, we located Desmond Doss Point and, this photo was taken.
The Original Stone Marker
The day wouldn't be complete, without locating the stone dedicated to Pfc. Doss.
A gentleman, working at the museum, gave us directions to the Adventist Church.
It's located far from Hacksaw Ridge, in Kitanakagusuku.
The International Seventh-day Adventist Church, maintains the marker.
The church was located and, a middle aged woman came out to show us the location of the stone.
We thanked her and, asked if photography would be allowed. She gave the OK.
The back side of the stone is etched in Japanese. I can read Desmond T Doss.
When we were done, the lady at the church, invited us to go inside the buildings.
We're sweating like a couple of goats in heat by now and, I ain't crazy about churches.
So, we thanked her and, said it was time for us to get back on the highway.
Church people are alright and, I try to be respectful around them but, don't get too close.
They're religious and I'm sacrilegious so, don't want none of my stuff getting rubbed into them.
If, you decide to visit Hacksaw Ridge, there's parking at the bottom of the trail.
For a shorter hike, I recommend parking at Urasoe Youdore ; don't forget to visit the toilets.
There are no Men's or Women's facilities once you leave that parking lot !
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Booklets Gathered from Okinawa Prefecture Archives
A Wealth of Information
A visit to Okinawa Prefectural Archives netted me a few pounds of booklets.
These items, written in English and Japanese, are available for free to the pubic.
It helps if, you speak a little Japanese or, bring along someone, to assist with translation.
Anyone who knows me, can attest that, I'm a fairly boisterous character.
The place, has sort of a library atmosphere so, I asked two adults, to enter first.
They speak in normal (soft to me) volumes and, broke the ice before, I entered.
Photography Is Permitted
Many establishments, such as this, do not permit photography.
This facility will let you use a camera, with one exception - NO FLASH.
Many of the items are enclosed in glass cases so, flash wouldn't be a bright idea, anyhow.
Hundreds maybe, thousands of classified/secret documents and messages, may be viewed.
Most of them pertain to the war or, the administration of the Ryukyu islands, afterwards.
Of course, these days, they are no longer considered classified materials.
A few of the Secret files, I took photos of but, ain't showing anybody because, I feel guilty.
Materials Gathered
Top center in the image above, is the only item which was unnumbered.
It contains over 200 pages of information and images depicting Okinawa's history.
Title: Okinawan History on Record Archives as Evidence of Change
Especially important, to me is a scroll, handwritten letter from Kanemaru to the Shogun.
Kanemaru changed his name to Sho En, when he became the king of the Ryukyu islands.
He wrote, thanking the Shogun for a sword, gifted to him.
Sho En is someone, I have a special interest in and, have been tracing his history.
From his birthplace, travels, reign as king, to his burial, I have been researching his past.
Heck, I even know where the other end if his bellybutton (umbilical cord) was buried.
Any Okinawan, whose umbilical cord wasn't saved, may have a problem.
Either, their family doesn't follow tradition or, they might have been born ugly !
Book #2
Minatogawa Human Remains and Paleolithic Okinawa
This is a 55 page booklet filled with archaeology, human, animals bones and fossils.
Book #5
The Battle of Okinawa: Views from the Air
Airbases Photographed by US Forces Before and After the Battle
Fifty pages of images taken of airfields the Japanese had built throughout the islands.
A total of 18 airfields, were constructed during 1944, in preparation for the war.
Okinawa was to become an "unsinkable aircraft carrier" in the defense of Japan.
Book #8
The Edo-nobori Ceremony and Triangular Politic
A 72 page, illustrated booklet, depicting envoys from the Ryukyu islands to Edo.
Ships sailed to mainland Japan, bringing island royalty to pay tribute to the Shogun.
Ryukyu formal attire, resembled that of Chinese clothing, distinctly not, Japanese.
This resulted in delegations appearing as foreigners, to the northern neighbors.
Book #10
Okinawa's Recent Past: Views from the Air
Aerial photographs of central and southern Okinawa Island taken by US Forces in 1945
Black and white stereo photography dated JAN-APR 1945
A 79 page booklet of B-29 flight coverage from Ishikawa south to Itoman.
Book # 11
Okinawa's Recent Past: Views from the Air II
Aerial photographs of northern and central Okinawa Island taken by US Forces in 1945
Another 79 pages of images from Yomitan, Onna-son, Ishikawa, Kin, Nago and Motobu.
Okinawaphiles
These printed editions are certainly collectibles and, will surely be out of print.
There are no, ISBN numbers on any of the book jackets; supplies will become diminished.
And, I doubt the Prefectural Board of Education plans on printing more.
Military photography was accredited to U. S. National Archives and Record Administration.
If, you cannot visit the Okinawa Archives, I haven't got time to help you.
There are more important things for me to do, such as chasing bellybuttons !
Friday, June 2, 2017
Okinawa - The Middle of Last Century
Images from Okinawa the 50 Years of the Postwar Era
Some folks are itching to get into another war, these days so, I dug this up.
When two or more nations, can't settle things peacefully, things like this happen.
The bustling capital of Naha, was turned into rubble back in 1945.
There are plenty of civilians, women, children and elderly, who aren't involved in the quarrels.
But, they get to feel the ground rumble, smell the stench and, get blown away, too.
Not wanting to show the really gory things, I took a photo of this camp.
A few miles from where I'm sitting, was the Yaka POW holding area.
It would take some time, to sort out the bad guys from the good (Okinawan) ones.
A few thousand Okinawan prisoners, were sent off to Hawaii. What for ?
Many of them had been forced to fight alongside the Japanese Imperial Army as conscripts.
And, there really wasn't enough food left on the islands, to feed everyone.
These poor souls, got to return home about a year later. Some of them are still alive.
Japanese, told locals that the Americans would kill, torture and rape if, they were captured.
Fortunately, Okinawans who spoke English, talked folks into surrendering peacefully.
They saved plenty of people from, taking their own lives. That's heroes !
Here's another place, down the road from me. It's the Ishikawa market back in 1952.
It took a few years, to put things back together again. You wouldn't recognize the place now.
It has paved roads with sidewalks and, new, shiny buildings everywhere.
Nowadays, Itoman City is a sprawling metropolis, you could get lost navigating.
Someday, I may have to try and duplicate this photo for a Then and Now.
The photo was taken in 1951 and, doesn't resemble today's Itoman rotary, at all.
To survive, many people had to be imaginative and, create their own industries.
Any scraps of metal, wood or foods, from the bases, could turn a profit if, you knew how.
An enterprising GI or two, sometimes helped the marketplace, I imagine.
If, ya got caught sneaking goods off the base, a person, could go to jail.
Things like that still happen, today !
Outer Islands
The war took place on many of the Ryukyu Islands, not just this one.
While, I was poking around in the historical records, a few new things were discovered.
Allies from the British Royal Navy bombarded the crap out of the southern islands airfields.
That way, when the US Forces arrived, they didn't need to fight anybody.
Y'all Brits done a bloody good job. Bravo !
Lord only knows, what the Imperial Monsters were doing with a train, on this little island.
But, once the civilians, got ahold of it, they had a sugarcane express and shuttle bus.
Sometimes, I wish we had one of those locomotives on this island. Stupid monorail, ain't no fun.
Whenever these wars end, the winner gets to make the losers disarm themselves.
Nowadays, I think they know better than, to throw trash into the ocean.
Back to the Civilians
Going through this book, which is really a photographic history of Okinawa, reminded me.
It brought back memories, I keep locked away in dark recesses of my brain.
Deliberately, I passed over images, depicting the slime, scents and gore of ground warfare.
Not what you could call an active pacifist, I believe there will always be wars.
Getting up there in age, I don't/won't start a fight with anyone in this world.
Nobody, has any business, killing innocent civilians or, destroying their countryside.
The Battle of Okinawa, destroyed homes, farms, chickens, pigs, cows, goats and horses.
More than 100,000 civilians died and, the living were left starving.
I read a narrative about a young woman, collecting the belts off of dead Japanese soldiers.
That was, to cook for her family, as meat because, there were no animals left alive.
What did those civilians do, to deserve the hell that descended upon them ?
Before anyone decides to start shooting weapons at another country, think about it.
Win, lose or draw, someone has to put the civilian population, back together again.
Photos from "Okinawa The 50 Years of the Postwar Era."
Book jacket ISBN4-89095-085-0 does not appear in Google Search
Friday, March 17, 2017
15 Images from an Okinawa Island Hop
Not for the Faint Hearted
Some people call me Mick because, my real name is too long and, another Mick was with me.
He's visiting Okinawa, from Montana USA and, I won't use his real name, either.
Friends, call him Mick. Two Micks, went out with cameras yesterday. Me and the other Mick.
This neat map was provided by Google Maps. It shows everywhere we went.
If, you're wondering why, we backtracked a few times, I can explain.
The other Mick was driving. We were both born, last century so, we get lost sometimes.
When old guys get talking, the car, doesn't always pay attention, to where we planned on going.
Don't laugh. If you're lucky enough, someday, you'll get old too.
The three dolls, in the top photo, was the only indoors photo, I'll be showing.
Outdoors, was where we wanted to be and, there would be some hiking involved.
Our first stop, was near this road marker. It's pointing out Waitui, a historical site.
Way back, early in the 20th century, this passageway was created by farmers.
They didn't like climbing over the top of the hill, to get to the other side after, harvesting crops.
This sign, gives some of the history, in Japanese and English, for travelers to read.
The road was dug through the rocks, with hand tools and, it's 150 meters long.
We walked back and forth, through the passage, examining the structural wonder.
And, got wondering, what these little cave-like digs, in the walls, could have been used for.
Maybe, it was places for the workers, to stash their drinks or lunch.
Er, maybe whenever somebody dropped dead from exhaustion, they got stuffed in there !
To complete our visit, to the site, we climbed over the old trail and saw what was up there.
Lots of gravesites were alongside the path, going over the top of the hill.
It would have been much easier if, we had hired a drone, to go up there.
Just because, I wanted to look down at the road, I figured, "Might as well take a picture."
If you had to pull a wagon or, drive an old car, you'd never make it on that trail.
Working my way back down to street level, I noticed this red kama, resting on some rocks.
It's a farmer's hand tool that, could be used by karate dudes, as well.
They usually have wooden handles. I've never seen one like this before.
Off to Outer Islands
Thanks to modern engineering, some of the other Ryukyu islands can be reached by car.
We decided to visit Miyagi and Ikei islands and, hopped into Mick's rental car.
As we were driving along, talking about kids and dogs, something occurred to us.
Don't let those rental machines do the driving. They don't pay attention.
Next thing you know, we were going in the wrong direction. That's alright; we turned it around.
One of the things I love about island life is, you never get lost for long.
Sooner or later, ocean appears. Then, you just decide whether to turn left or right.
Before long, we arrived at this archaeological site, Nakabaru Ruins.
Sneaking shots of the other Mick was easy because, he got involved, taking pictures.
Those straw-roofed shacks were where families lived, years ago before electricity came along.
Can you imagine, how kids would whine, these days if, they had to live like that ?
However, you couldn't yell, "Go to your room" like people do nowadays, either.
Well, I thought about it for a minute. Now, I know why men, were the hunters and fishermen !
My friend, Mick only gets to visit Okinawa for a few weeks, every few years.
So, I thought it would be nice, to give him a few photos of his travels, for when he gets home.
I really hope his wife, doesn't think he's, chasing after that young farm gal on the tractor.
I bet if we held our fingers up, we're all about the same age. Hah !
Time to Do Some Hill Climbing Again
It was an iffy sort of day; overcast with a few sprinkles of rain but, I had to show Mick.
There are places in the Ryukyu islands, that many people, never heard of or, have seen.
Directly across the road from Ikei Beach, is the island's Gusuku (castle) Ruins.
Fortunately, the wife presented me, with some brand new flip-flops, that morning.
Without that handrail, the muddy trail, could send you down to the ocean.
The other Mick, had shoes for traction. My shima zori (flip-flops) were a bit slippery.
We went huffing and puffing, all the way to the top. But, I didn't take any photos from there.
The skyline, wasn't right and, I don't bother photographing stuff, I don't want to keep.
There's an interesting utaki (sacred site) near the top of the castle ruins.
It's a place where, the high priestess would have prayed, back in the Ryukyu Kingdom days.
If, you see see signs of burnt incense and coins, somebody has been there, praying.
At the Top of This Gusuku
Looking around, the sky wasn't favorable for photography, at this time. Oh well.
There must be, something interesting to take a photo of, after all that climbing.
Using the iPhone, I got the Google Translate camera turned on, for this sign.
A little trick, I use: Email the translation to yourself, for further reference.
After a bit of tweaking and verification, it says, something like this:
"It is a holy place. Here is the god and goddess where the owner was made a saint.
Gods will receive sperm and eggs from the Lord and will be given a gift that
matches the spirit of that man and woman."
CORRECTION: Above image was taken at another location. My apologies.
On the northern end of Ikei Island there is a lighthouse. This site is in the same area.
As you near the lighthouse, checkout the small trail, going right.
A bronzed statue and this Japanese sign are along the cliffs there.
On the northern end of Ikei Island there is a lighthouse. This site is in the same area.
As you near the lighthouse, checkout the small trail, going right.
A bronzed statue and this Japanese sign are along the cliffs there.
Whoa. Today is St. Patrick's Day !
The little bit of Mick, in me, says it's time to get out of this office and, put on the tux.
Maybe, I'll be back again Sunday.
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