Peace Monuments in Okinawa (Japan)

Right click image to enlarge.

1853 - Okinawa Bell (Gokoku-ji), Bancroft Hall, US Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland (USA). Commodore Matthew C. Perry [1794-1858] carried an Okinawa temple bell to the USA & proposed that it be mounted atop the Washington Monument (then under construction) in Washington, DC. His widow donated the bell to the US Naval Academy where it was displayed on the grounds (left image circa 1902), then placed just outside Bancroft Hall, the academy's largest building (right image). In 1987, the bell was returned to Okinawa, and a replica now serves at the academy.

Circa 1960 - Peace Monument, Shin’ei Park, Itoman, Cape Kyan, Okinawa (Japan). "Hidden on the back side of the monument we found this [right image]."

May 1972 - Okinawa Peace Memorial Park, Mabuni Hill, Okinawa (Japan). "The Okinawa Peace Memorial Hall stands in the center of the park. As plans and arrangements were being made for the park, many memorials were constructed by the bereaved families and war comrades from each prefecture. This site represents the center of the battlefield. On Mabuni Hill itself there are about 39 memorials (as of March 1992), including Reimei-no-to and the National War Dead Peace Mausoleum. A memorial service is held every year by the Okinawa Prefecture on June 23, "Comfort Day."

1975 - Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum, Peace Memorial Park, 614-Imabuni, Itoman, Okinawa (Japan). Relocated to new building in 2000. (Image shows the new building.) One of 9 Japanese institutions described in brochure for 6th International Conference of the INMP in 2008. Near the Cornerstone of Peace & other peace monuments.

1978 - Peace Memorial Hall, Mabuni Hill, Okinawa (Japan). "The hall houses the Prayer for Peace Buddhist statue, a series of 'War and Peace' paintings and the Sacred Stone Chamber. Local artist, Shinzan Yamada, spent 18 years to create the statue, which was inspired by his two sons who were killed in the Battle of Okinawa. The statue was created using a unique Okinawan lacquer-ware technique called Tsuikin. It is the largest 'Tsuikin' lacquer statue in the world. The Sacred Stone Chamber located under the statue, contains stones from various parts of Japan and other countries."

October 1, 1978 - Okinawa Peace Bell, Peace Memorial Hall, Mabuni Hill, Okinawa (Japan). Donated by Lions International Club #337.

December 10, 1988 - World Peace Bell #2, Peace Loving Citizens Park, Ishigaki Island, Okinawa (Japan). Extreme south end of Japan. One of 22 WPB's erected in 15 different countries by the World Peace Bell Foundation (WPBF) of Tokyo (Japan).

1995 - Cornerstone of Peace, Mabuni, Okinawa (Japan). Site of bloodiest battle in human history. Trys to list all the names (both military and civilian) from all countries involved in the battle. As of June 2008, it contains 240,734 names. Click here for the Wikipedia article.

1995 - Peace Flame & Fountain, Cornerstone of Peace, Okinawa Peace Park, Okinawa (Japan). The bottom of the fountain is a map of the Pacific.

1995 or later - Japanese Stamp. Depicts the Cornerstone of Peace, Mabuni, Okinawa (Japan). Site of bloodiest battle in human history. Trys to list all the names (both military and civilian) from all countries involved in the battle. As of June 2008, it contains 240,734 names. Click here for the Wikipedia article.

2001 - Heiwa-no-Oka / Peace Hill Monument, Okinawa (Japan). Represents a naturally formed cave, in which many citizens of Okinawa hid and fended for themselves. On the granite archway is the inscription "A Strong Will Toward Peace." View in the images is from Peace Memorial Hall and shows Mabuni Hill beind the Peace Hill Monument.