A piece of peace

Story and photo by Keith T. Graff

At least once a year my wife and I drive to Itoman and visit the Cornerstones of Peace. Her grandfather’s name is inscribed in granite there. He died in the line of duty during the Battle of Burma. His name is inscribed because he was from Okinawa.

On our last trip to the park, we also visited the Peace Museum. The new museum is spacious and modern. It opened April 1, 2000. That was the 55th anniversary of the start of the land campaign. The museum displays the events leading up to the battle, the suffering caused by war and how the Okinawan people rebuilt afterward.

Five rooms, each with a separate theme, constitute the main display. The first is the “Road to the Battle of Okinawa.” It follows the history of Okinawa leading up to the battle and the events that led to the final conflict.

The second is “The Progress of the Battle.” This room shows the harsh realities of the battle from an Okinawan perspective.

Rooms three and four are entitled “Battleground Hell” and “Personal Testimonies.” They focus on the suffering endured by the Okinawans.

The last room is called “Okinawa, Keystone of the Pacific.” This room is dedicated to life on the island after the battle. It has displays pertaining to refugee camps, the American administration years, the reversion movement and the current peace movement.

The Okinawa Peace Memorial Museum is open daily from 9 a.m. through 5 p.m. Admission is 300 yen for adults and 150 yen for children. Groups of 20 or more receive discounts. Visitors can check out free audio services at the counter. The device offers translations in English, Chinese, Korean and Spanish. There is a large library and a reading room available with hundreds of books on the subject of peace. No photography, smoking, eating or drinking of beverages is allowed inside. Let us all learn from history.