Himeyuri Peace Museum, Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum, and Okinawa World

"Of all the war memorials, this one affects me the most, perhaps because it gives a personal dimension to the tragedy of war." - Frommer's Japan. The author goes on to explain that it gives the story of 240 girls and teachers who in March 1945 were assigned to serve as nurse assistants in an army hospital buried inside a series of caves. As the US forces approached, the girls were thrown out of the caves to fend for themselves. 226 of them perished. Here is the entrance to their cave hospital...


We visited the Peace Memorial, where they recognize all who died in the Battle of Okinawa, regardless is nationality. Americans, British, Australians, Japanese, etc.


We spent most of our afternoon at Okinawa World, learning about traditional crafts, dances, and food. I tried my hand at bin gata, a style of painting...


Then Sally and I were dressed in traditional Okinawan clothes...


We ended our day eating shabu shabu (a favorite of mine!) in a tree house! Yes, a tree house!

Location:Okinawa, Japan