Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum — Attraction in Itoman

A very well done museum situated on an absolutely gorgeous site by the sea. Although the exhibition itself is small (covering just one floor of the building), it is full of well curated exhibits with enough English translations that you can understand, although knowing Japanese does help enhance the experience. About an hour plus in, I was less than halfway through, so if you’re a slow and thorough museum-goer like me, you could definitely spend more than a couple hours here. My favorite exhibit was the collection of history/social studies textbooks from various countries as although they were quite old, you could compare and contrast how each depicted the war. It was also interesting to see how after the annexation, the Japanese efforts to assimilate the locals were similar to the atrocities perpetrated against Native Americans by the US.

The grounds are also stunning and extremely peaceful. My only complaint was that some of the memorials scattered around the park weren’t very well signed or explained; they felt a little neglected so I wish that were different. Otherwise, we spent a wonderfully educational morning here learning about the Battle of Okinawa. Like any war museum, it may not be an easy or emotionally comfortable stop, but it should be on your...

As a Historian for the United States Air Force, I have found that I look at museums, memorials, exhibits, etc. differently now. When people talk about the Battle for Okinawa, they general talk about the Japanese and American forces, but there was a third element here during the battle, the Okinawan civilians. Okinawa lost a third of its civilian population, and that is the more conservative estimate. The Okinawa Prefecture Peace Memorial and Museum is easily on the "must see list," for anyone visiting Okinawa. The museum does an excellent job chronicling the suffrage of the Okinawan people during the battle and their struggle to rebuild afterward. There are interactive exhibits, an exhibit for the younger crowd (I strongly recommend this as the adult exhibit has images and stories that are possible too much for children), both video and written eye witness accounts and the Memorial grounds are absolutely moving. They accept cash (yen) adults are 300 yen, children...

When I was a child living in Camp Lester on Okinawa, my class took a field trip to this museum to learn more about the history of our presence on the island.

At 10 years old, naive to the horrors of wartime for civilians, this place imprinted itself on me. I can still remember squatting in the replica of the cave with my classmates, listening to the sound of tanks rumbling overhead as we were told of the lengths mothers had to go to remain undiscovered. I can still remember the stories I read in the massive testimonial tomes sitting beneath spotlights in their otherwise darkened room. I can still remember the photographs, uncensored, of soldiers smiling as they stood beside wartime atrocities.

That visit was 21 years ago, and I still think about it all the time. I still remember the lessons I learned there.

I cannot recommend visiting this place strongly enough. It will sit with you for the rest of your...