Chiran Peace Museum

Japan Kagoshima Prefecture MinamikyushuChiran Peace Museum

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The airbase at Chiran, Minamikyūshū, on the Satsuma Peninsula of Kagoshima, Japan, served as the departure point for hundreds of Special Attack or kamikaze sorties launched in the final months of World War II. A peace museum dedicated to the pilots, the Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots, now marks the site.

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Recently, a distinguished looking elderly gentleman approached me outside a bakery in Okayama to just say hello and more than likely chit chat and get some English practice in. At first, we made small talk about nothing important: our ages, the work we did, etc. I’m a tourist here in Japan but have lived over 8 years in this bewildering country - oh some 20 odd years ago. I’m getting to be (if not already am) elderly myself. Anyway, I asked him for a recommendation about a place to visit or something to see in Okayama. I told him I like to visit places that were “sad” where “something bad” might have happened. I told him that when traveling, I seek out experiences that evoke emotions and feelings as well as the normal sites and encounters of travel, and I try to “hear” the “victims” that were once at these “sad places” maybe “crime scenes.” As an example (which is not really what I described), I told him that when I was teacher here in Japan some twenty odd years ago, I went on a school trip to the museum commemorating the brave kamikaze pilots who died in WWII at the former Chiran Air Base in Kyushu. While my students were off involved in whatever assignments they were doing, I walked around the museum alone listening to an English audio program provided to me. On it, a letter was read that came from a pilot who wrote to his two (?) small children the night before going on his fatal mission. Usually, the fated pilots wrote these “sayonara letters” to their parents, so this one might have been unusual. Also, if I remember correctly, this pilot wrote his letter in katakana so his young children could easily read it whenever they were able. The one thing the pilot wrote that stood out to me was his apology for not being able to play with them. As I told the wonderful Mr. Imai (the gentleman outside the bakery) in Japanese: 心吐露した – it melted my heart. Mr. Imai started to cry but only for a moment. As he wiped his eyes, he told me that my remembrance of Chiran and the brave pilots who died so young “moved” him. Well, to say the least, I was moved myself by Mr. Imai and once again: 心吐露した. Later, it occurred to me that Mr. Imai was around the same age as that pilot’s young children. At this time, I guess the best way to describe my feelings was confused, maybe scattered, and I was worried that Mr. Imai might fall – thank God he didn’t. I asked if I could take his picture and he agreed. After shaking his hand and wishing later on I would’ve held it longer, we said goodbye, and I watched him get on his bicycle and ride off. And then I was even more confused and scattered. So much so that I went and bought some flowers, which I cannot ever remember doing before in my life. I went back to my hotel room and took a picture of some things to remember this special and solemn moment of life I had just experienced and... and now I’m trying to put it down on paper. One reason is to send it to Mr. Imai and another is to send it to you who is reading this review. There is still a lot here for me to think about, and I’m still processing it all over a week later, but I’m certain of one thing: A visit to this wonderful museum is an experience that will last a lifetime and one you will never forget. It was for me.

無名無名

Haunting museum that clearly illustrates the futility of war and the fragility of life. Much of the exhibits are in Japanese but Yiu can hire an English listening tour iPad. Many of the exhibits need no words to elicit emotions of deep sadness. The walls of pictures of the young men who were coerced to sacrifice their lives for the whims of the military is deeply troubling with many lives ending before they had even started. Photography is not allowed in the museum except for the main hall and the Zero that was brought up from the depth of the sea. The damage from the crash into water is clearly visible and surprisingly vicious. With the dangers of overt nationalism and militarism rising again in many countries we should remind ourselves of the memories and lessons of the past to avoid the same pointless loss of life. M.G. Sheftall's Blossoms in the wind, Emiko Ohnuki Tierney's Kamikaze, cherry blossoms and Nationalism and Kamikaze Diaries and Barak Kushner's the thought war all remain essential reading.

matt woodmatt wood

At the end of the Pacific War, in the fierce battlefield of Okinawa, the Japanese troops sent a young man around the age of 20 to sortie. From here, 439 people took off. They rushed into the US military with one-way fuel. However, most of them died a short life on the Pacific Ocean without serving their purpose. What they left in the letter during their lifetime… I want to read a book, I want to go to school I want to help my mom I want to meet my brother and sister… All of this can be achieved as a matter of course for us today. I would like to thank and silently pray for the peace they have achieved in place of their lives.

HacasseHacasse

Absolutely the best Museum I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting. We rode motorcycles all the way down from Tokyo on Golden Week 2018. For a ¥500 yen fee this place is more humbling than Hiroshima or Nagasaki even though they may be more popular. Photos are prohibited except in certain areas to respect the deceased. It’s location isn’t easily accessible except by vehicle but plan on spending at least 2 hours to so you can read some of the many translated notes written by actual kamikaze pilots. But anyone who visits will be glad they did guaranteed. Best museum in the world in my opinion and I’ve been all over the world.

Carlos SheppardCarlos Sheppard

The Chiran Peace Museum is a real tearjerker. The place really hits home on the tragedies of war, especially with the stories of young kamikaze pilots, some just 17, who never came back. The main exhibits showcase their last letters—it's so moving. If you're an English speaker, grab the audio tour guide for just 200 yen; it really helps explain the letters and the backstories. Heads up, photos are only allowed in two marked spots inside. Getting there is a bit of a trek since it's pretty remote. There's a bus from Kagoshima station, but it takes around 90 minutes and doesn't run too often.

Piyush SharmaPiyush Sharma

知覧飛行場から出撃された402名の隊員を思うと心が痛み、気分が落ち込む。館から早く外に退避したくなるのは自分だけか？日本に命を捧げた隊員の思いを大切にしたい。展示品は隊員が書き残した遺書、遺影、戦闘服、戦闘機が展示され、あまりにも息苦しい。戦闘立案者の考え方や戦闘方針が半分ぐらいの展示になればもう少し楽になるかもしれない。まず作戦が根本から変だ。写真を撮った後で撮影不可と知り申し訳なかった。この戦いは「大東亜戦争」と日本では言っていたが、戦勝国米国から「太平洋戦争」（太平洋を越えた侵略戦争）と言わされたと聞く。原爆を日本に落としたアメリカの言うことは、2023年から２重スタンダードの国だと思い出さされた。ロシアのウクライナ占領は悪で、イスラエルがガザを殺害するのは正義、これは意味が分からない。ダブルスタンダードの勝手な言い草だ。言葉を換えれば米国から二度と愛国心を持たないように教育、洗脳された日本国民のひとりだが、自分は洗脳されていないと自覚はあるが、どうか。戦後生まれの自分は月刊誌「丸」を読んでいたから、細かい各戦闘記録は愛読書の一つだった。この施設は自国を思う先人達の愛国心を共感できる施設でもある。なお施設内にはトイレ、売店があるが食堂は無かった。駐車場は広くすんなり停めることができた。旅の三日目、国民宿舎吹上砂丘荘、吹上浜から知覧特攻平和会館に向かった。鹿児島県内は道路信号が少なく非常に快適だ。一般道が高速道路と間違えるほど、鹿児島の道路はスイスイ進む感じがする。 🙌(^ _ ^)🙌 When I think of the 402 soldiers who were dispatched from Chiran Air Base, my heart hurts, my mood drops, and I wonder if I'm the only one who wants to evacuate the building as soon as possible. I want to cherish the thoughts of the soldiers who gave their lives to Japan. The exhibits include suicide notes written by soldiers, combat uniforms, and fighter jets, and are quite stuffy. It might be a little easier if half of the battle planners' thinking and battle policies were shown. First of all, the strategy is fundamentally different. This battle was called the ``Greater East Asia War'' in Japan, but I think the victorious countries called it the ``Pacific War'' (war of aggression across the Pacific). In other words, they were taught never to feel patriotic again. This facility is also a facility where you can empathize with the patriotism of our ancestors who cared for their own country. There are restrooms and a store inside the facility, but there is no cafeteria. The parking lot was spacious and I was able to park easily.

とaさとaさ

180

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Overview

4.6

(3.6K reviews)

Phone

+81 993-83-2525

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Website

chiran-tokkou.jp

Visit

Deep Dive

A deep dive into Chiran Peace Museum

Recently, a distinguished looking elderly gentleman approached me outside a bakery in Okayama to just say hello and more than likely chit chat and get some English practice in. At first, we made small talk about nothing important: our ages, the work we did, etc. I’m a tourist here in Japan but have lived over 8 years in this bewildering country - oh some 20 odd years ago. I’m getting to be (if not already am) elderly myself. Anyway, I asked him for a recommendation about a place to visit or something to see in Okayama. I told him I like to visit places that were “sad” where “something bad” might have happened. I told him that when traveling, I seek out experiences that evoke emotions and feelings as well as the normal sites and encounters of travel, and I try to “hear” the “victims” that were once at these “sad places” maybe “crime scenes.” As an example (which is not really what I described), I told him that when I was teacher here in Japan some twenty odd years ago, I went on a school trip to the museum commemorating the brave kamikaze pilots who died in WWII at the former Chiran Air Base in Kyushu. While my students were off involved in whatever assignments they were doing, I walked around the museum alone listening to an English audio program provided to me. On it, a letter was read that came from a pilot who wrote to his two (?) small children the night before going on his fatal mission. Usually, the fated pilots wrote these “sayonara letters” to their parents, so this one might have been unusual. Also, if I remember correctly, this pilot wrote his letter in katakana so his young children could easily read it whenever they were able. The one thing the pilot wrote that stood out to me was his apology for not being able to play with them. As I told the wonderful Mr. Imai (the gentleman outside the bakery) in Japanese: 心吐露した – it melted my heart. Mr. Imai started to cry but only for a moment. As he wiped his eyes, he told me that my remembrance of Chiran and the brave pilots who died so young “moved” him. Well, to say the least, I was moved myself by Mr. Imai and once again: 心吐露した. Later, it occurred to me that Mr. Imai was around the same age as that pilot’s young children. At this time, I guess the best way to describe my feelings was confused, maybe scattered, and I was worried that Mr. Imai might fall – thank God he didn’t. I asked if I could take his picture and he agreed. After shaking his hand and wishing later on I would’ve held it longer, we said goodbye, and I watched him get on his bicycle and ride off. And then I was even more confused and scattered. So much so that I went and bought some flowers, which I cannot ever remember doing before in my life. I went back to my hotel room and took a picture of some things to remember this special and solemn moment of life I had just experienced and... and now I’m trying to put it down on paper. One reason is to send it to Mr. Imai and another is to send it to you who is reading this review. There is still a lot here for me to think about, and I’m still processing it all over a week later, but I’m certain of one thing: A visit to this wonderful museum is an experience that will last a lifetime and one you will never forget. It was for me.

無名無名

Haunting museum that clearly illustrates the futility of war and the fragility of life. Much of the exhibits are in Japanese but Yiu can hire an English listening tour iPad. Many of the exhibits need no words to elicit emotions of deep sadness. The walls of pictures of the young men who were coerced to sacrifice their lives for the whims of the military is deeply troubling with many lives ending before they had even started. Photography is not allowed in the museum except for the main hall and the Zero that was brought up from the depth of the sea. The damage from the crash into water is clearly visible and surprisingly vicious. With the dangers of overt nationalism and militarism rising again in many countries we should remind ourselves of the memories and lessons of the past to avoid the same pointless loss of life. M.G. Sheftall's Blossoms in the wind, Emiko Ohnuki Tierney's Kamikaze, cherry blossoms and Nationalism and Kamikaze Diaries and Barak Kushner's the thought war all remain essential reading.

matt woodmatt wood

At the end of the Pacific War, in the fierce battlefield of Okinawa, the Japanese troops sent a young man around the age of 20 to sortie. From here, 439 people took off. They rushed into the US military with one-way fuel. However, most of them died a short life on the Pacific Ocean without serving their purpose. What they left in the letter during their lifetime… I want to read a book, I want to go to school I want to help my mom I want to meet my brother and sister… All of this can be achieved as a matter of course for us today. I would like to thank and silently pray for the peace they have achieved in place of their lives.

HacasseHacasse

Absolutely the best Museum I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting. We rode motorcycles all the way down from Tokyo on Golden Week 2018. For a ¥500 yen fee this place is more humbling than Hiroshima or Nagasaki even though they may be more popular. Photos are prohibited except in certain areas to respect the deceased. It’s location isn’t easily accessible except by vehicle but plan on spending at least 2 hours to so you can read some of the many translated notes written by actual kamikaze pilots. But anyone who visits will be glad they did guaranteed. Best museum in the world in my opinion and I’ve been all over the world.

Carlos SheppardCarlos Sheppard

The Chiran Peace Museum is a real tearjerker. The place really hits home on the tragedies of war, especially with the stories of young kamikaze pilots, some just 17, who never came back. The main exhibits showcase their last letters—it's so moving. If you're an English speaker, grab the audio tour guide for just 200 yen; it really helps explain the letters and the backstories. Heads up, photos are only allowed in two marked spots inside. Getting there is a bit of a trek since it's pretty remote. There's a bus from Kagoshima station, but it takes around 90 minutes and doesn't run too often.

Piyush SharmaPiyush Sharma

知覧飛行場から出撃された402名の隊員を思うと心が痛み、気分が落ち込む。館から早く外に退避したくなるのは自分だけか？日本に命を捧げた隊員の思いを大切にしたい。展示品は隊員が書き残した遺書、遺影、戦闘服、戦闘機が展示され、あまりにも息苦しい。戦闘立案者の考え方や戦闘方針が半分ぐらいの展示になればもう少し楽になるかもしれない。まず作戦が根本から変だ。写真を撮った後で撮影不可と知り申し訳なかった。この戦いは「大東亜戦争」と日本では言っていたが、戦勝国米国から「太平洋戦争」（太平洋を越えた侵略戦争）と言わされたと聞く。原爆を日本に落としたアメリカの言うことは、2023年から２重スタンダードの国だと思い出さされた。ロシアのウクライナ占領は悪で、イスラエルがガザを殺害するのは正義、これは意味が分からない。ダブルスタンダードの勝手な言い草だ。言葉を換えれば米国から二度と愛国心を持たないように教育、洗脳された日本国民のひとりだが、自分は洗脳されていないと自覚はあるが、どうか。戦後生まれの自分は月刊誌「丸」を読んでいたから、細かい各戦闘記録は愛読書の一つだった。この施設は自国を思う先人達の愛国心を共感できる施設でもある。なお施設内にはトイレ、売店があるが食堂は無かった。駐車場は広くすんなり停めることができた。旅の三日目、国民宿舎吹上砂丘荘、吹上浜から知覧特攻平和会館に向かった。鹿児島県内は道路信号が少なく非常に快適だ。一般道が高速道路と間違えるほど、鹿児島の道路はスイスイ進む感じがする。 🙌(^ _ ^)🙌 When I think of the 402 soldiers who were dispatched from Chiran Air Base, my heart hurts, my mood drops, and I wonder if I'm the only one who wants to evacuate the building as soon as possible. I want to cherish the thoughts of the soldiers who gave their lives to Japan. The exhibits include suicide notes written by soldiers, combat uniforms, and fighter jets, and are quite stuffy. It might be a little easier if half of the battle planners' thinking and battle policies were shown. First of all, the strategy is fundamentally different. This battle was called the ``Greater East Asia War'' in Japan, but I think the victorious countries called it the ``Pacific War'' (war of aggression across the Pacific). In other words, they were taught never to feel patriotic again. This facility is also a facility where you can empathize with the patriotism of our ancestors who cared for their own country. There are restrooms and a store inside the facility, but there is no cafeteria. The parking lot was spacious and I was able to park easily.

とaさとaさ

180

Chiran Peace Museum

Description

Ratings

Description

Plan your stay

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博鮓

炙炉端金魚鉢

Tomato

レストイン武家屋敷

味処たけ正

Gas Coffee

Wagae

Jarinko

Reviews

Overview

Phone

Website

Duration · 1.5h

Deep Dive

Chiran Peace Museum

Description

Ratings

Description

Plan your stay

Pet-friendly Hotels in Minamikyushu

Affordable Hotels in Minamikyushu

The Coolest Hotels You Haven't Heard Of (Yet)

Trending Stays Worth the Hype in Minamikyushu

Posts

Nearby Attractions Of Chiran Peace Museum

Chiran Heiwa Park

Chiran Castle Ruins

Museum Chiran

Nearby Restaurants Of Chiran Peace Museum

Chiran Chaya

Hayabusa Ramen

博鮓

炙炉端 金魚鉢

Tomato

レストイン武家屋敷

味処たけ正

Gas Coffee

Wagae

Jarinko

Reviews

Overview

Phone

Website

Duration · 1.5h

Deep Dive

炙炉端金魚鉢