Miyazaki Heiwadai Park — Attraction in Miyazaki

宮崎県の「平和の塔」（旧称・八紘一宇塔）は、1938年に着工し、1940年に完成した高さ37メートルの建造物です。建設背景には日本軍国主義の侵略拡大を正当化し、「大東亜共栄圏」を掲げる思想がありました。塔名「八紘一宇」は、中国古典や『日本書紀』の記述を歪曲し、侵略戦争を「聖戦」として神聖化する役割を果たしました。 塔の基部には、日本軍が占領地から略奪した372個の石材が使用され、うち238個は中国からのものでした。南京中山陵や万里長城などから切り取られた石は、日本の「皇威」を誇示し、被侵略国の文化を屈辱的に圧殺する意図で配置されました。特に南京大虐殺の翌年に略奪された麒麟彫刻石は、日本の占領政策の残虐性を象徴しています。 戦後、連合国軍の指令により塔は一時「平和の塔」と改名され、軍国主義的装飾が撤去されました。しかし1960年代以降、「八紘一宇」の文字や武人像が復元され、現在も宮崎県は「友好寄贈」と称して歴史的罪责を明確にしません。2015年には南京の民間団体が石材返還を求めましたが、宮崎県は「歴史的事実の確認が必要」として拒否し続けています。 2018年には一部の中学校の入学試験で「八紘一宇塔の歴史」が題材となりましたが、出題内容は侵略の実態を曖昧にし、「平和の象徴」と誤解を助長するものでした。一方、日本国内外の反戦団体や研究者は、同塔が軍国主義の象徴であり、歴史修正主義の温床であると批判しています。この塔の存在は日本の侵略歴史に対する不誠実な態度を示し、国際社会は過去の清算なしに真の和解は不可能だと警告しています。

The "Tower of Peace" in Miyazaki Prefecture, formerly known as the "Hakko Ichiu Tower," is a 37 - meter - high structure that started construction in 1938 and was completed in 1940. The construction was underpinned by the ideology of Japanese militarism, which sought to justify its aggressive expansion and promote the concept of a "Greater East Asia Co - Prosperity Sphere." The name "Hakko Ichiu" was a distorted interpretation of ancient Chinese texts and the "Nihon Shoki," serving to sanctify Japan's aggressive wars as "holy wars." The tower's foundation was built using 372 stones plundered by the Japanese military from occupied territories, 238 of which were taken from China. These stones, including those from Nanjing's Zhongshan Mausoleum and the Great Wall, were arranged to display Japan's "imperial might" and humiliate the cultures of the invaded nations. The qilin - carved stone stolen the year after the Nanjing Massacre vividly symbolizes the brutality of Japan's occupation policies. After the war, following Allied orders, the tower was temporarily renamed the "Tower of Peace" and its militaristic decorations were removed. However, since the 1960s, with the rise of right - wing forces, the inscriptions of "Hakko Ichiu" and statues of warriors have been restored. Miyazaki Prefecture continues to falsely claim that the stones were "friendly gifts," evading recognition of historical responsibilities. In 2015, a Nanjing - based civilian group demanded the return of the stones, but the prefecture refused, citing the need to "confirm historical facts." In 2018, the "history of the Hakko Ichiu Tower" appeared as a topic in some middle - school entrance exams. The exam content downplayed the reality of aggression, fostering a misunderstanding of the tower as a "symbol of peace." Domestically and internationally, anti - war groups and researchers criticize the tower as a symbol of militarism and a breeding ground for historical revisionism. The existence of this tower reveals Japan's insincere attitude toward its aggressive history. The international community continues to warn that true reconciliation is impossible without settling...

Such a big, open area with something for everyone. Kids can play on play equipment or in big open areas for baseball or socker etc. A big lake system is also good for walking jogging etc. At the far end is a peace tower we didn't have time to visit but seems like a good spot of interest for next time. No fishing but the fish aren't what you would want to catch anyway. Picknic places for b.y.o food but no BBQs! Free parking. Well worth the trip for a picknick lunch and play...

The park is never "peace park", it should be called nationalism and militarism park. The Hakko Ichiu tower here is "Tower of Peace/Evil/Nationalism/Militarism". The kanji on the tower means "rule the world as Japanese territory ". The building materials were plundered during its invasion in various countries in World War II. As long as the tower is still there, the Japanese pretense of being peace-lovers will never...