Otsushima, Yamaguchi prefecture, was where Kaiten (human torpedo) operators were trained. It was one of the 4 bases, built in 1944 to operate to the end of WW2. 104 trainees were dispatched from this site for their mission after only 3 months of training. Each Kaiten carried tons of explosives – only one person was…
Kiwa Mine, Mie. 1944.5-1945.8, 300 British POW were brought to work in the mine. 16 died during their time here for which the local community built a memorial. 84 year old Mr Saraie remembers friendly exchanges with some of the men sometimes giving or receiving wild berries and nuts sneaking through the guards controlling the…
Former Uzurano airfield, which now belongs to Kasai City, Hyogo, was one of the training fields for Tokko (special mission) pilots. The 1200m airstrip is still intact. From february, 1945 young pilots were trained to go on the mission. There is a tiny history room managed by a local community group – photos, medals, flags…
Nagashima Aisei-en in Okayama is one of the 13 Hansen’s disease sanatoriums still in operation in Japan. Established in 1930 on an island as the first national institution, it became an isolation site as the disease was found to be contagious – although it was malnutrition and poor immune system that triggered the illness as…
