Published on Feb, 2025
This tunnel complex in Okinawa was built in 1945 and opened to the public in March 1970 as a reminder of the horrors of war and to promote peace. The headquarters is at tunnel approximately 65+ feet deep and 1476 feet long and served as the Japanese Navy headquarters and an underground air-raid shelter. As many as 4,000 soldiers lived, worked, and hid here during the war until they and the Rear Admiral Minoru Ota committed suicide in June 1945 rather than surrender.
After walking down a steep flight of stairs into the tunnels, arrows point to stops on the circular route. The route pathways take you to several rooms used by the navy staff including the staff officers’ and petty officers’ room, the signal and medical rooms, and the commanding officer’s room. Be on the lookout for bullet holes and shrapnel from grenades. In fact, one of the rooms has a sign that states “wall riddled with a hand grenade when committee suicide”.
Before leaving the facility (or before going into the tunnels like we did), be sure to stop at the single-room museum and look at the exhibits including a brief story of the Battle of Okinawa, uniforms, weapons, letters, notebooks, and a Japanese flag. The museum is home to Commanding Officer Minoru’s telegram he wrote before committing suicide.
Recommend visiting this headquarters. Entrance fee is 450 yen ($2.90 USD) per adult in 2024.
