{"id":6281,"date":"2016-02-02T14:00:09","date_gmt":"2016-02-02T14:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/insidejapanblog.com\/?p=6281"},"modified":"2016-02-02T14:08:19","modified_gmt":"2016-02-02T14:08:19","slug":"sobering-visit-kagoshimas-kamikaze-museum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2016\/02\/02\/sobering-visit-kagoshimas-kamikaze-museum\/","title":{"rendered":"A sobering visit to Kagoshima&#8217;s Kamikaze Museum"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6281&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6281\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6281&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6281&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6281%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6281\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6281\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul><p style=\"text-align: left;\">Stepping down into the restored lodging hut used by <em>kamikaze<\/em> pilots during the Second World War, I felt a brief sense of relief from the oppressive heat outside. In that very same moment, however, my breath was again snatched away.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><!--more--><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">This is the site where hundreds of (very) young Japanese men gathered together to write messages on national flags,\u00a0sing patriotic songs, and pen farewell letters to their family, before taking their final rest on one of the futons that lay in this simple room. Outside this hut at Chiran Tokkou Kamikaze Museum near <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/kagoshima\/\">Kagoshima<\/a>, those intimate final moments are immortalised by the row upon row of tombstone dedicated to the pilots who lost their lives somewhere over the Pacific. The Western observer cannot help but ask &#8220;what was it all for?&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6287\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6287\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1369.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-6287\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1369.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"Inside the Pilots' Lodge\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1369.jpg 2400w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1369-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1369-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1369-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1369-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1369-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1369-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1369-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1369-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1369-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6287\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Inside the pilots&#8217; lodge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1368.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-6286\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1368.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"Items inside the pilots' lodge\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1368.jpg 2400w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1368-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1368-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1368-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1368-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1368-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1368-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1368-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1368-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1368-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Of course, the simple answer is that Japan had modernised in the decades following the Meiji Restoration, had extended its imperial ambitions in Asia unreservedly, but had more than met its match in an enemy with far superior firepower and resources for war. Perhaps the more accurate answer, however, can be found at the museum itself, in the words of the letters themselves, the photographs of the fresh-faced <em>kamikaze<\/em> pilots lining the walls, and in the charred remains of the planes that had bear witness to such a tragic loss of life.<\/p>\n<p>These young men were not just brave; they had been indoctrinated to believe in the honour of fighting for their country&#8217;s empire with no questions asked. The letters to loved ones do not show any hint of regret, and their apparent fearlessness cannot help but evoke a sense of sadness in the reader.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1364.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-6284\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1364.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"Outside the Museum\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1364.jpg 2400w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1364-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1364-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1364-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1364-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1364-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1364-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1364-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1364-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1364-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The museum itself takes the focus away from the tragedy of war and towards the hope for peace among future generations. This is a museum for all of us, a notion reinforced by the cheerful welcome &#8220;hello&#8221; in English, and the respectful nod and smile from the Japanese visitors, who are just as fascinated in a generation that took such bad direction in their name, as we are.<\/p>\n<p>The word <em>kamikaze<\/em> means &#8220;divine wind&#8221;, and dates from the period of failed Mongol invasions in the late 13<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0century. The great Kublai Khan was unable to bring the land of the rising sun into his broad empire. Thousands of Mongol invaders died in the seas surrounding Japan\u2019s third largest island, Kyushu, while attempting to land during a typhoon. This typhoon effectively saved Japan, and the belief was held that protection from such &#8220;divine wind&#8221; meant that Japan held a unique position in the world.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately for the <em>kamikaze<\/em> pilots who set off from Chiran Tokkou, however, it is testament to the overwhelming influence that Japan\u2019s military leaders that such a positive Japanese notion that saved them from defeat 700 years previously, would this time lead them to destruction.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1356.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-6282\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1356.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"Kamikaze Aircraft 2\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1356.jpg 2400w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1356-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1356-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1356-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1356-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1356-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1356-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1356-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1356-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/img_1356-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6281&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6281\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6281&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6281&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6281%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6281\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6281\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Like this post? Help us by sharing it! Stepping down into the restored lodging hut used by kamikaze pilots during the Second World War, I felt a brief sense of relief from the oppressive heat outside. In that very same moment, however, my breath was again snatched away. Like this post? Help us by sharing [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2356],"tags":[1623,1770,2615,2616,2617],"class_list":["post-6281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-japanese-miscellaneous-blog-posts","tag-history","tag-kamikaze","tag-wwii","tag-world-war-two","tag-second-world-war"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6281","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/65"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6281"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6281\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10947,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6281\/revisions\/10947"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6281"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6281"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}