Okinawa Peace Memorial Park
The most important memorial to the Battle of Okinawa (1945), which killed 200,000 people — more than the atomic bombs combined, including 1 in 4 Okinawan civilians. The "Cornerstone of Peace" lists all 241,000 names of everyone who died, regardless of nationality. The adjacent Peace Memorial Museum is one of the most carefully designed war history museums in Japan.
2–2.5 hours
Park free; museum ¥300 adults
Park and Cornerstone of Peace: always accessible. Museum: 9:00–17:00 (exhibition room entry until 16:30); closed 29 Dec–3 Jan and on designated closed days.
Year-round (avoid Obon weekend in August)
Bus from Naha (~1 hr) or rental car
Location
Why Visit
- 1
The Cornerstone of Peace has over 241,000 names inscribed — searching for specific nationalities (US, UK, Korean) reveals the war's international scale
- 2
The museum's final room, a survivor testimony video booth, requires a separate 20 minutes — do not skip it
- 3
June 23 (Okinawa Memorial Day) draws thousands; otherwise the park is peaceful and largely crowd-free
Local Tips
The Cornerstone of Peace lists all 241,000+ names of those who died in the Battle of Okinawa — Japanese, American, Korean, and others together. The cliff-edge setting above the East China Sea amplifies the emotional weight. The museum is the most comprehensive account of the Battle of Okinawa in existence. Allow 2 hours minimum. Combine with Himeyuri Museum (15 min by car).
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