World War II Sites in Ibusuki

Ibusuki's two main wartime sites mark different aspects of Japan's World War II experience. The Monument of Grief stands on the former Ibusuki Naval Air Base where 82 young men launched kamikaze missions in dilapidated training planes during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 and did not return. Stone lanterns lead through a pine grove to a statue of Kannon and a monument with the pilots' names. Nearby, a concrete boat ramp is the launch point for the Navy's suicide speedboat unit. Hanazebōhi Memorial Park, pointing toward the Philippines, was founded in 1966 by bereaved families to honor soldiers who died there. The remains of 4,147 individuals were repatriated and interred here, and a memorial service is held every March 27.