Tsushima-maru Memorial Museum, History museum in Naha, Japan
The Tsushima-maru Memorial Museum is a history museum in Naha, Okinawa, dedicated to the sinking of a passenger ship during World War II. The exhibition is spread across two floors and features photographs, personal objects, and a reconstructed classroom from that period.
In August 1944, the Tsushima-maru, a ship carrying schoolchildren being evacuated from Okinawa, was torpedoed and sunk by an American submarine. Hundreds of people lost their lives, many of them children, making it one of the worst tragedies of the war for Okinawa.
The museum holds personal objects that belonged to schoolchildren who were on board, such as satchels and clothing. These items show how the war touched the everyday lives of people in Okinawa directly.
The museum is located in a residential part of Naha and is easy to reach on foot from nearby streets. Visiting on a weekday tends to be more comfortable, as it can get busier on weekends and holidays.
When the Tsushima-maru was sunk, survivors were ordered to stay silent about what had happened, so as not to lower morale on the home front. As a result, many families did not learn of their children's deaths for years.
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