Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters

The headquarters is an underground system of passages and chambers reinforced with concrete, spreading beneath a hillside. The rooms include command centers, radio stations, and living quarters connected by narrow corridors.

The Japanese Navy built the complex in 1944 during the final months of the war as a protected command post. In June 1945, operations ended after heavy fighting, during which the commanding admiral died in the main chamber.

The site carries the name of the former naval unit and shows rooms that once served as command center and radio station. Visitors today still see the stone benches and alcoves where personnel worked and lived.

The temperature inside remains cool, so a light jacket is advisable even on warm days. The passages are well lit, but some sections have low ceilings and uneven floors.

The walls in some chambers still show the original traces of pickaxes used to dig the tunnels without heavy machinery. These grooves are direct evidence of the manual work needed to complete the complex in just a few months.

Location: Tomigusuku

Location: Naha

Inception: December 1944

Official opening: March 1, 1970

Website: https://kaigungou.ocvb.or.jp

GPS coordinates: 26.18611,127.67639

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:27