Konpaku no Tō, Memorial cenotaph in Itoman, Japan
Konpaku no To is a concrete cenotaph in Itoman, Okinawa, that carries inscribed names of soldiers and civilians who died during World War II. The plaques cover both Japanese and foreign victims, making it one of the more inclusive memorials in the area.
The cenotaph was erected in 1946, just after the end of the Battle of Okinawa, when the region was still coming to terms with enormous loss. Its early construction reflects how urgently the local community wanted to name and acknowledge the dead.
People come here to honor those they lost and to spend a moment of stillness near the inscribed names. On memorial days, visitors bring flowers and gather together, turning the site into a shared space of remembrance.
The site is freely accessible and open on most days, with no need to book in advance. Parking is available on site, and local bus lines from central Itoman stop nearby.
Unlike many later memorials in Okinawa, this one includes the names of victims from multiple nationalities, among them soldiers who fought on opposing sides. That choice to name all the dead, regardless of which side they fought for, was far from common at the time.
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