Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots
Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots, Military history museum in Minamikyushu, Japan.
The Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots is a military history museum in Minamikyushu that displays thousands of personal items from Special Attack Corps pilots during World War II. The collection includes letters, photographs, and belongings that provide insight into the final weeks of young airmen before they departed on their missions.
The facility opened in 1975 on the grounds of the former Chiran Army Air Base, which served during the Battle of Okinawa as the main departure point for 439 pilots. The base was established in the late 1930s and played a central role in Special Attack operations during the final months of the war.
Stone lanterns line the main street toward the building, forming a memorial path that honors young soldiers who spent their final days here. Visitors today see rooms where pilots lived before their missions, along with gardens still arranged according to the original layout.
The museum lies about one hour from Kagoshima and offers wheelchair access along with multilingual audio guides for visitors. The facility opens daily from 9 to 17, and guests should plan enough time to view the extensive collection.
The facility houses four original aircraft, including a Mitsubishi Zero fighter recovered from the seabed in 1980. Alongside these machines are numerous wartime items that document the daily life of the pilots.
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