Peace Prayer Memorial Park and Japanese Navy Headquarters

We headed to the southern tip of Okinawa.  After a long time in the car Emily let Ayla play in the little park next to the Memorial Park.  We enjoyed the roller slide, the tunnels, and the swings.

 On your mark.  Get set.  GO!  Who do you think won?

 The Peace Prayer Memorial Park.  There were many, many memorials throughout the park.  I have only posted a couple.  It was a somber place to see.

"Over 240,000 lives, both civilian and military, were lost in the firece battlefield of World War II that took place in Okinawa.  To ensure that this terrible tragedy is never repeated, the Peace Prayer Memorial Hall was opened on October 1, 1978 to serve as a "Mecca for World peace" for all people irrespective of race, religion, nationality, or belief."

The monument in the background below is built to represent the seven seas and the shape of hands joined in prayer.

The Peace Prayer Memorial Statue prays for the souls of those killed in wars and for everlasting world peace.

The Cornerstone of Peace.

Rows and rows of granite monuments with the names of all the dead on both sides of the 90 day battle for Okinawa in 1945.  This was unveiled in 1995 with the names of over 240,000 war dead.

The Japanese girls absolutely LOVE Ayla!  This flocking was not uncommon in the places that we traveled and the air filled with "kawaii, kawaii" which translates as cute.  Something about blonde hair and blue eyes.

We ended the day at the Japanese Navy Headquarters and its underground tunnels.  There was a lot of history there.  I learned much about the battles in Okinawa.