Himeyuri Peace Museum
Himeyuri Peace Museum
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:25 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:25 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:25 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:25 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:25 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:25 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:25 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:25 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
356 reviews
Excellent
228
Very good
90
Average
35
Poor
2
Terrible
1
Melinda W
Honolulu, HI21 contributions
May 2019
I recently visited this museum and found it very informative and deeply touching. There are pictures of the school girls and teachers who died there, artifacts from their experiences before and during their time underground, and a lot of background on the islandwide destruction that occurred during Battle of Okinawa. This is a must-see site for WWII history buffs and for anyone who has not seen the first-hand sacrifice and destruction caused by war.
Written August 6, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cassypo
Hong Kong, China96 contributions
Jul 2019 ā¢ Family
good place for kids to learn about the war and lives of children in other parts of the world. worth a visit
Written July 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MWandAW
North Sydney, Australia3,668 contributions
Jun 2018 ā¢ Couples
A monument, a cave, a museum and a beautiful garden commemorate the Lily Corps consisting of group of 222 students and 18 teachers, who were ordered by the Commanding Officer of the Japanese Army stationed in Okinawa in 1945, to assist in the fight against the attacking US Army. Most of the girls assisted as nurses in the hospital units. Some pictures in the museum are testament to the senior girls learning how to fire machine guns. Some students delivered messages to soldiers on the front line. It was dangerous work and some were killed performing their tasks. Many of the Himeyuri students thought that the Japanese army would defeat the Americans in a matter of days and accordingly brought school supplies to study and get ready to get right back into the classroom. As the fight progressed, they were brainwashed to think if they were captured they would be raped and killed, so surrender was not considered. On June 18, 1945, an order of dissolution was given to the unit. Up until the dissolution order was given, only 19 of the students had been killed, but in the early morning of June 19, many of them were killed during an attack by US forces on the Ihara third surgery shelter. In the week following the dissolution order, approximately 80% of the girls and their teachers perished. Many survivors committed suicide in various ways, some threw themselves off cliffs while others killed themselves with hand grenades given to them by the Japanese soldiers. According to documentation in the museum, 1 teacher and seven students survived. I visited this location with family members and we all felt sad seeing the museum and visiting the nearby cliffs where the girls jumped to their deaths. The worst thing about it, is that their sacrifice amounted to nothing in assisting the war effort. Another order from the Japanese commander, was that all wounded Japanese soldiers who were unable to fight, would be injected with poison rather than surrendering. After the girls were ordered to leave the hospitals and leave the troops they were caring for, the soldiers were poisoned. All of this information and photos of all the dead students and their teachers is located in various rooms of the museum. I found both the museum and the cliffs were haunted by spirits and I had a splitting headache just while I was visiting those places. Highly recommended to visit and learn about this sad history.
Written June 19, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Grace L
Singapore, Singapore93 contributions
Mar 2018 ā¢ Friends
I don't know why this place is not talked about more. I only know about Peace memorial park and Navy underground headquarters.
This place was recommended by our diving instructor, he said we had to come here and know the stories of these school girls.
As usual, we used google maps and it brought us to some weird location on a plantation with no proper roads. somehow managed to find it after some time, use the street signs, they are more useful sometimes.
It is a beautiful place that commemorates these girls, reading the stories made us really heavy-hearted. they have English and Chinese translations on the walls too.
if you want to learn more about WW2, come here and be schooled!
This place was recommended by our diving instructor, he said we had to come here and know the stories of these school girls.
As usual, we used google maps and it brought us to some weird location on a plantation with no proper roads. somehow managed to find it after some time, use the street signs, they are more useful sometimes.
It is a beautiful place that commemorates these girls, reading the stories made us really heavy-hearted. they have English and Chinese translations on the walls too.
if you want to learn more about WW2, come here and be schooled!
Written April 25, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
xlne
Singapore, Singapore744 contributions
Oct 2017 ā¢ Friends
A poignant story of how war affects innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire.
I like how the setup of the museum succeeds in making the visit enjoyable while avoiding the draggy-ness of over-information. The testimonials and accounts of the last days before the surrender were very interesting - glad there was English translation at that one booth in the room filled with Japanese scripts. The life-sized cave that opens up to the entrance of the museum is a nice touch too.
Tip for drivers using Gmaps: Donāt put Himeyuri Museum as your destination and follow the route blindly, as I did. Youāll end up in a no manās land below a hill the museum is located. Instead, put Himeyuri Memorial Tower as the destination and youāll find some parking near the museum.
I like how the setup of the museum succeeds in making the visit enjoyable while avoiding the draggy-ness of over-information. The testimonials and accounts of the last days before the surrender were very interesting - glad there was English translation at that one booth in the room filled with Japanese scripts. The life-sized cave that opens up to the entrance of the museum is a nice touch too.
Tip for drivers using Gmaps: Donāt put Himeyuri Museum as your destination and follow the route blindly, as I did. Youāll end up in a no manās land below a hill the museum is located. Instead, put Himeyuri Memorial Tower as the destination and youāll find some parking near the museum.
Written October 6, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fratsia
New York City, NY5 contributions
Jul 2017
During the Battle of Okinawa, young high school girls were assigned to nurse wounded soldiers. The work was arduous, and the conditions were nightmarish. Around 200 of these girls died -- either on the battlefield, or by their own hands, choosing suicide over the threat of rape and torture. Their heartbreaking story is sensitively told in this beautiful memorial museum. We cannot ignore the casualties of war, especially not the children whose lives were destroyed by it. This museum is a must-see for anyone visiting Okinawa.
Written July 11, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pat M
Johnsburg, IL64 contributions
Apr 2014 ā¢ Couples
If you want to see and read about the abuses by the Japanese military to their own citizens during World War II, this is the place to come. I have to admit that I learned a lot that I never new before but must also admit that I was thoroughly depressed by the time I left this museum. I would not have thought the Japanese could be so insensitive and cruel to their own people. This museum certainly opened my eyes.
Written May 13, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lithlith
Michigan918 contributions
Jul 2019 ā¢ Couples
We visited the Himeyuri Peace Museum as part of a cruise ship excursion while in Okinawa. It was nice to have a guide give an explanation while we were visiting. There monuments and memorials outside of the museum to see as well. The museum is large and most things are written in Japanese and English. This museum is definitely worth a visit if you're interested in learning more about the war in Okinawa. There were bathrooms available at the entrance of the museum.
Written July 19, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Travelcat9999
36 contributions
Dec 2018 ā¢ Solo
It is easy to reach by bus 82 which stops 30 m from entrance to the site. Been there on a weekday at noon and it was packed with students. Sad story well presented, sufficient English explanation. Photos are not permitted for unknown reasons.
Written December 18, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bill S
Melbourne, Australia61 contributions
Aug 2018 ā¢ Couples
Okinawa suffered during the 2nd World War, invaded by the US forces creating a beachhead prior to an invasion of the main islands of Japan, but also by their militaristic regime of the day.
The Himeyuri Peace Museum is a testament to the bravery of schoolchildren dragooned into being water carriers, nurses and helping the injured, then being abandoned by their military.
The memorial was created by survivors who wanted the rest of us to remember that war does not only affect the combatants but the innocent as well.
They turned a tragedy into a reminder that WE must be vigilant and not allow our government to lead us to another disaster.
The Himeyuri Peace Museum is a testament to the bravery of schoolchildren dragooned into being water carriers, nurses and helping the injured, then being abandoned by their military.
The memorial was created by survivors who wanted the rest of us to remember that war does not only affect the combatants but the innocent as well.
They turned a tragedy into a reminder that WE must be vigilant and not allow our government to lead us to another disaster.
Written August 25, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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