life form on okinawa

Picture of a snail close up i took in Okinawa. I must say Okinawa is full of snails. haha.. 

Okinawa - 国際street (International streets)

This is international street of Okinawa. Its the most busy streets you can find on Okinawa. Its just like Orchard Road, where you can find fashion items, tourist gifts and many other stuff. There is starbucks coffee there. And its really good food here on Okinawa. 

Okinawa Tour -- Okinawa Peace Memorial Park

Here we have, standing within the Okinawa Peace Memorial Park, the Okinawa Peace Memorial Hall.It is shaped on the image of the seven seas joining hands in prayer. The Okinawa Peace Memorial Hall is, not only for Okinawans but for all humankind, a symbol of world peace that transcends ideologies and religions. Within the hall, a Peace Memorial Statue that took more than 18 years to build is enshrined as well as an art museum that exhibits masterpieces of leading Japanese artists 

This is the peace fountain situated within the Peace Memorial Park. Every year during the memorial ceremony, the torch, in the center of the fountain, will be lighted to mark the event.

This is one picture i got online showing the fountain when lighted. Picture Copyrighted by The Japan Forum. Taken by Taka'aki Nakamura 

In the background, we have The Cornerstone of Peace. The Cornerstone is located in the Peace Park at Mabuni. Mabuni is the site of the last fighting of the Battle of Okinawa. The cornerstone was erected to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the Battle and World War II. The names of all those who died in this battle are inscribed on it, military and civilian alike, without regards to nationality. It stands as a memorial to the war dead and as an expression of hope for peace for their souls. It is also a plea for eternal peace and conveys the spirit of peace that is born of Okinawa's history and life to the country and to the world.  

This is Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum. It's on of the most interesting museums I've been to. Show cases items in there are excellent. In actual fact, after the museums visits, I realised that all these while, the Japanese population did not phase out the fact that this war occurs. War museums are every where. Not to mention the number of memorials they have on Okinawa alone. I see students visiting these Museums and Memorials, folding Oragami cranes praying for peace. I realised that Japan, the only nation who suffered a nuclear attack, has already moved on from the war, with great lesson learnt. All these protest about her prime minister visiting war shrine is just a childish political games. China's people suffered at that moment of the war in the event of Nanking Massacre and similiar event during Japan's occupation. Little does these guys realized that Japan suffered after the war. Families not taken after as their males died in the war. Residual nuclear effect on citizens on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Who ever remember that.I wonder. Guess its human to shout unfair, to complain.
 


I must say this is a place where one finds peace. Both the Living and the dead alike.