Day-25: Okinawa

Day-25: Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Beginning Location: East China Sea En-route to Naha, Okinawa

Interim Location: Naha, Okinawa

Final Location: East China Sea En-route to Kobe, Japan

We slept a little later today as our arrival in Okinawa wasn’t scheduled until early afternoon. That didn’t mean more sleep as we advanced the clocks an hour as we moved closer to Japanese territory. As with so many mornings, we had another fruit plate for breakfast.

We had been warned that while in Japanese territorial waters we would not have Internet access as the Japanese government has restrictions on the use of “C” and Ku” bands. No one seems to know why the prohibition exists but if it’s to happen we’ll be ready. Sheila and I each closed out some of our Internet work and messaging and we made Skype calls before moving on to the day’s events.

Around 0930 we joined up with our Trivia team for the morning’s brain exercise. Today’s score wasn’t so good, we achieved a score of 19 out of 27; it may have gotten us 4^th place but not enough for a winning position. Some of today’s questions were:

• Name the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
• Name the Greek God of Youth & Music.
• Which of the following major city names is found on all continents except Antarctica? London, Paris or Rome
• Which of the following cities has the largest underground rail system? London, Tokyo or Paris
• Which actress is credited with naming the “Rat Pack”?
• What is the length of the Panama Canal? (+or- 2 miles)

Following trivia we attended the pre-Japan enrichment lecture “Little Boy & Fat Man Go To War – Japan 1945 – A Necessary Evil: The Bombing of Japan as a Final Solution”. The two gentlemen presenting the various topics tag teamed the subject for about 90 minutes prepping us for our tours in Okinawa and later in Hiroshima.

So after an uplifting lecture we returned to our room and after an hour or so headed to lunch in the Terrace Café.

Around 1300 we docked in Naha. The ship used two tugs today; I suspect it's something to do with job security for the local pilots and watermen. 

Our pier was located just a short distance from the Naha airport. Also on arrival the presence of a large U.S. military contingent was evident, especially the USAF. As we would later learn, the U.S. military presence on Okinawa is a mixed blessing, good for the economy but not a good fit for tradition and perceived safety of Japanese citizens.

Much had been made about the immigration requirements for our entry into Japan. The requirements included the usual document review but this time we would receive a temperature scan, finger print scan and be photographed before being issued clearance to go ashore for our tour.

Turns out the immigration event was one of the least organized events we’ve experienced. The Japanese authorities were well equipped but the ship’s people management was pathetic. In the end people were standing in serpentine lines for an hour in some cases to reach the lounge being used for the immigration checks. At one point the line stretched from the forward part of the ship, aft into and around the Grand Dining Room and back forward to the immigration lounge. People were cutting in the line and in one instance a crewmember brought about a dozen people from the rear of the line to the front. People that had dutifully stood in line were miffed. So after about an hour delay most of the tours were underway, but the grumbling will be heard for some time to come.

Welcoming Committee

Our tour today was entitled “Battle of Okinawa” and would last about 4 hours. The areas to be covered were heavily involved in fighting in the early summer of 1945.

 

We drove through the City of Naha; of note was the baseball stadium home of what I assume to be the Naha Giants. 

We arrived at what was the Imperial Japanese Navy underground bunker located on the south end of Okinawa. The bunker was never destroyed as such it has been modified for tourism with air conditioning and good lighting illuminating and cooling the various tunnels and rooms. We were shown where the Admiral responsible for defending the island directed his forces to surrender and then committed suicide to retain his honor.

 

Our next stop was at the Himeyuri Monument, which is described as a representative symbol of the severity of the Okinawa campaign. The site and museum facilities are dedicated to the more than 200 schoolgirls and teachers who died as “volunteer” nurses for the Japanese forces. In reality, it’s well documented that the Japanese conscripted not only men but women and children as well to defend Okinawa and imparted such a fear of the American soldiers that many of the Okinawans fought to the death or committed suicide, some by jumping from high cliffs into the sea, all to retain honor and avoid capture. 

In the museum, individual pictures of the 200+ teachers and schoolgirls are on display, bringing home the craziness of the Battle of Okinawa.

We departed the Himeyuri Monument and after a short retail stop continued though areas of Naha.

Finally, we visited the Peace Park, a site of one of the final battles at Okinawa. The place today is a modern day memorial park including the names of all who died in the Battle of Okinawa. This is not just about the people of Okinawa as it includes the names of Allied soldiers and sailors as well.

 

The guide’s summary of all of this was that the people of Okinawa in the mid-1940’s felt that they had been sacrificed by the Japanese central government and military hoping to delay the expected invasion of the homeland.

Enough of that, we observed sunset en-route to the ship where we arrived around 1900 and within about 45 minutes were underway for Kobe, Japan.

Our room steward and stewardess (brother & sister team) stopped by for the turndown service while I was in the room. We talked about the day’s tour and they opened up about their own concerns even today for their friends and family in the Ukraine. Alexandre mentioned that he had skyped with friends and found that they had steered clear of the violence and that as best he and Veronika knew, all of their friends and family were okay. We didn’t get into the politics of the Ukraine, but it was interesting that these 25-30 year olds were opening up about home and the possibility of unrest that could lead to revolution in the current day and times.

We actually skipped dinner tonight having eaten a late lunch and having had an appetizer tray delivered to the room.

Around 2130 we ambled down to the Nautica Lounge for tonight’s show. One of the “enrichment speakers” is also a self-made troubadour of sorts. He brought out his guitar and along with traditional folk songs and a story or two he sang some re-worded tunes generally focusing on the “older generation”, which by the way includes himself. A couple of his songs were “Oldest Swinger In Town” and “Adventure Before Dementia”. It was a great show if you like the troubadour type thing; it’s fair to say that we both enjoyed the music and banter.