Ogasawara Historical Remains

In the dense mountain forest of the Ogasawara islands, there are many historical remains. Many historical remains around Japan have disappeared over time. They reflected the people’s lives during the war.
Iwo Jima, located in the south of the Ogasawara Islands in renowned for the battlefield, and Chichijima also carries the many scars left behind by the garrisoned forces.
Nakata toured the mountain forest of Chichijima, guided by battle field guide, Zenhachi Tanaka.
Zenhachi Tanaka is a veteran guide that goes by the nickname ”Itacho”, He himself outlived the war and knows about war firsthand. He also interviewed war veterans to hear their stories for research purposes.

Walking in Myoyama at Night

First we headed to Myoyama located in the northern part of Chichijima. Of the many underground trenches, the communication corps headquarters was one of the biggest. One of its entrance supposedly had quadruple doors and people worked inside, tracing bomber planes and acted as a communication center for other islands such as Iojima in the south. Surprisingly, just a short distance away, canons still remain. They have been partially destroyed on purpose to prevent from being used, but it is a vivid sign of the calamity of war.
There is also a tall concrete building which is said to have been the power station for the navy aircraft communication center. There are remnants of a generator. Many have voiced a need to preserve such locations for their historical importance.

Spreading the Word

People of all ages participate in the tours, including people who come to Ogasawara for sightseeing, high school and college students on study tours, and local elementary students on field trips. During the tour, participants walk along cliffs, through bushes, look in the trenches using flashlights, making them wander about the people who had lived there during the war.
Itacho’s style of touring is to introduce the nature and beauty of Ogasawara, and explaining the history and environment of Ogasawara so participants have a full understanding. His son, Shin Tanaka, has begun acting as a battle field guide as well.
Walking around the island on a daily basis, they visit the battle field ruins with the tourist to convey the stories to the next generation.

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Folk Song in the World Heritage Designated Village

Gokayama was designated World Heritage as ”Shirakawago / Gokayama Gassho Zukuri Village” along with Shirakawa village of Gifu prefecture in 1995. Gassho-style houses were built out of necessity so the houses do not get crushed under the weight of the snow, this being an area with heavy snowfall during the winter. The rows of houses surrounded by the dense vegetation of the mountains display a classic Japanese scenery. At Gokayama, there are many ”Minyo” folk songs such as the famous ”Minyo” song, ”Kokiriko bushi” or ”Mugiyabushi” noted as the oldest of such songs of Japan. There are tales which have not been proven fact or fiction, that Gokayama was a hideout for the Heike clan after they lost their war against Kiso (or Minamoto) Yoshinaka. Lyrics from ”Mugiyabushi” mention lines such as ”Getting rid of the luxurious clothes once worn..” or ”Feeling lament and sadness for the path I will now follow after the defeat.” Lyrics express how the Heikes flee from the capital and go into hiding.

The Tradition Lives on

Another dance is the ”Maimai” which can probably be said as the oldest folk dance that exists in Japan. During festivals the young would gather and dance holding hands one after the other in turn. There is a saying that you are destined to marry the person you held hands with during this dance… Gokayama has its own uniqueness. The visible traditional Gassho made houses and the not visible old traditional folk songs both exist as a part of Gokayama history.

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