Hoan-den in Motobu may become nationally-designated Important Intangible Cultural Property

<em>Hoan-den</em> in Motobu may become nationally-designated Important Intangible Cultural Property

On January 25, members of the association carried out research on the Hoan-den in Jahana, Motobu.


February 6, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

On January 25, Masami Shibata of the Osaka-based War Remains Research Association that is engaged in heritage work for war-related sites, researched the Hoan-den in Jahana, in the Motobu district, and then on January 29 visited a location in Tancha that was built to observe enemy aircraft. The association plans to request support from the central and prefectural governments to restore the post to how it was when it was first built.

With regard to the Hoan-den, which enshrined photographs of the Emperor and Empress in a room before and during the war, Shibata said, “It is part of a negative legacy, and few remain in the main islands of Japan. I want to investigate why there are still some in Okinawa.”

The association began to carry out research on the Hoan-den in 2008, and applied to the municipal government to designate it as Important Intangible Cultural Property. Recognizing its historical value, the municipal government did so in October 2010.

Although there are only few in the main islands of Japan, it is reported that there are remains of Hoan-den in Jahana, in Okinawa City and on Ishigaki-jima. Shibata said, “I would like to find out why they remain in Okinawa, which was the scene of one of the most fiercely contested battles in the Pacific War. The central government should designate it as Important Intangible Cultural Property.”

On February 7, the association researched war-related sites in various parts of the prefecture, including the central and southern region of the main island of Okinawa.

(English translation by T&CT, Mark Ealey)

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