Citizens of Okinawa City guide students from main islands of Japan around Koza

Citizens of Okinawa City guide students from main islands of Japan around Koza

In the afternoon of May 20, students looked out over Kadena Air Base from the rooftop of Korinza Shopping Mall in Okinawa City while listening to an explanation by Mikio Teruya (on the right).


May 24, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

On May 20, in the area around Goya Crossroads, the Okinawa City Tourist Information Center conducted a guided walking tour of what used to be Koza City (now Okinawa City) for students on a school excursion. Twenty-four local citizens guided 119 students of Nara Gakuen Tomigaoka Junior High School from Nara Prefecture.

It was a fine day during the rainy season, so the students walked around Koza commenting on the heat as they went.

Two locals each guided 10 students.

While they all visited the same spots, the guides told each group different stories based on their own experiences.

Starting at Okinawa Music Town Oto Ichiba, the students visited Historeet to look at documents about Okinawa after the war. Then, going through Central Park Avenue, they viewed stores and houses of the city and Kadena Air Base from the rooftop of Korinza Shopping Mall. After that they walked through Gate Street.

Shunsuke Takaya, who looked out over Kadena Air Base, was surprised at what he saw, saying, “The scenery on the other side of the fences in the base is very different from that in the city.”

Kazumasa Nishiumi, the teacher accompanying the students, said, “I would like the students to gain their own perspective on the base issue by walking around a city that hosts a base.”

This is the second time since February for local citizens to conduct such a guided walking tour.

Mikio Teruya, one of the guides, said, “As local citizens continue to become more interested in the city, I want to continue helping on this tour.”

(English translation by T&CT, Mark Ealey)

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