Nuchi-du-Takara-no-Ie celebrates 30th anniversary

Nuchi-du-Takara-no-Ie celebrates 30th anniversary

On December 8, at the Anti-War Peace Museum "Nuchi-du-Takara-no-Ie" in Higashiemae, Ie Village, people celebrated the 30th anniversary of its opening.


December 17, 2014 Hiroe Nakagawa, Correspondent of Ryukyu Shimpo

On December 8, the Anti-War Peace Museum in Higashiemae, Ie Village “Nuchi-du-Takara-no-Ie,” celebrated the 30th anniversary of its opening. The museum marked the occasion by holding a screening of video records and presenting a collection of testimonials. The museum is owned by the Wabiai no Sato Foundation. About 35 people from in and outside the village gathered. The group has been examining large amounts of material left by the late Shoko Ahagon and related parties that were involved in opening the museum. They looked back on the past 30 years of activities.

The Anti-War Peace Museum opened when Shoko Ahagon was 83 years old. Ahagon had his land forcibly taken by the American military’s weapons and bulldozers, and dedicated his life to peace activism. The museum houses collections of wartime artefacts and records, photos, and newspaper articles of the village’s struggle against the forced takeover of land. Many people, such as peace study students on study trips, have visited the museum.

The event started at 2 p.m., which was the same time the opening ceremony of the museum took place 30 years ago. Inside the Wabiai no Sato building, photos from the museum’s construction and its completion ceremony were exhibited. An archived video of Ahagon explaining the various museum exhibits was also screened.

In the video showing the museum’s opening ceremony, a clip of Ahagon speaking about his hopes for peace and explaining the origin of the museum’s name, which means “Life is the greatest treasure,” was played. After the screening, attendees spoke about the time when the museum was opened. There were also anguished recollections from the attendees who were wartime survivors. Museum director Etsuko Jahana greeted the attendees, saying, “Let us work together to eliminate the man-made calamity known as war.”

(English translation by T&CT and Lima Tokumori)

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