Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots
知覧特攻平和会館
A memorial museum on the site of an army kamikaze base at the end of World War II. It displays the letters, photographs, and belongings of more than a thousand kamikaze pilots and prays for peace.
During the final stage of World War II, Chiran served as the departure base for army special attack units. During the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, many young pilots took off from here and died. The museum displays photographs, last letters, correspondence, and personal belongings of 1,036 kamikaze pilots, along with reconstructions of triangular barracks and a Hayabusa fighter. The content is sobering and invites reflection on war. Admission is about 500 yen. Open 9:00–17:00, with a Chinese-language audio guide available. Stone lanterns and cherry trees line the approach outside. It is about a 5-minute drive west of the Chiran Samurai Residences and about 1 hour 20 minutes by bus from Kagoshima-Chuo Station.
Opening hours
09:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Chiran Samurai Residences
- Hirakawa Zoological Park
- Museum of the Meiji Restoration
- Tenmonkan
- Terukuni Shrine
- Shiroyama Observatory
- Statue of Saigo Takamori
- Tsurumaru Castle Ruins & Reimeikan