A Quiet Afternoon in Urasoe, Okinawa | Reflections on Peace on Memorial Day

This morning in Urasoe, Okinawa, the sky was slightly overcast, with a temperature of around 28°C and humidity at 80%—the air had that typical rainy-season feel. During the rainy season in Okinawa, sudden showers and changes in humidity are common, and daily life tends to be influenced by the weather. Since today is Memorial Day, this may be a somewhat somber topic, but I’d like to quietly record the events of this afternoon and my thoughts on peace, set against the backdrop of the weather and seasonal atmosphere here in Urasoe, Okinawa.

🌥 Afternoon Weather and the Seasonal Atmosphere in Urasoe, Okinawa

After finishing lunch and dropping my mother off at day care, I took my time cleaning up the dishes before sitting down at my computer. The afternoon sky in Urasoe presented a curious scene: clouds were spreading, yet sunlight occasionally broke through. Although dark clouds were visible, there was little sign of rain; the temperature hovered around 30℃, and with high humidity, the muggy heat persisted.

As Okinawa enters the latter half of the rainy season, cloudy and sunny spells alternate, and by the afternoon, the heat rising from the ground makes it feel even hotter. Whenever you go out, even for a short time, staying hydrated is essential. Especially if you have elderly family members, simply being mindful of indoor temperature control and ventilation can make a huge difference in their physical well-being.

🕊 Memories of Okinawa on the Afternoon of Memorial Day

Today is June 23, “Memorial Day” in Okinawa, when schools are closed. When I was a child, this wasn’t a day for going out to play; it was a day to quietly bow our heads before the family altar and reflect on peace. I remember that when I was in the lower grades, my teacher would tell us stories about the war using picture books and kamishibai (paper theater). In Okinawa, almost every family has relatives who died in the war.

My father’s older sister—my aunt—also died in the war. Her name is engraved on the “Foundation of Peace” at the Peace Memorial Park. When my father was still in good health, he took me there several times. Since Memorial Day is crowded, we always went at off-peak times, visiting when things had quieted down. I also saw several families pushing wheelchairs who visited during quieter times, just as we did.

🏞 The Air-Raid Shelter I Saw as a Child and My Father’s War Memories

When I was in elementary school, there was an air-raid shelter on the hill behind my school, and out of curiosity, I once went inside with some friends. The interior was spacious enough for a child to stand and walk around, and broken dishes were piled up along the edges. They must have been used during the war.

Decades later, when my father was over 70, I mentioned this story to him, and he told me, “That’s the air-raid shelter we were forced to dig when we were in elementary school.” He said that back then, children were taught that “Japan was winning,” and without understanding why they were digging air-raid shelters, they worked on them almost every day.

However, before long, U.S. military planes were crisscrossing the sky, and days of fleeing in panic continued. After my father was taken prisoner and lived in a POW camp, he returned to his hometown and began attending school again. He told me he was part of the third graduating class at Futenma Junior High School (now Futenma High School).

🌿 Postwar Life and the “True Hardship” My Mother Describes

Even after the war, my father was at the mercy of government policies. He struggled to establish a stable livelihood and went through a difficult period, including being swindled and saddled with debt. My mother supported him through it all while holding the family together.

My mother still often says, “During the war, we could still eat. It was harder to find food after the war ended.” When I listen to others’ stories, many say that securing food was more difficult and life was harsher in the postwar period.

🕯 Memorial Day: A Day to Reflect on Peace

In this day and age, everyone has their own idea of what peace looks like, but behind that peace lie countless sacrifices. I feel that Memorial Day is an important day for us living in Okinawa to remember that history and quietly reflect on it.

✨ Summary: Quietly Reflecting on Peace on an Afternoon in Urasoe, Okinawa

I spent Memorial Day on a slightly overcast, muggy afternoon. Memories of my father and mother, the air-raid shelters I saw as a child, and the names engraved on the “Foundation of Peace”—amidst the seasonal atmosphere of Urasoe, Okinawa, it was a day that made me feel anew the preciousness of peace. I want to remember this quiet moment today and continue to cherish and build upon my daily life from here on out.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)