Tower of Peace
This war memorial stands about 10 minutes’ walk up the slopes of Mt. Takatsuki overlooking Zamami Village. On March 26, 1945, as World War II was approaching its end, American forces landed on Zamami. This stone pillar engraved with the word “Tower of Peace” was erected 13 years later in March 1958. The wall behind it with the names of 1,200 islanders and fighting men who lost their lives during World War II was added in 1995. A memorial service is held here on March 26, the official Zamami Memorial Day, once every five years.
The memorial stands in a grove of ironwoods, trees which are commonly used as windbreaks in Okinawa. The explanatory plaque on the left of the grove includes some interesting pre-war black-and-white photographs of Zamami. The view over Zamami Village and the sea is serene, reminding us just how precious peace is.