Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum

The Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum (沖縄県平和祈念資料館) stands on Mabuni Hill in Itoman City, within the Okinawa Peace Memorial Park. Mabuni was the site of the Japanese 32nd Army headquarters and the location where organised resistance ended in late June 1945. The Battle of Okinawa (1 April – 22 June 1945) was one of the bloodiest campaigns of the Pacific War, resulting in an estimated 200,000 or more deaths — roughly half of whom were Okinawan civilians caught between the American and Japanese armies.

The museum was first established on 11 June 1975 as a prefectural initiative to preserve the historical lessons of the battle. In 2000, a completely new museum building was opened, featuring modernised exhibits designed from the perspective of Okinawan civilians rather than military commanders. The museum's guiding philosophy centres on the "Okinawan Heart" (沖縄のこころ) — a resilient worldview emphasising human dignity, peace, and cultural heritage forged through centuries of Ryukyuan history and the trauma of the battle.

The permanent exhibition spans five rooms on the second floor: (1) "The Path to the Battle of Okinawa" traces the annexation of the Ryukyu Kingdom and Japan's march toward war; (2) "Typhoon of Steel" documents the massive American bombardment that levelled cities and villages; (3) "Hell on the Battlefield" presents the ground fighting through civilian testimonies and artifacts; (4) "Testimonies" features first-person accounts and oral histories from survivors; and (5) "The Cornerstone of the Pacific" examines the post-war American occupation and Okinawa's continuing role as a military staging area.

Beyond the permanent galleries, the museum includes a Children's Exhibit with age-appropriate interactive displays, a Special Exhibition Room for temporary shows, and a library and archive facility. Audio guides are available in Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, and Spanish.

The museum is adjacent to, but distinct from, the Cornerstone of Peace (平和の礎) memorial and the Eternal Flame of Peace. Together with the Peace Memorial Hall and over 50 prefectural and organisational cenotaphs on the surrounding hills, these facilities form the core of the Okinawa Peace Memorial Park — the most significant complex of war memorials in the Ryukyu Islands. The annual Irei no Hi (慰霊の日) ceremony on 23 June, marking the end of the battle, is held in the park and attended by national and prefectural leaders.