What‘s Included

Meeting and Pickup

What To Expect

Reviews

• A valuable educational experience

  catkid3,

  May 20, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Having gone through the Australian educational system, we aren't taught much about this part of WWII except for the atom bombs, so I came away with lots of new knowledge about the Battle of Okinawa. Although the tunnels are harrowing to walk through (especially passing through the room with grenade markings on the wall from soldier suicides), it was a very educational experience and I came away grateful that this place has been preserved to help ensure such horrors never occur again. Exhibits are in Japanese and English; I only had to pull out Google Translate for a couple of things. I purchased my ticket from a multi-lingual vending machine. Getting here by public transport is tricky as it means you have to climb the hill to get to the entrance, but it makes for a nice hike through the park outside. There are no toilets in the tunnels and it's a long walk back up the stairs so make sure you go before you head down! Vending machines are available in the ticket purchasing area and in the surrounding park.

• Wonderful experience at the museum and exploring the tunnel

  GinnyToh,

  May 8, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  4.00

  We drove and there were parking available lower part of the hill but we drove higher, closer to the museum and also found parking there. The place is free for everyone to walk around and explore. Only pay when you are going into the tunnel, the price (¥600-Adult) was reasonable. Enjoyed the walk through the tunnel and thought it was a wonderful experience.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

• Harrowing Perfect Rainy Day Activity

  rdubbs08,

  Mar 21, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  A visit here is very harrowing, but we are so glad we spent our rainy day morning visiting such a historical piece of the Battle of Okinawa. It does not take much time to explore, but is well worth your time no matter what level of history buff you may or may not be!

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

• Underground WW II Facility

  ITRT,

  Feb 12, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  This tunnel complex in Okinawa was built in 1945 and opened to the public in March 1970 as a reminder of the horrors of war and to promote peace. The headquarters is at tunnel approximately 65+ feet deep and 1476 feet long and served as the Japanese Navy headquarters and an underground air-raid shelter. As many as 4,000 soldiers lived, worked, and hid here during the war until they and the Rear Admiral Minoru Ota committed suicide in June 1945 rather than surrender. After walking down a steep flight of stairs into the tunnels, arrows point to stops on the circular route. The route pathways take you to several rooms used by the navy staff including the staff officers’ and petty officers’ room, the signal and medical rooms, and the commanding officer’s room. Be on the lookout for bullet holes and shrapnel from grenades. In fact, one of the rooms has a sign that states “wall riddled with a hand grenade when committee suicide”. Before leaving the facility (or before going into the tunnels like we did), be sure to stop at the single-room museum and look at the exhibits including a brief story of the Battle of Okinawa, uniforms, weapons, letters, notebooks, and a Japanese flag. The museum is home to Commanding Officer Minoru’s telegram he wrote before committing suicide. Recommend visiting this headquarters. Entrance fee is 450 yen ($2.90 USD) per adult in 2024.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

• Former Navy Underground Bunker

  955PaulB,

  Sep 22, 2024

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Very good value tickets and easy to find site. Very well presented and informative exhibition followed by an interesting walk through the tunnels.

  

  

  

• A Great War Sites

  E1820PKwilliamv,

  Jun 25, 2024

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  The Navy Underground Headquarters was a great and unique experience. The museum provides a lot of information on the Battle of Okinawa in both Japanese and English. They also have a collection of historical items found in the tunnels on display. My friends and I enjoyed are time here and we felt it was very educational. I would highly recommend this site to anyone looking to visit a few historical sites while in Okinawa.

  

  

• Moving..

  528rickg,

  Apr 19, 2024

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Very solemn location. Informative and moving. War is horrible. Peace in the world .. now more than ever. My father served in WWII on Okinawa the horrors of the war led him to becoming a pacifist.

  

  

• This place is worth the visit - highly recommend.

  Sue C,

  Apr 19, 2024

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  We were on a cruise & had the day in this area & decided to see the underground headquarters. We caught a taxi & so worth the expense to visit this place and have plenty of time to see it. The entry fee was very cheap. There are taxi that comes & goes & was able to be taken back to our ship. Highly recommend to visit

• A piece of history

  HiTea,

  Feb 4, 2024

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  4.00

  Very affordable. Many signs in English. Makes you think of the horrors of war and the plight of Okinawa’s people to be drawn into conflict.

• Former Navy HQ

  DAndra B,

  Oct 9, 2023

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  It was very informative and interesting. The staff were pleasant. The tunnels lead to different areas of the headquarters. If you're very tall, you'll need to bend your head a few times while in the tunnel. It was an overall good experience.

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