Opodo travel news
Interest in Japan's World War II sites
16 Feb 2007
People interested in history, and particularly World War II, are expected to flock to Japan in the coming months and years.
The reason is the release of two movies by Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood, both of which focus on a major battle between the US and Japan during the war.
Officials in Japan believe that the interest generated by the award-winning films will lead to greater numbers of tourists visiting the country and its historical sites.
Iwo Jima features heavily in both films and was the site of a battle in its name. The volcanic island is generally not accessible to the public, but other World War II sites are.
The island of Okinawa witnessed the last major battle of the war and is often referred to as the Typhoon of Steel due to the sheer intensity of the fighting.
A number of memorial sites have been set up in Okinawa, with the Himeyuri Monument, Former Navy Underground Headquarters and the Peace Memorial Park offering interesting insights into the war from a Japanese perspective.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki are two cities which are very heavily steeped in history concerning World War II, as both were hit by atomic bombs.
Visits to these sites are clearly very sobering but offer extremely moving and in-depth information on the personal effects of the war.
© Adfero Ltd
The reason is the release of two movies by Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood, both of which focus on a major battle between the US and Japan during the war.
Officials in Japan believe that the interest generated by the award-winning films will lead to greater numbers of tourists visiting the country and its historical sites.
Iwo Jima features heavily in both films and was the site of a battle in its name. The volcanic island is generally not accessible to the public, but other World War II sites are.
The island of Okinawa witnessed the last major battle of the war and is often referred to as the Typhoon of Steel due to the sheer intensity of the fighting.
A number of memorial sites have been set up in Okinawa, with the Himeyuri Monument, Former Navy Underground Headquarters and the Peace Memorial Park offering interesting insights into the war from a Japanese perspective.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki are two cities which are very heavily steeped in history concerning World War II, as both were hit by atomic bombs.
Visits to these sites are clearly very sobering but offer extremely moving and in-depth information on the personal effects of the war.
© Adfero Ltd
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