This underground command center was dug by hand by Japanese naval forces in 1944 and served as headquarters for Rear Admiral Minoru Ota during the Battle of Okinawa, preserved today including the blast-scarred walls of the room where senior officers died by suicide.
The Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters was excavated by hand by roughly 3,000 personnel over several months in 1944, extending about 450 meters of tunnels beneath a hill in what is now Tomigusuku City, near Naha. Rear Admiral Minoru Ota commanded Japanese naval forces from this bunker during the Battle of Okinawa. As the battle reached its final stages in June 1945, Ota sent a widely cited telegram to Tokyo describing the suffering of Okinawan civilians, before he and his staff died by suicide in the command room, its walls still bearing grenade blast scars visible today. A portion of the tunnel network has been preserved and opened to the public, offering a visceral, unfiltered sense of the war's final desperate weeks that is distinct from the more curated exhibits at larger memorial museums.
| Admission | ¥600 ($4.02) adult |
|---|---|
| Hours | 8:30AM-5:00PM daily |
| Address | 236 Aza Tomigusuku, Tomigusuku-shi, Okinawa 901-0241 |
Why it matters
Preserved underground command bunker where the Japanese naval commander and staff died by suicide as the Battle of Okinawa concluded
Site facts
- Built
- Excavated 1944 by Japanese naval forces
Location
236 Aza Tomigusuku, Tomigusuku-shi, Okinawa 901-0241
26.1875, 127.6733 View on map
Highlights
- Hand-dug tunnel network extending roughly 450 meters
- Preserved command room with visible blast damage
- Admiral Ota's final telegram on display
- Museum exhibits on the naval defense of southern Okinawa
Frequently asked questions
Who commanded the Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters?
Rear Admiral Minoru Ota commanded Japanese naval forces in southern Okinawa from this underground bunker during the Battle of Okinawa.
Can visitors go inside the tunnels?
Yes, a preserved portion of the tunnel network including the former command room is open to the public with an admission fee.
Tours and tickets
Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters
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