[ad_1]
As recollections of WWII step by step fade, its relics provide us a glimpse of what it was like again then and it’s hoped that such remnants of the conflict might be preserved for future generations. There are a number of examples dotted in and round Tokyo akin to a broken constructing within the western provinces of the capital and Saitama’s stays of the Japanese Military’s navy facility and cliff tombs. On prime of that, half a dozen bunkers are situated inside straightforward attain of central Tokyo and I just lately visited them.
Throughout the conflict, such bunkers had been constructed as storage amenities and to guard fighter planes from enemy assaults. Extremely they’re nonetheless scattered all through a metropolis in Chiba, the prefecture which borders the jap aspect of Tokyo. Not too long ago, their necessity has begun to be mentioned and the eightieth anniversary of WWII ending is a time to mirror on their preciousness.
About 75 minutes south-east of Tokyo station is town of Mobara which was established as a base for a fighter plane unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) throughout WWII. Shim-Mobara station on the Sotobo Line is the easiest way of accessing these bunkers through public transportation, and on the finish of November final yr, I walked spherical a cluster of them. For all I do know there could also be greater than the six listed right here however the ones I visited started with the Former Mobara Naval Air Corps No. 2 bunker.
It’s quarter-hour east of the station on foot and may be accessed simply throughout a grassy subject. There’s not an excessive amount of to see contained in the bunker aside from mud and a few discarded farming instruments.
The following one was the most important (6.7 metres tall) and most accessible (the emptiest too!) because it’s situated proper by the aspect of the highway on a quiet backstreet. It’s been stated that such bunkers had been created by piling up earth and sand into the form of a trench earlier than compacting and lining it with straw and boards. Iron mesh was then stretched on prime of that with cement poured over it. That is the one one with an data board detailing the historical past of the bunker and surrounding space.
In September 1941, simply earlier than the outbreak of the Pacific Conflict the relocation of about 100 non-public houses, faculties, temples, shrines and so forth was enforced, and development of the Mobara Naval Air Base started. It was constructed inside two years however the way it was completed is kind of controversial because it allegedly concerned the pressured labor of Korean residents in Japan in addition to each Agricultural College and Junior Excessive College college students.
America occupied the airfield on the finish of WWII earlier than the Japan Self-Protection Forces (JSDF) tried to reoccupy it in 1954. The main points of what occurred then are all a bit murky however some years later the location was used to construct Mobara Junior Excessive College to cater to the realm’s quickly growing inhabitants.
The third one might have been simply seen, but it surely was situated in the course of a crop subject which was fairly tough to entry.
I wasn’t going to surrender so simply although and because it was a dry, sunny day it wasn’t so dangerous for wading by the tall grass for a couple of minutes through a aspect entrance. Evidently, there wasn’t really an excessive amount of to see up shut aside from admire the formation and form of the empty bunker.
It ought to be added that almost all of those bunkers are not marked on Google Maps however I added them a number of years again when a fellow b-grade spot good friend of mine posted on social media about going there. The following one was actually tough to seek out, and the maps app didn’t take me to the fitting place however by probability I noticed it and backtracked a bit to get nearer. Not too shut although because it seemed like it could have been non-public property and a part of somebody’s backyard.
The penultimate bunker was the smallest and in addition a bit of tough to trace down because it wasn’t precisely the place Google stated it was. Fortunately, I noticed it early on and will attain it with out an excessive amount of bother albeit solely viewing it by a fence.
The ultimate bunker I visited additionally appeared to be a part of somebody’s backyard and doubling up as a singular storage. One concept for a lot of of them nonetheless remaining is that it’s really fairly tough to destroy one thing so well-constructed.
After coming back from Chiba and getting in contact with the man who alerted me to those bunkers, I discovered there have been a number of others nearer to residence within the western provinces of Tokyo. They’re in Mitaka and Fuchu so subsequent time I am going to look at soccer at Ajinomoto Stadium or AGF Discipline then I’ll try to make time to see them as they’re reminders of the previous that ought to be preserved.
Bonus: The principle cause I used to be ever in that a part of Chiba prefecture was to see a soccer match on the ultimate day of the J2 season when the overwhelming majority of video games had one thing using on them. This one may’ve been a promotion celebration for the house aspect and certainly they did all they needed to do however outcomes elsewhere finally meant they needed to accept a play-off spot.
Though I’m a fan of Chiba rivals Kashiwa Reysol, I don’t actually have too many adverse emotions in direction of JEF United however I do refuse to assist them so was in with the Imabari followers on this event. There wasn’t an excessive amount of to have a good time within the away finish as JEF ran riot however finally missed out on automated promotion. Nonetheless, they did find yourself getting promoted through the play-offs.
Ultimate Rating: JEF United 5-0 FC Imabari
Click on right here to learn ‘Tokyo Daytripper: The Relics of the Japanese Military’s WWII Navy Facility’
Click on right here to learn ‘Tokyo Daytripper: A Uniquely Designed Remark Platform & WWII Ruins’
Click on right here to learn ‘Tokyo Daytripper: WWII Broken Constructing In A Tokyo Park’
Click on right here to learn ‘Tokyo Daytripper: Yoshimi Hyakuana WWII Cliff Tombs’
[ad_2]