KAMIKAZE( by Honobono)

　KAMIKAZE

A long time ago, I saw it. A long time ago, I experienced it. That was a rare experience that young people can never go through.
I saw the Japanese movie about the true story of the Kamikaze. I was deeply moved to tears and shed tears a lot. I actually knew those things and those times, that's why I was deeply moved.

In May 1945, just before the war ended, I was a student of the Osaka Military Preparatory School. During a free time (see below) in the evening, one fighter aircraft of the Imperial Army came and made circulation flights above the school at a low attitude again and again.
All the students went out and waved their hands hardly toward the fighter. After a while the fighter flew away to the west. I didn't know who he was. Maybe he would be a young lieutenant who graduated from the school, entered the Military Academy, and on that day, transferred to the Kamikaze base.
Japan went to war, the 'Greater East Asia War' (east part of World War II), against the West including England, the United State, and Holland, and lost it. Japan made an unconditional surrender. Some people said the use of Kamikaze was a meaningless waste of lives, but I don't think as such.
Because Japan, only Japan, made the 'Great East Asia War', Japan could offer a chance to the Asian countries to become independent from the West which dominated and exploited them. This is an unchangeable historical fact. The people who lived for a noble cause and fell on the battlefield, should be proud of themselves. I pray for them.

(Attached table)
Daily schedule of the Osaka Military Preparatory School
May (for example)
　6:00AM　　Get up (by the trumpet)
　　　　　　　　 Morning roll call
　　　　　　　　 Bow toward the Imperial Palace
　　　　　　　　 Read 'The Imperial Rescript to Soldiers and Sailors'
　　　　　　　　 Clean the room
　　　　　　　　 Check the arms
　 6:40AM　 Check the bed room
　 6:50AM 　Morning assembly
　　　　　　　 　 Breakfast (Admonitory speech by an officer on the week
　　　　　　　　 Free time
　 7:50AM　 Check the uniform, move to the lecture room
　 8:00AM　 The first period of lecture class (50 students in one class)
　 8:50AM　 Break time
　 9:00AM　The second period of lecture class (I learned French)
　 9:50AM　 Break time and exercise
　10:05AM　The third period of lecture class (Mathematics class was tough)
　10:55AM　Break time
　11:05AM　The fourth period of lecture class (Biology class was fun)
　11:55AM Break, Receive an order
　12:10PM Lunch (sat down at the table in a group made up of one second-year senior student, two first-year senior students and three students of the same grade, and the lowest grade students serve the meal), Medical check & treatment, Break
　13:10PM Private study
　14:00PM Break time
　14:15PM The first period of disciplinary class (Exercise, military drill including marching), otherwise music, handicraft, private study
　15:05PM Break time
　15:20PM The second period of disciplinary class (including field survival training and trench construction training), otherwise music, handicraft, private study
　16:10PM Break time
　16:25PM Free time (it was an enjoyable time, including bathing)
　17:15PM Maintenance and repair (short sword, shoes, and washing clothes)
　17:40PM Dinner and break (most of this time was exercise of military songs)
　18:50PM The first period for private study
　19:50PM Break and receive an order
　20:00PM The second period for private study
　21:00PM Write a reflecting diary (with a Japanese brush and Chinese ink)
　21:15PM Evening roll call
　21:45PM Lights-out (by the trumpet), go to bed

We have never experienced the 'fist punishment' by the senior students or military officers, which is often described in the movies.


Year's First Visit to the Shrine

At the beginning of a new year (2007), I chose the Kashihara Shrine in Nara to visit as the first shrine of this year. It's been a long time since I last visited there, and for my wife, it's been very 67 years since her last visit. It was a big event in both our lives. The year of 2007 is called the Heisei 19 year in Japan, and it can be converted into 2667 year of the Japanese Era.
When my wife (and I) first visited the Kashihara Shrine, it was the Showa 15 year (1940), i.e. 2600 year of the Japanese Era. Japan celebrated the 2600th anniversary of the foundation of Japan, and a large number of people visited the Kashihara Shrine where the first emperor of Japan, Jinmu, was said to be enshrined. I visited there on an elementary school trip, and may have visited as a family trip as well but I don't remember very well.
I have a clear memory of when I visited the shrine as a student of the Osaka Military Preparatory School on April 3 in 1945, the festival day of the Jinmu emperor. It was the first go-out in my school life. We formed ranks and marched to the shrine wearing a 'baggy' first-class military uniform and a short sword for the first time. While many citizens were coming to the festival, we marched through the middle of the graveled approach road keeping our head high and stamping with new loose-fitting shoes. I still have a vivid impression of that event. The whole area of the shrine including the approach was solemn and clear. The Rising-Sun flag fluttered in the background of Unebi Mountain.

The following is my physical examination record of when I was a child soldier. Compared to the children of this time, my physique was the same as those of elementary school children.

Physical record 　Height (cm) Weight (kg)
The first　grade me　　average　　me　　　average
　April　　 　　　141.7　　　150.2 　 32.7　　41.0
　May　　　　　 142.1　　　150.7　　33.4　　41.5
　June　　　　　142.4　　　150.7　　34.8　　41.6
　July　　　　　 142.8　　　151.2　　33.1　　41.2