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...and a photo that Rob took a while back while the secondary house was still in existence.
On May 15, 2021, Rob Oechsle and a team of archaeologists, historians, and preservationists converged on the old museum building. Rob was on hand to witness their work and to obtain dozens of photos. The land-owner, Taira-san, will be razing the structure in coming weeks to make way for construction of a new home for his children and grand-children. Many of the old museum’s treasured items, and in particular a beautiful butsudan will be removed and preserved prior to demolition.
Uruma City appointed cultural asset #36 "historic site" - Date of Appointment: March 1, 2005
On August 30, 1945, soon after the climax of the Battle of Okinawa, U. S. Navy Government Lieutenant Commander Willard Hanna opened Okinawa's first post-war museum, Okinawa Exhibition Hall in a small corner of military soil in Higashionna. Lieutenant Commander Hanna used a private home that had managed to avoid being damaged during the war to build his museum. He eventually expanded the building, constructed a Japanese-style garden, and even made pamphlets himself in hopes of helping stationed-and-future-American soldiers appreciate Okinawan culture.He poured his heart and soul into the revival of Okinawan Culture. On April 24th of the following year Okinawa Exhibition Hall was renamed Higashionna Museum soon after governing power shifted over to the people of Okinawa. Higashionna Museum is the forerunner to the Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum; thus the official opening date of the latter is the date the former was transferred. Lt Commander Hanna hired Okinawans to house the artifacts rescued from the rubble of Shuri Castle. He hired Omine Kaoru to be the museum's first director. Hanna believed that the entire museum operation needed to be run by Okinawans, not Americans. Omine, who later gained greater recognition as president of Daito Sugar Company, Hanna, and a handful of other Okinawans wasted little time in scouring the island for surviving artifacts.
So, after introductions and some attempts to explain my interest in the museum to Taira-san,
See the Higaonna Museum Restoration Project on Facebook. As things turned out there was no restoration and the place has been bull-dozed into oblivion. I'm sad about that. I began the "restoration project" with hopes of bringing it back to life but it never got anywhere. Maybe if I were living on island...
Other Resources:
The Old Higashionna Village Museum
The Weekly Okinawan article 23 Jan 1946 (click your "Back" button after reading it)
Exterior of the Higaonna Museum "
Small shrine inside Higaonna Museum "
Ornate table inside the museum "
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