Himeyuri and Hawaii Opens September 5

Our Library is set to host “Himeyuri and Hawaii,” an exhibition from the Himeyuri Peace Museum in Okinawa, from Sept. 5 to Jan. 31, 2024.

The exhibit, which examines the connection between Himeyuri and Hawaiʻi, shares the story of the Himeyuri Student Corps — consisting of students from the Okinawa First Girls’ High School and the Okinawa Female Normal School — who were mobilized in 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa. These adolescent female students served as nurses for the Japanese and Okinawan soldiers; their horrific wartime experiences speak eloquently to the insanity of war and to the importance of peace. 240 Himeyuri students and teachers were sent to war, and 136 of them became casualties.

“Himeyuri and Hawaii” is an educational initiative of the Himeyuri Peace Museum, the Himeyuri Peace Resource Center, and the Okinawa Prefecture. The website they developed for this exhibit is at https://himeyuri-and-hawaii.com/. 

The exhibition opens Sept. 5 and there will be a ceremony at 11 a.m. near the Library’s entrance. The ceremony will feature brief remarks from Professor Masanori Nakahodo, Chairperson of the Himeyuri Peace Museum, and Dr. Joyce Chinen, UH West Oʻahu Professor Emeritus. 

Entry and parking is free. The Library current hours can be found here: https://westoahu.hawaii.edu/library/about/hours/. The Library is in B-Building; view our campus map to find our building and available parking options: https://westoahu.hawaii.edu/about/our-campus/campus-map/.