By 珍スポの達人

During the final stages of World War II, the Imperial Japanese Navy sought desperate measures to turn the tide of war. One such measure was the development of the 'Kaiten,' a human torpedo conceptualized by young naval officers. This video takes viewers to Otsushima, a small island in the Seto Inland Sea, where a top-secret training facility for Kaiten pilots once stood.

The journey begins with an introduction to the history of the Kaiten program, explaining how these human-guided torpedoes were designed to function as suicide weapons against enemy ships. The video then takes viewers to the Kaiten Memorial Museum on Otsushima, which preserves artifacts, models, and documents related to the program. The museum provides a solemn look into the lives of the young men who volunteered for these missions, many of whom did not return.

Beyond the museum, the video explores various Kaiten-related sites across the island, including remnants of the original training facilities. The most significant of these is the abandoned Kaiten training base, where pilots practiced maneuvering the deadly torpedoes before actual deployment. The video provides a poignant reminder of Japan's wartime history and the sacrifices made by those involved in the program.

Otsushima remains a little-known but historically significant site, offering visitors a glimpse into a tragic and desperate chapter of Japan's past. The island, accessible by ferry, serves as a memorial to the young soldiers who trained here, and it stands as a reminder of the consequences of war.