Kurume History Walks
No.43 War Remains 4 – Kurume, a Military Town
平和への願い・久留米の戦争遺跡（４） 軍都久留米編
The city of Kurume was established in 1899 with other 31 cities in Japan when the Municipal Government
Act was enforced for the first time. At that time, being one of the smallest among the others, Kurume chose theway to become a military town for its development.
As a result of the municipal and public sectors' vehement efforts to attract the government army, it wasdecided to station a division and regiments in Kurume. The local economy grew with the boom of building
military facilities and roads.
But after the city burned down in a US air-raid on August 11th, 1945, a military town finished its role as amilitary town. Because of this history, there are many stone monuments regarding the war today.

1. Memorial of the Kurume Division Headquarters
Erected on February 9th, 1961 within the ground of Kurume Tax Office
In 1907, the 18th Division Headquarters was installed in Kurume and was abolished for the disbarment
policy of the government in 1925. But, the city invited the government again to establish a base, and the 12thDivision Headquarters moved to Kurume from Kokura. Then, the city was a center of military affairs in northern
Kyushu.

2. Commemorative Monument of the Midday Cannon Battery
Erected in 1910 in Tenjinmachi
Artillery of the 18th Division Headquarters fired a cannon at noon. City people called it “don (it is an
onomatopoeia which expresses the sound of launch.)” The monument might be erected to commemorate theconstruction of the battery for the midday cannon.

1. Memorial of the Kurume Division Headquarters

2. Commemorative Monument of the Midday Cannon Battery

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Kurume History Walks / War Remains 4 – Kurume, a Military Town

3. Memorial of the 18th Division
Erected on April 30th, 1925 at theDoumeki-ike Pond, Suwanomachi
The abolition of the 18th Division
Headquarters was decided in 1925, and amonument was built in the area where
military institutions were centered under
the support from the city of Kurume andthe troops which remained.
3. Memorial of the 18th Division

4. Memorial of the Kurume Military Engineer Troops Remains
Erected on October 7th, 1965 within the ground of the National Kyushu-Okinawa Agricultural ResearchCenter
There were two military engineer troops: the 18th Battalion established in 1909 and the 56th Regimentestablished in 1941. When World War II ended, both were dissolved.
Former military engineers from these troops gathered volunteers and money, and constructed the monument
at the site where troops had stationed, for wishing the lasting peace in the future and also for praising theachievement during the war, praying for the repose of the deceased soldiers and not forgetting the army life inthis place.

5. Memorial of the Koshin’en
Erected on October 1958 within the ground of the National Kyushu-Okinawa Agricultural ResearchCenterThis monument was built for the 10th anniversary of the agricultural research center and was inscribed withKoshin’en (literally tilling the mind garden). But its pedestal was originally constructed for a sculpture of threesoldiers who were called “Three Human Bullets” for their heroic death in the battle with China in 1932. Localpeople built that sculpture for carrying down the valor, although it was lost during World War II.

4. Monument of the Military Engineer Troops Remains

5. Monument of the Koshin’en

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Kurume History Walks / War Remains 4 – Kurume, a Military Town

6-1. Yamakawa Shokon-sha Shrine

6-2. Memorial for “the Three Human Bullets”

6. Yamakawa Shokon-sha Shrine
Established in 1869 at Yamakawamachi
The history of the shrine began in 1869 when
Arima Yorishige, the last lord of Kurume Domain
ordered to establish a site for consoling the dead inconflicts from 1853. Since then, several monuments
related to wars were constructed.
- A grave for martyrs to the national affairs, such as
Maki Izumi no Kami (a Shinto priest and animperialist, 1813-1864: featured in No. 40), and other 6-3. Memorial for the dead soldiers in the Pacific War
37 people.
- A grave for Inatsugu Inaba Masanori (a chiefretainer, 1829-1853) who suicided due to righteousindignation.
- A shrine and a hall were built in 1873. The former
was the predecessor of today’s Yamakawa Shokonsha Shrine and the latter was dedicated to the soul ofTakayama Hikokuro (an imperialist retainer known
as one of three excelling men in the late 19th century,1747-1793).
- An army cemetery, relocated to Nonakamachi in 6-4. Memorial for the dead in the Pacific War1942- A cenotaph for martyrs in the civil wars in 1874 and 1877.
- A tomb for German soldiers: There was a German POW camp during World War I close to the shrine, and11 soldiers were dead because of the ill.
- A memorial for “the Three Human Bullets”- Memorials for the dead soldiers in the Pacific War

7. Memorial of the 56th infantry regiment
Erected in May 1965 within the precincts of theSasayama-jinja Shrine
The 56 the infantry regiment was established in1905 and rendered distinguished services in the war for
capturing Qingdao, while it was abolished with the18th division in 1925. But it was reformed as the main

7. Memorial of the 56th infantry regiment

3Kurume History Walks / War Remains 4 – Kurume, a Military Towntroop at the beginning of the Sino-Japanese War and was sent to China, then to Singapore and Myanmar during
World War II.
This memorial was built by the survivors of the regiment to pray for the repose of their comrades and thepermanent peace.

8. Former Togo Heihachiro’s study house
Moved to Kurume in 1926 within the precincts ofthe Sasayama-jinja Shrine
Marshal-Admiral Marquis Togo Heihachiro (18481934) was one of Japan’s greatest heroes. Ogura
Keishi, a businessman who was from Kurume bought
Heihachiro’s study house, and moved it to Kurume andreconstructed it.
It is open to the public as Togo Kinenkan (Togo
Memorial House: reservation required).
8. Former Togo Heihachiro’s study house

9. Monument of the Former site of the Imperial Headquarters
Erected in November 1931 within the ground of Meizen High School in Jonanmachi
The maneuver under the command of the Meiji Emperor was conducted in the countryside of Kyushu fromNovember 11th to 15th in 1911. The Imperial Headquarter was placed at Chugaku-Meizenko (today’s MeizenHigh School) and a temporary palace was newly constructed.
This monument was erected by Ogura Keishi on the occasion of its 20th anniversary in 1931.

9. Monument of the Former site of the Imperial Headquarters

Cultural Properties Protection Department of Kurume
Address: 15-3 Jonan Kurume Fukuoka Japan 830-8520
Tel: 0942-30-9225 Fax: 0942-30-9714 Email: bunkazai@city.kurume.fukuoka.jp
Date of publication: March 31st, 2018 / Translated in November 2020
4Kurume History Walks / War Remains 4 – Kurume, a Military Town