80 Years after the Battle of Okinawa: Modern Okinawa Culture during the Prewar Period

2025.11.01(Sat) ～ 2026.02.01(Sun)

―What were things like prior to War―

Ōno Bakufū, Shikina-en, 1934

In today’s world, where people increasingly speak of a “new prewar era,” how much do we truly understand about the path that once led to war?

This exhibition reexamines the relationship between culture and war by exploring the art, crafts, and media that emerged between the political transition from the Ryukyu Kingdom to Okinawa Prefecture and the outbreak of the Pacific War.

チラシはこちら

Chapter 1:（1872-）A Time of Change

Systems and society underwent significant transformation with the establishment of Okinawa Prefecture in 1879. How did the role of painters and their modes of artistic expression evolve during this period? This part of the exhibition also highlights the emergence of new media such as newspapers and magazines.

Chapter 2:（1905-）Exchanges

This part of the exhibition traces the development of diverse cultural expressions through artistic activities, exhibitions, and the expanding networks of exchange that emerged during Okinawa’s postwar modernization.

Chapter 3:（1937-）Towards War

This chapter explores the rise of tourism and artistic expression from the 1930s onward while examining their transformation under wartime conditions that were shaped by the Second Sino-Japanese War and the National General Mobilization Act through artworks and personal testimonies.

*Please note that the contents of some exhibits will be changed during the exhibition.
*A number of related events have been scheduled to coincide with the exhibition. Please visit the museum’s official website for more information.

Exhibitions

Dates	2025.11.01 ～ 2026.02.01
Location	Collection Gallery 1，Foyer，Collection Gallery 2，Collection Gallery 3

See list