Mount Bizan and the Peace Memorial Pagoda

Rising above the center of Tokushima City is Mount Bizan, one of the most recognizable symbols of Tokushima.
The name "Bizan" literally means "Eyebrow Mountain," said to come from the mountain's gentle shape resembling an eyebrow when viewed from a distance.
From the summit, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of Tokushima City, the Yoshino River, and the surrounding landscape of Shikoku.

But there is another important place at the top of the mountain.
Standing quietly near the summit is the Peace Memorial Pagoda.
The white pagoda was built in 1958 by veterans who had returned from the Burma Campaign during World War II.
Burma, now known as Myanmar, was one of the most devastating battlefields of the war for Japanese soldiers.
More than 6,000 soldiers from Tokushima Prefecture lost their lives there.

The survivors who returned home wanted to remember their fallen comrades and leave behind a lasting symbol of peace.

The pagoda was therefore created not to celebrate war, but to mourn those who died and to express a hope for lasting peace.
Its distinctive design was inspired by the Buddhist pagodas of Myanmar.
Inside, sacred relics of the Buddha donated by U Nu, then Prime Minister of Burma, are enshrined together with memorials to those who lost their lives during the war.
For visitors from overseas, the pagoda tells an important story.

Japan and Myanmar once encountered each other under the tragic circumstances of war.
Yet here on Mount Bizan, that history is remembered through Buddhist faith, mourning, and a wish for peace.
Today, the white pagoda overlooks the peaceful city of Tokushima.

The mountains.
The rivers.
The city below.

And a monument created by people who had experienced war and hoped that future generations would live without it.
Mount Bizan is known for its beautiful views, but the Peace Memorial Pagoda reminds us that this mountain also carries memories that should not be forgotten.

BRONZE MUSEUM JAPAN

photo : Supervisor K