During World War I, Japan participated on the side of the Entente Powers, seizing some of Germany's Asian and Pacific colonial territories, as well as prisoners of war. Around one thousand German soldiers were held at Bando Camp outside central Naruto, where they were allowed to live rather freely, working within and developing friendships with the local Japanese community.
After the war ended, the friendships continued on, eventually resulting in a sister city relationship between Naruto and the German city of Lueneburg. The German House (ドイツ館, Doitsukan) was built as a gesture of goodwill, and houses an excellent museum on the lives of the Bando Camp prisoners. A variety of models and photographs are on display with descriptions in Japanese, German and English.
A ten minute walk south of the German House lies the German Village Park (ドイツ村公園, Doitsu Mura Kōen), a small, somewhat neglected park with a memorial that lists the names of the German prisoners who died during their imprisonment.
Any Questions? Ask them in our question forum.
|
