Long, Sad Story of Yokoi's Cave by Susan Miles
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There are stories that we hear that sound too bizarre to be true. More often or not we put them down as nothing more than urban myths. However one of the joys of travel is the unexpected discovery that one of these tall tales is in fact true! I made such a find on a recent trip to the island of Guam.
This resort island, designated a U.S. territory, is approximately 1500 miles south of Japan. Bordered by the Philippine Ocean to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east, Guam is a popular holiday destination for over-worked Japanese. Here, tourists can enjoy pristine beaches, clear blue waters, abundant with tropical fish and U.S. style shopping and dining only a few short hours by plane from Tokyo.
Those better versed in military history will know Guam as the staging point for the U.S. forces victory in the Pacific after successfully invading and recapturing the island from the Japanese in 1944. The U.S. military have remained on Guam until the present day, with Anderson Airforce Base situated in the north and a Naval Station in the South/West of the Island. The presence of these military installations may help explain the proficiency of American style restaurants (i.e.: Hard Rock, Planet Hollywood, TGI Fridays) and Department stores (i.e.: Macys, The GAP) on an island that is only 30 miles in length.
But, away from the beachfront hotels, the designer outlets and the steakhouses, a strange but unique story of World War II is retold. In the south of the island, amongst the lush jungle interior, the Ugum River gently cascades over a series of waterfalls, known as the Talofofo Falls. The falls make for a picturesque location to enjoy the lush beauty of the Guam landscape. However the real interest of the area lies at the end of walking trail 10 minutes from the base of the Talofofo falls. Here, the heroic yet tragic tale of Shoichi Yokoi, a WWII Japanese soldier is recorded and remembered by a simple plague and Buddhist shrine.
As the U.S. forces invaded and steadily reclaimed Guam in 1944, the Japanese forces retreated to the cover of the island’s jungle terrain. Three soldiers, including ShoichiYokoi, took refuge in the jungle surrounding the falls, constructing a simple and cramped cave in which to hide from the invading forces. The tragedy of this tale is that the Japanese soldier’s resourcefulness and ability to stay hidden saw their presence go undetected by the U.S. Forces. Their self-imposed isolation in the Guam jungle ensured that the surrender and eventual conclusion of World War II went unnoticed by this intrepid trio. Yokoi’s two comrades, Jiji and Nakahada eventually died of food poisoning during their jungle hiding. However, Yokoi amazingly survived 28 years in his cave before being discovered by local farmers in 1972.
The actual caves built by Yokoi and his fellow soldier’s has since collapsed. Its original location is obliterated from view by the lush jungle growth. In its place has been created a replica cave, nothing more than a hole in the ground, which is nestled beside the shrine and memorials to the three soldiers.
It is interesting to watch visiting Japanese tourists pay their respects at this memorial to their Japanese hero. He is admired for his ingenuity and resourcefulness to survive for nearly three decades, invisible to the outside world. It is hard to stand at this site and not dwell on the irony of this story, for although Yokoi did eventually return to Japan, the loss of half a lifetime to this futile and unnecessary feat is the ultimate tragedy.
This important phase of Guam’s history is remembered in other points along the island’s coast. On the east coast, a short drive from the resort area of Tumon Bay is Agat Unit Ga’an Point. Here, the Guam, American and Japanese flags fly side by side overlooking a mounted WWII Japanese artillery gun, one of the only a few preserved after the recapture of the island in 1944.
Further North along Highway 1 at Asan Beach is the “War in the Pacific National Park”. Here, descriptive plague’s detail the landing by the US forces and show photos of what this now tranquil and peaceful beach, looked liked only hours after the Americans landed.
To learn more about the story of Sergeant Shoichi Yokoi and his 28 years hidden in the Guam jungle, you can visit the Guam Museum in Hagatna where the tools and implements he fashioned to aid his survival are on display.