Pre-War Japanese Shrine

A 1930's Japanese shrine in Saipan. This shrine was used by Japanese and Okinawan sugarcane farmers as a way increase a sense of militarism. Its name was Hachiman Jinja which means "God of War" and, ironically or appropriately, it was destroyed by American shelling during the Battle of Saipan in WWII.

This is the best surviving pre-war Japanese lantern.

There were two of these lion statues at the top of the lower stairs. Both were knocked off their pedestals during the battle. Since then one has been replaced, perhaps the other was destroyed.

This lantern survived the battle but not the test of time.

This was the main entrance to the shrine.

The main 'Torii' gate survived the battle but since has fallen and still lays at the top of the lower stairs.

The upper gate was destroyed and was replaced in the 1970's. This one will not survived much longer as it is infested with termites.

Inner sanctuary.






Over all, the Hachiman Jinja Shrine is the best preserved example of pre-war Japanese shrines in Saipan.


Artifacts found at the shrine.

This is an American Singer Sewing machine. There are two of them as well as the table with foot pedals.



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Agingan Bay

Right alongside a golf course, Agingan Bay is rich in Saipan history. A thousand years ago it was the site of a large ancient Chamorro village with palm-thatched huts built on latte stones. The village survived 500 years until the Spanish military landed on this beach in 1684 and changed the local culture forever.

Before the Spanish military arrived, the Spanish galleon Concepcion sank in 1638 at the point on the right side of the bay spewing its priceless treasure into the ocean. Some washed up on shore and pieces of its pottery can still be found today on Agingan Beach as well as Southern Invasion Beach.
Prior to WWII Agingan Bay was a Japanese farming village. A Shinto Shrine, stairs, and broken Japanese pottery is about all that remains from that time.

This beach, same as all beaches in Saipan, was heavily fortified during WWII. You can enter a large Japanese bunker and a smaller 20 mm gun bunker. Bullets from machine gun nests are on a smaller beach on the right side of the bay.

Today Agingan Bay is a beautiful area with beaches of many kinds, sandy, coral, and lava rock. I enjoy exploring this area and it's only one-tenth of a mile from my house.

Tinian Island can be seen across the bay.



WWII Bullets.

Lava rock beach.


20mm WWII Japanese gun bunker right on today's golf course.


This is another Japanese WWII bunker on the beach. This is one of three in Saipan that were built from German design plans.


In 1945 this golf course was a large U.S. military city.

Beach for two.

Agingan Bay from the plane.






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Sugar King Park

Katori Jinja Shrine at Sugar King Park.

Sugar King Park has beautiful moss covered trees, picnic tables and Japanese shrines. One of the trains that carried the sugarcane around the island is permanently parked at the front of the park. You will also find a large statue of the Japanese sugar king himself. The statue is riddled with bullet holes from the Battle of Saipan in World War II. The park has the Katori Jinja shrine built in 1911, destroyed in 1944 and rebuilt in 1985. There is also a 20 minute nature trail winding through the forest and around a large hill.

Sugar King.





1930's Japanese sugarcane train.The 1930's Japanese Trade School Building at Sugar King Park was restored.