Keizō Komura ( 古村 啓蔵 , Komura Keizō , 20 July 1896 – 7 February 1978) was a Rear Admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II .
31-523: Komura was born in Nakanojo , Gunma prefecture . He graduated from the 45th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1917, ranked 10th in his class of 89 cadets. As midshipman , Komura served on the cruiser Iwate and battleship Settsu . After his commissioning as ensign , he was assigned to the battleships Hizen and Suwo . He later served in various capacities aboard
62-465: A population density of 35 persons per km . The total area of the town is 439.28 square kilometres (169.61 sq mi). Located in the northwestern portion of Gunma Prefecture, Nakanojō is surrounded by high peaks of over 1000 m in height, with the Agatsuma River passing through the center of town from west to east. The town has a mean elevation of 400 meters above sea level. The town's area
93-407: A special melody road section of Japan National Route 353 passing through Nakanojō, the vibrations will sound the tune "Always With Me" (Japanese title: いつも何度でも, Itsumo nando demo) from the feature animation Spirited Away . Yamato (film) Yamato ( 男たちの大和 , Otoko-tachi no Yamato , literally "The Men's Yamato") is a 2005 Japanese war film . It was directed by Junya Satō and
124-545: A special amulet for protection. Uchida uses the shore leave to escape the hospital and rejoin the crew. Meanwhile, IJN representative Vice-Admiral Ryūnosuke Kusaka arrives and briefs the admiral-in-charge of Yamato , Vice-Admiral Seiichi Itō , and the other senior officers, of the details of Operation Ten-Go . It will almost certainly be a suicide mission - and with no air cover, the entire Japanese force will be extremely vulnerable to Allied attacks, making it unlikely that they will even reach Okinawa. Fights break out among
155-596: A woman, Makiko Uchida, is visiting the Yamato Museum in Kure, Hiroshima . She is looking for a boat to take her to the site where the Yamato sank, to honor the crew on the 60th anniversary of the ship's last battle. Katsumi Kamio, a survivor who is now a fisherman, agrees to take her after he discovers she was an adopted daughter of Petty Officer First Class Mamoru Uchida, a fellow crewman and close friend who he thought went down with
186-677: Is 83% mountains and forests (197 km ). Gunma Prefecture Nagano Prefecture Niigata Prefecture Nakanojō has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa ) characterized by hot summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Nakanojō is 8.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1489 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.4 °C, and lowest in January, at around 0.2 °C. Per Japanese census data,
217-478: Is based on a book by Jun Henmi . With a framing story set in the present day, by flashbacks it tells the story of the crew of the World War II Japanese battleship Yamato , concentrating on the ship's demise during Operation Ten-Go . The film begins with footage from Asahi Shimbun ' s special expedition to the Yamato wreckage in 1999. The narrative then shifts to the present on 6 April 2005, where
248-751: Is called Sawatari Hot Springs. Nakanojō has three main festivals during the year. In winter, there is the Tori-oi Matsuri. This involves pounding on large drum all around town to scare birds (for good crops) or demons (for good luck) away for the new year. In summer, there is the Nakanojō Matsuri in August and the Ise-machi Matsuri in September. The Ise-machi Matsuri features the Yagibushi Folk Dance. When an automobile drives at 40 km/h over
279-410: The atomic bombing of Hiroshima , where she had been conscripted to work at a munitions plant. However, she was able to see him before she died and suggested Asukamaru as the name for his boat. They arrive at the sinking coordinates the following day, where they hold a small ceremony. Makiko scatters Uchida's ashes and Kamio gives her a dagger that Uchida asked him to keep during the battle. The dagger
310-608: The lower house of the Diet of Japan . The economy of Nakanojō is heavily dependent on seasonal tourism primarily in connection with its onsen hot spring resorts. Nakanojō has two public elementary schools and two public middle schools operated by the town government, and one public high schools operated by the Gunma Prefectural Board of Education. The city also has one private middle school and one private high school. Gunma Prefecture also operates one special education school for
341-456: The American invasion force on Okinawa . Yahagi was ordered to accompany battleship Yamato from Tokushima for its final suicide mission against the American fleet. At 12:20 on 7 April, the Yamato force was attacked by waves of 386 aircraft (180 fighters , 75 dive bombers , 131 torpedo bombers ) from Task Force 58. At 12:46, a torpedo hit Yahagi directly in her engine room, killing
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#1732863282715372-790: The Japanese market, taking in a record 5.11 billion yen at the domestic box office. Mark Schilling of the Japan Times said the film was tailor-made for the home audience, and pulled strong performances from some of the characters. Reviewers in the United States have described the film as a combination of Titanic and Pearl Harbor , with the finale being compared to the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan . 2006 Blue Ribbon Awards 2006 Hochi Film Awards 2006 Nikkan Sports Film Awards 2007 Yokohama Film Festival 2007 Japan Academy Awards Toei Video released two Region 2 versions of
403-466: The Yamato Museum while the city of Onomichi kept the props and costumes. Yamato was released on over 290 screens across Japan on 17 December 2005. As part of the marketing for the film, Tamiya released special editions of scale models of the battleship in conjunction with the film's release. The company also built a special 1:350 diorama of the Yamato wreck. The film was a commercial success in
434-422: The battle) is sent to a hospital to recover. In March 1945, the crew hear rumors of a planned mission against the expected invasion of Okinawa and are given a few days of shore leave . During this time, Kamio returns home and learns that his mother died protecting his girlfriend, Taeko Nozaki, during an air raid on Kure. Taeko confesses her love for Kamio when he explains that he must go to Okinawa and gives him
465-613: The battleship Nagato , destroyers Nire and Hokaze , and cruisers Izumo , Kako and Jintsu . Komura graduated from the Naval Staff College in 1929, and with a promotion to lieutenant commander assumed command of the destroyer Kuretake , followed by the Namikaze two years later. From 1932 to 1934, he was naval attaché to the United Kingdom . After his return to Japan, he served in various staff positions. He
496-415: The crew as some believe the mission is futile, but an officer convinces them that the Yamato , as Japan's last operational battleship, must make every effort to defend the nation. On the morning of April 7, the Yamato and its escorts assume battle stations after Task Force 58 detects it on the way to Okinawa and sends its strike planes to intercept. The crew opens fire with their anti-aircraft weapons as
527-452: The end. The radioman attempts to call for support but water starts flooding the ship, which eventually capsizes and explodes after its aft magazine detonates. The Yamato' s remaining escorts start rescuing the survivors, but Kamio fails to save his friend Tetsuya Nishi despite promising his mother that he would look after him. Moriwaki ties Kamio to be hoisted aboard a rescue vessel and swims away to drown himself. The film flashes forward to
558-504: The entire engineering room crew and bringing her to a complete stop. Dead in the water, Yahagi was hit by at least six more torpedoes and 12 bombs by succeeding waves of air attacks. Yahagi capsized and sank at 14:05 at 30°47′N 128°08′E / 30.783°N 128.133°E / 30.783; 128.133 taking 445 crewmen with her. Komura was among the survivors rescued by the destroyer Yukikaze . Recalled to Japan in May, Komura
589-424: The handicapped. [REDACTED] JR East – Agatsuma Line The main draw of tourists to Nakanojō are the onsen (natural hot spring) resorts. There are two major hot spring resort areas within the town. The larger and more famous one is Shima Onsen , located in the mountains to the north of town. The name means "forty thousand", and represents the 40,000 ailments the water is supposed to cure. The other resort
620-478: The hands of Petty Officers Uchida, Moriwaki, and Karaki, who served on the vessel since it was launched in 1941. In October 1944, the Yamato sails as part of a large Japanese fleet to engage American forces at the Battle of Leyte Gulf . During the battle, the Yamato sustains several hits, killing or injuring several crew. Yamato and the surviving ships return to Japan for repairs, while Uchida (who lost his left eye in
651-595: The planes appear. However, the sheer number of US aircraft overwhelm the defenses and the Yamato takes heavy damage from multiple bombs and torpedo hits. Kamio, Uchida, and Moriwaki continue to man a portside AA battery after strafing runs and bomb strikes kill much of the crew, including Karaki. After being told the ship is crippled and sinking, Admiral Itō and Captain Kōsaku Aruga give the order to abandon ship, although both choose to stay behind. Uchida and Moriwaki throw Kamio overboard despite his wish to stay with them to
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#1732863282715682-740: The population of Nakanojō has declined steadily over the past 70 years. (former Kuni village) During the Edo period , the area around Nakanojō was part of the hatamoto -administered territory within Kōzuke Province . With the creation of the modern municipalities system after the Meiji Restoration on April 1, 1889, the town of Nakanojō was created within Agatsuma District of Gunma Prefecture. The villages of Isama, Sawada and Nakuta merged into Nakanojō on April 15, 1955. On March 28, 2010,
713-427: The present day; the old Kamio has a heart attack , but Makiko and Atsushi revive him. He also discusses what happened to him during the war's final months. He recounts that after the sinking, he went and told Nishi's mother that her son had died "a hero's death." Kamio expresses his grief that, despite risking his life in battle, he was ultimately unable to protect anyone he loved - Taeko died of radiation poisoning after
744-484: The ship. As Uchida, Kamio, and his teenage apprentice, Atsushi, travel to the site on his fishing boat, the narrative shifts between the present and Kamio's memories of his service as an air defense crewman aboard the warship during the Second World War . In the spring of 1944, Kamio and other cadets, many of whom are only teenagers, are assigned to the Yamato and are subjected to harsh training and discipline at
775-480: The village of Kuni , also from Agatsuma District, merged into Nakanojō. Nakanojō has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 15 members. Nakanojō, collectively with the other municipalities in Agatsuma District, contributes two members to the Gunma Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Gunma 5th district of
806-490: Was Uchida's most prized possession; Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto gave it to him when the Yamato was his flagship. The three head back to Japan after the ceremony. The end credits show Makiko laying flowers at a memorial for those who died in the battle. Filming for Yamato took place from March to June 2005 at a closed-down shipyard of Hitachi Zosen Corporation in Onomichi , Hiroshima Prefecture . Approximately JPY 600 million
837-643: Was promoted to rear admiral on 1 November 1943. Appointed chief of staff of the First Task Force, Komura took part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June 1944. In October 1944, Komura assumed command of the 1st Carrier Division shortly before the Battle of Leyte Gulf . On 16 November 1944, the light cruiser Yahagi was assigned as the flagship of Rear Admiral Komura's new DesRon 2. On 6 April 1945, Komura received orders for Operation Ten-Go , to attack
868-510: Was promoted to captain on 15 November 1938. Komura commanded the cruiser Chikuma during the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Participating in naval operations in the Indian Ocean with the carrier task force, Komura took part in several battles including the Battle of Midway and the Battle of Santa Cruz . Komura was captain of the battleship Fusō from December 1942-June 1943 and Musashi from June–December 1943. Komura
899-421: Was spent in building a 1:1 scale set of the forward section and the portside anti-aircraft guns. The starboard side, aft section, and the barrels of the A turret were not built since the film only required scenes on the port side. However, compliance issues with Japan's Building Standards Act prevented the reproduction of the Yamato's pagoda tower. Instead, photographs of the Yamato Museum's own 1:10 Yamato model
930-569: Was stationed in Tokyo Bay as commanding officer of Yokosuka Naval District until 30 November 1945. Komura lived on after the war until 1978. He was portrayed by actor Hirotarō Honda in the 2005 Japanese movie Yamato . Nakanojo, Gunma Nakanojō ( 中之条町 , Nakanojō-machi ) is a town located in Gunma Prefecture , Japan . As of 1 August 2020 , the town had an estimated population of 15,571 in 6,737 households, and
961-417: Was used for post-production. The interior scenes were made on a sound stage, but a hall near the set shows the various rooms and props reproduced for the film. The set was opened to the public on 17 July 2005. Approximately, one million people visited the set by the time it closed doors on 7 May 2006. The dismantling of the set began four days later and finished on June 13. The gun replicas were transferred to