Tome Torihama

Tome Torihama (鳥濱 トメ) (June 20, 1902 – April 22, 1992）was the owner of a restaurant called "Tomiya Shokudo" in Kagoshima that served kamikaze pilots before they flew off to war. She is called the "Mother of Kamikazes".

Tome Torihama with kamikaze pilots

Career
Torihama and her family

Torihama was born in Kagoshima prefecture on June 20, 1902. When she turned 18, she married Yoshkiyo Torihama. They had two daughters, Miako and Reiko.[1]

In 1929 Torihama opened the Tomiya Shokudo. When the Chiran Airbase opened in 1942, the Tomiya Shokudo became the designated dining hall for the soldiers living on the base. After the Japanese Special Attack Units were formed in 1945, many of the kamikaze pilots would visit Torihama's restaurant. She became close with many of the young pilots, and would send their final letters to their families for them.[2][3]

After the war ended, the Supreme Commander of Allied Powers requested to patronize Torihama's restaurant, but she refused. However, when the town had a welcome party for the SCAP at the Tomiya Shokudo, Torihama became close with the American soldiers, some of whom called her "Mama-san".[4][5]

In 1952, Torihama opened the Tomiya Ryokan for family members visiting graves of fallen Japanese soldiers. In 1955, she built a temple dedicated to the soldiers. In 1975 until her death, Torihama dedicated her life to the Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots.[6]

Torihama died of heart failure in 1992. After her death, many movies, plays, and books were made about her life.[7] There were two monuments erected in her honor, one in 1981 and one in 2007.[8]

Further reading
  • Aihoshi, Masako (1992). Hana no toki wa kanashimi no toki: Chiran tokkou obasan Torihama Tome monogatari 華のときは悲しみのとき―知覧特攻おばさん鳥浜トメ物語. Taki Shobo. ISBN 4924752371.
  • Akabane, Reiko; Ishii, Hiroshi (2001). Hotaru Kaeru : Tokko Taiin to haha Tome to musume Reiko ホタル帰る: 特攻隊員と母トメと娘礼子. Soshisha. ISBN 4-7942-1060-4.
  • Torihama, Akihisa (2015). Chiran inochi no monogatari "Tokko no haha" to yobareta Torihama Tome no shogai 知覧いのちの物語「特攻の母」と呼ばれた鳥濱トメの生涯. Kizuna Shuppan. ISBN 978-4-907072-29-2.

References
  1. "Chiran life story: Life of Tome Torihama, called "tokkō mother"". www.kamikazeimages.net. Retrieved 2018-12-25.
  2. Albert., Axell (2002). Kamikaze : Japan's suicide gods. Kase, Hideaki, 1936-, 加瀬, 英明(1936-). Harlow [U.K.]: Longman. ISBN 058277232X. OCLC 49692141.
  3. "Tokyo governor promotes WWII kamikaze film". The Hollywood Reporter. March 3, 2007. Retrieved 2018-12-25.
  4. 福岡賢正「敵を抱きとめた母性/1 米兵と笑う特攻の母」（毎日新聞西部朝刊、2007年8月15日付）
  5. Reiko., Akabane; 赤羽礼子. (2001). Hotaru kaeru : tokkōtaiin to haha Tome to musume Reiko. Ishii, Hiroshi, 1930 December-, 石井宏, 1930 Dec.-. Tōkyō: Sōshisha. ISBN 4794210604. OCLC 56845139.
  6. Service, Asahi News (April 26, 1992). "'Mother' of Japan's World War kamikaze pilots dies of heart failure". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2018-12-25.
  7. E., Taylor-Jones, Kate. Divine work, Japanese colonial cinema and its legacy. New York, NY. ISBN 9781501306129. OCLC 985974679.
  8. "Tome Torihama Monument". wgordon.web.wesleyan.edu. Retrieved 2018-12-25.
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