The Battle of Tsushima and Okinoshima

Introduction

The year 2025 marks 120 years since the end of the Russo-Japanese War. One battle that proved decisive in the conflict was the Battle of Tsushima, which took place in May 1905. On the 120th anniversary of the battle, JACAR released a video titled “Reminisce – JACAR: The Battle of Tsushima Through Online Archival Records“ and a companion feature article on May 27.

Although the Battle of Tsushima was a naval engagement, with warships clashing in the Tsushima Strait, personnel were closely monitoring the conflict from land and relaying updates to Imperial Headquarters in quick succession. In preparation for its war with Russia, Japan had established a network of defense sites and a communications infrastructure throughout the archipelago. Examples included the facilities and submarine cables on and around Okinoshima—a long-standing maritime hub and sacred location for worship that would later become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

As the closest island to the primary location of the Battle of Tsushima, Okinoshima provided a crucial vantage point. Observers on the island witnessed the fighting up close, as the Reminisce video notes. Why was Okinoshima an optimal choice for such installations? As the island’s key role in maritime history suggests, the now-World Heritage site of Okinoshima held vital geographical importance. This article explores historical resources on Okinoshima’s role in the nearby Battle of Tsushima, drawing on documents available in the JACAR database. It also highlights firsthand accounts of the battle from people on the island.

 

1. Monitoring Facilities and Communications Networks for the Russo-Japanese War

　Abutting the sea on all sides, Japan knew that any invading force would need to approach by water; both the Army and Navy thus prioritized coastal surveillance and defense. One measure was the construction of observation towers—lookout posts built along coastlines, essentially. Based on the 1894 Bylaw for Navy Observation Towers (Ref. A03020176700), the Navy began setting up these towers at strategic sites on the nation’s coasts to monitor ship traffic, communicate with vessels, and report on meteorological conditions and maritime incidents. In 1900, the Ordinance of Naval Observation and Communication Towers (Ref. A03020461700) reaffirmed the towers’ roles in surveillance, communication, and weather observation (Image 1). One such tower from that period still stands today in Wakkanai, Hokkaido, as the Ōmisaki Old Naval Observation Tower. Alongside these permanent installations, the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War prompted the Navy to erect temporary observation towers at additional sites. Many of these structures came down after the conflict ended.

 

[Image 1] “Original script signed by the Emperor of the Imperial Ordinance edict in 1900: Imperial Ordinance No. 205. Ordinance of Naval Observation and Communication Tower” (Ref. A03020461700, image 4)

 

The Army also established “coastal monitoring posts” in the run-up to the war. Designed to surveil and report on important military activity at sea and along the shore, the posts coordinated with the Navy’s coastal observation towers to help safeguard against enemy landings (“Service barrack for sea shore patrol and its location, from General Staff Office,” Ref. C03023096700). Like their naval counterparts, most of these posts were dismantled after the fighting concluded. One such Army lookout was in Tsuyazaki (now part of Fukutsu City, Fukuoka Prefecture), close to the main battle area. Today, Mt. Omine Nature Park is home to a Battle of Tsushima monument and a marker commemorating the Tsuyazaki monitoring post (Image 2).

 

[Image 2] “Battle of Tsushima Monument and Tsuyazaki Lookout Post Monument at Mt. Omine Nature Park” (photograph by the author)

 

To defend key sites, both military branches fortified Japan’s ports and straits. The Navy mainly organized regional defenses under the jurisdiction of its naval districts, while the Army relied on garrisoned fortresses. The Army also sent troops to protect Ise Shrine. Initially, it deployed one infantry company from the 3rd Division to Yamada, an area of Ise City (“Dispatch of one infantry company to the Ise Shrine,” Ref. C03020024400); later, a company from the  second reserve Infantry Regiment of the Imperial Guard took over security duties (“Change of Security Forces for the IseJingu,” Ref. C06040586800).

Enhanced surveillance alone was not enough.. For coastal observations to be effective, information needed to reach military leadership quickly—and that entailed a communications network for the various locations to utilize. Japan’s domestic telegraph system had taken shape with the Tokyo–Yokohama line in December 1869 and then proceeded to expand across the country. During the 1877 Satsuma Rebellion, government forces used telegraphs to coordinate troop movements, providing an early demonstration of the system’s military value. International cable connections began in 1871, when Denmark’s Great Northern Telegraph Company laid submarine lines linking Nagasaki with Shanghai and Vladivostok; it was this newly available network that the Iwakura Mission, en route to Europe that same year, used to keep the government informed of diplomatic progress. By 1883, the Danish company had also laid a cable from Yobuko (Saga Prefecture), via Iki and Tsushima, to Busan in Korea—an asset during the Sino-Japanese War of 1894–1895. For more on these networks, see JACAR’s online exhibition on Meiji-period undersea cable networks: “Viewing Meiji Japan’s Engagement with Asia through the Archives: The External Structure and Networks.”

Still, concerns about relying on foreign-owned cables between Japan and the Korean Peninsula led to a push for dedicated military lines. In light of growing tensions with Russia and the potential for battles with foreign fleets in far-flung locations, the Navy looked to enable faster communications by creating telegraph and telephone networks alongside its efforts to build its array of monitoring facilities. Another element of the initiative was the development of wireless communications. At the time, telephone signals gradually degraded significantly over distance, making them unsuitable for long-range communication; telephones were thus mainly for short-distance conversations, while longer transmissions relied largely on telegraphs. Early Navy efforts, beginning in the lead-up to the Russo-Japanese War, involved laying military-use submarine cables to connect Ainoura (Sasebo) with Geomundo (Port Hamilton) and onward to Yakōura/Yatsuguchiura (Korea, Islands to the west of Mokpo). Eventually, the initiative created a telegraph network that linked northern Kyushu and western Honshu with the Korean Peninsula and mainland China. For a look at the full military cable system in place at the time, see “Mapped overview of military telegraph communications (June 1905)” (Ref. C05110109700, images 81–82) (Image 3).

 

[Image 3] “Mapped overview of military telegraph communications (June 1905), 3rd Piece: Communication/Chapter 2 Wire Telegraphy” (Ref. C05110109700, images 81–82, combined and resized)

 

Having also set its sights on wireless telegraphy, which would make it possible to communicate with personnel aboard ships, the Navy began researching approaches to the method in 1899 and formally adopted the Type 34 Wireless Telegraph in 1901. Two years later, the improved Type 36 was introduced and installed on Navy vessels and at key observation towers (“Wiring diagram for interior wireless telegraph equipment,” Ref. C05110110100, image 88). It was one of these wireless systems—installed just months before the Battle of Tsushima—that would relay the movements of the approaching Russian Baltic Fleet.

In the early morning of May 27, 1905, the Shinano Maru, a converted cruiser, was on duty in the Tsushima Strait. From the vessel came a wireless telegram reporting “the smoke of enemy ships” on the horizon. This was followed by additional messages confirming sightings of the enemy fleet and noting that the ships appeared to be attempting a pass through the eastern channel (“Warship Izumi Wartime log book (6),” Ref. C09050405600, images 30–41) (Image 4). Having confirmed that the Russian fleet was entering the Tsushima Strait, Japan’s Combined Fleet set sail from Jinhae Bay for the Tsushima Strait, with the Mikasa at the head, to intercept the enemy as it headed north near Okinoshima.

 

[Image 4] “Warship Izumi Wartime log book (6)” (Ref. C09050405600, image 31)

 

2. Okinoshima and Maritime Operations During the Battle of Tsushima

Naval and shore-based observation posts across Japan worked together to track the Russian fleet’s movements, transmitting updates to a central hub by wire and wireless telegraphy. After Japan severed diplomatic ties with Russia on February 4, 1904, fleet orders were issued, and wartime mobilization commenced. The Navy began setting up temporary observation towers in various locations—many of which were along the coast between northern Kyushu and the Korean Peninsula, especially near Tsushima (Image 5). Among them was a tower on Okinoshima, which sources described as “a key point in the Korean Strait” (Ref. C05110109600, image 10).

 

[Image 5] “Map of Observation Towers Under Sasebo Naval District Control” (“3rd Piece: Communication/Chapter 4 Observation Tower,” Ref. C05110109900, image 22, detail)

 

Okinoshima, lying roughly 60 kilometers off the coast of Munakata City in Fukuoka Prefecture, measures roughly 1 km east to west and 500 meters north to south for a total perimeter of about 4 kilometers. Formed by the uplift of seabed bedrock, it also features rugged cliffs and jutting topography. A central ridge runs from the northeast to southwest, with the highest point, Mt. Ichinodake, rising 243.6 meters above sea level. Due to its steep terrain, Okinoshima is unsuitable for human habitation. Its forest, free to grow untouched, earned National Natural Monument status in 1926 as the “ Primeval Forest of Okinoshima.”

Despite its harsh, uninhabitable terrain, the island’s strategic location has made it a key stopover for seafarers since the Jōmon period. Archaeological evidence points to visits by coastal fishing communities in the area, and historical resources include several cases of shipwrecked sailors washing ashore. One such record—“Korean Nationals Drifting Ashore, Fukuoka Governor’s Report” (Ref. B12081773800)—describes the rescue of castaways. While landing on the island remains generally prohibited, Okinoshima is still officially designated as a Type-4 port of refuge. During storms, ships can take refuge at a port facility on the island, which thus continues to serve a lifeline for the safety of the area.

Okinoshima was also seen as a sacred place, even in the Meiji period (Note 1). The pressures of the Russo-Japanese War necessitated the construction of new installations, and ultimately the local Munakata Shrine consented to military construction on this religious site (see History of Munakata Shrine, Vol. 1, p. 175). In April 1904, the Sasebo Naval District built both an observation tower and a lighthouse atop Okinoshima’s Mt. Ichinodake (Image 6). By July, the Navy had ordered a new submarine cable network to “counter the southward advance of the Russian Pacific Fleet.” Lines were laid linking Takeshiki on Tsushima, Okinoshima, Kakushima in Yamaguchi Prefecture, and Kottoi on the mainland. With that, telegraph operations began at the Okinoshima tower (“3rd Piece: Communication/Chapter 1 Outline of Communication,” Ref. C05110109600, image 11). As the Reminisce video highlights, one report from Okinoshima stated, “Engagement underway, moving gradually north”—the station thus provided real-time updates (“Battle of Tsushima telegram report 1 (1),” Ref. C09050518500, image 44). The island offered an excellent view of the surrounding waters; later academic surveys confirmed that, on clear days, Iki, Tsushima, and even the western edge of Honshu were visible from the lighthouse (Munakata Okinoshima, p. 11).

 

[Image 6] “Location of Okinoshima Observation Tower Telegraph Office” (“Reference Document,” Ref. C05110110100, image 380)

 

But for people stationed at the Okinoshima tower—an isolated island far off the coast—conditions were apparently grueling. In February 1905, an outbreak of skin disease prompted the dispatch of a Navy surgeon (“February 10, 1905: Inspection Report by Navy Staff Lieutenant Maruyama Sumitarō,” Ref. C05110110100, images 398–400). A report on the situation noted that even the fittest personnel needed 30 minutes to climb from the landing site to the tower, which sat on a plateau. The facility was a single-story structure with about 5–6 tsubo (roughly 18–20 square meters) of living space, although a later expansion increased the total floor area by 3 tsubo (roughly 10 square meters )  (Image 7). Summers brought relentless mosquitoes and horseflies. The only regular connections to the mainland came via fishing boats that ran just twice a month, and strong north winds sometimes halted traffic for over a month at a time during the winter. On top of that, poor nutrition led to cases of beriberi (thiamine deficiency)—and even death. The report called for improvements to the isolated station, a place where life was monotonous and a constant struggle to endure. Survey teams in the postwar years echoed the previous findings: swarms of horseflies, hordes of mountain leeches, and long stretches of stormy seas without supplies. Okinoshima was an inhospitable place to be.

 

[Image 7] “Chikuzen Okinoshima Temporarily Constructed Observation Tower Extension Location” (Ref. C05110172700)

 

After the war, the Okinoshima observation tower was commended for “swift and accurate reporting on enemy and friendly movements” and then shut down along with other temporary sites (“3rd Piece: Communication/Chapter 4 Observation Tower,” Ref. C05110109900, images 46–48). The Showa period saw Okinoshima’s strategic value once again come to the fore, and a coastal defense post (“4 Each district where contingent is located (13) Okinoshima Contingent,” Ref. C08011400400) and artillery battery went up on the island (Note 2). The light fixture, rebuilt and automated as a lighthouse, still guides vessels through the surrounding waters. Though the island’s role has evolved over time, its legacy as a maritime guardian for people in the area remains unchanged.

 

3. The Battle of Tsushima, as Seen from Okinoshima

Although uninhabited, Okinoshima is home to Okitsu-miya Shrine, where shrine personnel from Munakata Shrine took turns staying to perform rites. During the Battle of Tsushima, two caretakers—Shinto priest Munakata Shigemaru and shrine worker Satō Ichigorō—were stationed at the shrine. They witnessed the fighting and recorded what they saw in the “Okitsu-miya Shrine Affairs Log Book,” a valuable primary source on the battle.

The relevant entries were later excerpted in a short guidebook titled Overview of Okitsu-miya, Grand Imperial Shrine of Munakata, and are available on the JACAR database (“Sale of decommissioned warships (1),” Ref. C04016252200, images 31–35). These observations provide a rare, firsthand civilian account of the battle—perhaps the most intimate account of the events.

. One well-known detail highlighted in the Reminisce video is the now-famous telegram from the battleship Mikasa to Imperial Headquarters: “The weather is fine, but the waves are high” (“Battle of Tsushima telegram report 1 (1),” Ref. C09050518500, image 30). According to the shrine log, however, inclement weather had set in the previous day (May 26) and prompted the observation tower on Tsushima to issue a storm warning via telegram. On the day of the battle, May 27, visibility was poor—less than 5 nautical miles (approx. 9 km). The caretaker log from Nakatsu-miya Shrine on nearby Ōshima also records heavy fog. The staff there climbed to the highest point on the island to look out over the water; they could hear the sounds of battle but were unable to see the ships. The information from Okinoshima, however, provides a detailed account of the fleet movements.. The shrine log includes the following revealing entries on the action of the Battle of Tsushima (excerpted), accompanied by images of the passages in the original Japanese (Images 8–11).

 

Excerpt: “Okitsu-miya Shrine Affairs Log Book,” entries for May 26, 27, 28, and 29, 1905 (Summary and excerpt of entries related to the Battle of Tsushima. Bracketed notes [ ] are the author’s additions.)

〇May 26: Strong winds from the west, rain

Very bad weather today. The observation tower on Tsushima apparently sent a wind and rain alert by telegram at 3 a.m.

〇May 27: Strong winds from the west, cloudy and misty

This morning, around 7:40 a.m., the observation tower telephone us to report they had received an urgent telegram indicating that “enemy fleet has passed through the east passage” and urging “alert.” At around noon, we began to hear substantial gunfire from the northwest of Okinoshima.

Around 1 p.m., we received word of another telegram saying that the lookouts could not see our fleet. We all quickly trained our eyes on the water in hopes of locating the ships. When we began to notice that the gunfire seemed to be gradually nearing our location around 2:15, we tightened our watch. The fog, however, limited our visibility to 5 nautical miles out and made it difficult to surveil the conditions.

At about 2:30 p.m., we saw a ship about 4 nautical miles to the southwest—its affiliation unclear—caught under heavy fire from both sides. It appeared to be under serious pressure but continued to resist. It was either one of our vessels or one of theirs, but if not ours, it had to be the enemy. We squinted hard and realized it was the Izumi, one of our cruisers, fending off enemy fire while retreating. Soon after, 18 enemy ships appeared about 4 nautical miles away, accompanied by five or six destroyers and torpedo boats. They were in a loose formation, and the smaller vessels wove among the fleet as it advanced northwest. We were all incensed but powerless to act.

While the observation tower was transmitting urgent reports to various locations, all eyes remained fixed on the enemy fleet. Then, at 2:40 p.m., four battleships suddenly appeared to the southwest. For a moment, we could not help but fear they were enemy reinforcements. But a closer look brought relief—they were our long-awaited cruisers: the Chiyoda, Tokiwa, Iwate, and Yakumo, arriving to hunt the enemy.

The gunfire quickly intensified, booming thunderously. The sky seemed to split open; the earth to come undone. A thick curtain of smoke covered the sea. Bright flashes lit up the mist. The god of the sea surely stirred from slumber, as fierce winds whipped the waves and the morning’s lingering haze deepened the eerie atmosphere. It was a scene of chaos and ferocity beyond description.

By 3 p.m., our ships were applying heavy pressure. The enemy shifted course and began to flee, and our fleet moved to block their escape. Then we spotted over 50 of our warships on the far horizon, joining forces to cut off retreat and begin a full siege. The Russian fleet broke formation and grew desperate. Our ships pushed ahead, trapping and pursuing them to the northwest.

By 4 p.m., the enemy formation had completely fallen apart. Each ship seemed to flee on its own, struggling mightily. Fighting broke out in at least three locations. Ships on both sides exchanged direct fire, and cruisers and destroyers were engaged in skirmishes that felt almost choreographed. Two Russian vessels caught fire; one lost its main mast and tipped substantially, likely due to damage in the engine room. One of our ships, possibly the Iwate, appeared to have sustained damage as well—it dropped back for emergency repairs but soon rejoined the fray. Around 5 p.m., our fleet began its pursuit. As the fighting moved out of view, away from Okinoshima, the ships disappeared into the dusk.

At 8 p.m., we received a telephone call saying that three enemy ships had been seen heading southwest and searchlights had been turned on, but the ships were no longer visible. We were asked to maintain our watch. Sailor Satō Matsunosuke and I climbed Mount Odaka to keep lookout. Before long, we spotted white lights beyond Kameze [Trans.: known today as Gameze.] to the east and again near Tenguhana and Koya-shima Island. We immediately notified the observation tower. The enemy ships appeared to be fleeing toward Iki. Distant gunfire continued through the night as we waited for additional messages. None of us slept.

〇May 28: Winds from the west, clear

It was sunny today, and we had a clear view out over the sea. If only the same had been true yesterday—it would have made the battle easier to observe. Reports suggested that fighting was underway near Songdo, Korea. Around 10 a.m., we received a telegram saying that at least four enemy ships had been sunk. The sound of cannon fire still carried faintly across the water.

At 3 p.m., the Fusō, Tsukushi, and Takao passed to the northwest.

Today, two Japanese boats—led by Captain Miwa of Iwami Province, Captain Katō Miyokichi, and Ōki Toyoichirō—spotted a drifting Russian steam launch about 7 nautical miles north of Tsushima. They obtained two military flags, three oars, and an anchor. Per request from the observation tower, they took the items into custody. They had hoped to tow away the boat, as well, but ultimately left it adrift about 8 nautical miles from Okinoshima due to the lack of tailwind.

〇May 29: Clear, winds from the northeast

At 10 a.m. today, we spotted two cruisers—Iwate and Yakumo— approximately 8 nautical miles southeast of the island. At first we were unable to identify them and thought they may be enemy ships, which sparked a moment of panic. However, once we saw that they were ours and news of victory arrived, we all gave out three shouts of “Banzai!”

 

[Image 8] “Okitsu-miya Shrine Affairs Log Book,” entry for May 26, 1905 (partial) (photo by author)

 

[Image 9] “Okitsu-miya Shrine Affairs Log Book,” entry for May 27, 1905 (first half) (photograph by the author)

 

[Image 10] “Okitsu-miya Shrine Affairs Log Book,” entries for May 27 (second half) and 28 (first half), 1905 (photograph by the author)

 

[Image 11] “Okitsu-miya Shrine Affairs Log Book,” entries for May 28 (second half) and 29 (partial), 1905 (photograph by the author)

 

References

• • Denpa Kanri Iinkai. Nihon musenshi [A history of wireless communications in Japan], vol. 10. 1951.
  • Munakata Jinja Fukkō Kiseikai. Okinoshima Munakata JinjaOkitsu-miya saishi iseki [The Religious sites at Okitsu-gū , Munakata Jinja]. 1958.
  • Munakata Jinja Fukkō Kiseikai. Munakata Taisha shi [History of Munakata Shrine], vol. 1. 1961.
  • Munakata Taisha Fukkō Kiseikai. Munakata Taisha Shōwa zōeishi [The Shōwa reconstruction of Munakata Taisha]. 1976.
  • Daisanji Okinoshima Gakujutsu Chōsatai, ed. Munakata Okinoshima [Archaeological research（1969–1971）of religious sites on Okinoshima]. Munakata Taisha Fukkō Kiseikai, 1979.
  • Hara, Tsuyoshi. Meiji kokudo bōeishi [National defense in the Meiji period]. Kinseisha, 2002.
  • Yuba, Tadanori. Kodai saishi to Shirukurōdo no shūchakuchi Okinoshima [Ancient rituals and the end of the Silk Road: Okinoshima]. Shinsensha, 2005.
  • Kamata, Kōzō. Zatsuroku: Meiji no jōhō tsūshin—Meiji o sasaeta denshin nettowāku [Notes: Information and communication in Meiji—The telegraph networks that supported the era]. Kindai Bungeisha, 2008.
  • Oka, Takashi. “Okinoshima no senji ikō” [Wartime remains on Okinoshima]. Okinoshima kenkyū 2 (2016).
  • Fukuoka-ken Kyōiku Iinkai. Fukuoka-ken no sensō iseki [Wartime sites in Fukuoka Prefecture]. 2020.
  • Munakata City. Shinshū Munakata-shi shi: Ikusa to hitobito [New history of Munakata City: Warfare and the people]. 2022.

 

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my sincere thanks to Munakata Taisha for granting special permission to view and use images from the “Okitsu-miya Shrine Affairs Log Book.”

KAWANO Yasuhiro, Assistant Researcher, Japan Center for Asian Historical Records

 

Notes

(1) Facing the eastern channel of the Tsushima Strait, Okinoshima has long served as a key maritime hub connecting the Japanese archipelago with the Korean Peninsula and mainland China. Travelers on the sea route known as the Kaihakudōchū (“Ocean Route to the North”) would often stop to offer prayers for safe passage, dedicating various items to the kami (deities) of the island. From the second half of the fourth century through the end of the ninth century, the Yamato court and other early Japanese governments are believed to have conducted state rituals on Okinoshima. Many of the ritual offerings, placed on boulders or in rock crevices, remain untouched—just as they were—to this day. The site’s legacy is so historically rich that some have called it the “Shōsōin of the Sea,” an allusion to the the treasure house at the Nara temple Tōdai-ji] Large-scale excavations from 1950 to 1970 unearthed approximately 80,000 ritual artifacts, all of which have been designated National Treasures. Select items are on display at Munakata Taisha’s Shimpokan (Munakata Taisha Museum). Exhibits also include a compass once mounted on the Mikasa, flagship of the Combined Fleet, and a calligraphy work by Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō (Image 12).

[Image 12] Compass from the Mikasa and calligraphy by Admiral Tōgō (Collection of Munakata Taisha Shimpokan) (photograph by the author)

 

For centuries, Okinoshima has been a sacred site. The island—itself is considered a deity—is home to Okitsu-miya, one of the three shrines that comprise Munakata Taisha (along with Nakatsu-miya on Ōshima and Hetsu-miya on the mainland in Munakata City). In 2017, the island and heritage associated with it” were listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site under the name “Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region.” Of the various locations in the registry, Okinoshima is the only one entirely off-limits to the general public, as the entire island is considered a spiritual sanctuary. Shinto priests from Munakata Taisha take turns residing there and conducting rituals on the shrine premises partway up the mountainside. Today, the priests rotate every ten days, but in the early Meiji period, each shift lasted 100 days—a stipulation outlined in a document on the JACAR database titled “Daily Stipends for Munakata Shrine Okinoshima Attendants” (Ref. A24010358400).

(2) Ōshima (Chikuzen Ōshima, also known as Munakata Ōshima), home to Nakatsu-miya and the worship hall for Okitsu-miya, likewise played a key role in maritime routes linking Japan to the Korean Peninsula and mainland China. In 1936, the military constructed an artillery battery on a bluff overlooking the Genkai-nada Sea (Images 13 and 14). As was the case on Okinoshima, the military set up a guard post to defend the surrounding waters (“Each district where contingent is located (15) Chikuzen Oshima Contingent,” Ref. C08011400600). Near the worship hall for Okitsu-miya is what remains of a concrete tidal gauge built by the Army to measure sea levels (Image 15).

 

[Image 13] Remains of the Ōshima battery (observation station and ammunition depot entrance) (photo by author)

 

[Image 14] Remains of the Ōshima battery (gun emplacement, with the Sea of Japan in the background) (photograph by the author)

 

[Image 15] Remains of a concrete tidal gauge (with the Okitsu-miya worship hall in the distance) (photograph by the author)

 

 

Supplement

“Okitsu-miya Shrine Affairs Log Book,” entries for May 26, 27, 28, and 29, 1905 (Excerpts related to the Battle of Tsushima have been featured here.)

 

廿六日　西風暴強降雨

一 日供奉仕如例　　　　宗像／市五郎

一 本日天候大ニ悪シ聞ガ如クハ前三時對州望樓ヨリ暴風雨ノ警戒電報ガ有リシ由

 

廿七日　西風強曇天霧霰

一 本日々供奉仕如例

宗像／市五郎

一 本日午前七時四十分頃敵艦隊東水道ヲ通過セシモノヽ如シ警戒ヲ要ストノ至急電報アリシト電話ニテ望樓ヨリノ報知ニ接ス正午ヨリ本島ノ西北ニ当リ砲声盛ニ聞コユ午后一時頃我艦隊見ヘザリシヤノ電報アリシ旨通知ヲ得一同視線コラシテ海上ヲ警戒中二時十五分頃砲声次㐧ニ近クガ如ク聞ユ氣ヲ着ケテ西方ヲ見レ共本日ハ霧霞ノ為メ海上五海里ノ外ハ見ヘズ見張リニ困難ナリシ二時半頃敵カ味方カ一隻ノ砲火ヲ前後左右ニ受ケ最モ苦戦ノ有様ニテ必力應戦シツヽ西南四海里ノ処ニ現ハル我艦カ敵艦カ吾レナラズバ必ズ敵ナラントヒトミヲ定メテ能ク望メバ豈計ンヤ我ガ和泉艦敵艦ノ砲撃ヲ受ケ應戦シツヽ退却スルニ在リ間モ無ク敵ノ艦隊十八隻水雷駆逐合セテ五六艘忽然トシテ四海里ノ処ニ現ル其陣形ハ整ハザルモ艦間水雷駆逐ヲ挟ミ西北ニ向ヒ進航ス余等一同怒ニ堪ヘザルモ如何トモ為ス能ハズ望樓ニテハ直チニ所々ニ急報セシト此間人皆ナ敵ノ動作ニ氣ヲ付ケ居リシニ二時四十分忽チ見ル四隻ノ軍艦西南ニ現ル一同又々敵艦ノ後レテ至ルナラント恐荒ノ念禁スルコト能ハス凝視レバ喜フベシ之レ特ニ特チタル吾艦千代田常磐磐手八雲ノ四艦ノ敵ヲ捜索ノ為メ至レルナリケリ直チニ砲火ハ開カレタリ殷々タル砲声ハ刻一刻ニ激ヲ加ヘ天欄為メニ裂ケ地維将ニ挫ケントスルガ如ク砲烟漠々海上ヲ蔽ヒ閃光爛々海若為メニ夢ヲ驚カシ加之強風怒濤裂々トシテ海上ニ吠ユ朝来薄靄ニコメラレタル海上ノ光景盆々陰惨ノ度ヲ嵩メ其ノ凄絶壮絶ノ感ヲ極ム午後三時五艦敵艦ヲ壓迫シ敵艦方向ヲ轉シ逸出セントシ吾又之ヲ遮ラントス此時早ク遠ク海上ニ吾艦隊ノ主力五十隻余現レ共ニ遁路折チテ包圍攻撃ヲナスヤ敵ハ愈々隊形ヲ乱シテ苦戦吾艦挟追撃シツヽ西北ニ進航午后四時ニ至リテハ敵ノ隊列四離七裂苦戦シテ各艦各自ニ逸出セントスルガ如シ此際ノ海戦三所ニ演ラレ戦闘艦ハ彼我互ニ組ミ駆逐巡洋各艦共彼我番組ヲ為スガ如ク角ヘリ此時敵艦ノ弐艦火災ヲ起シ一ハ高懎折レ機関部ノ損セシモノカ斜形シテ纔々苦戦ヲナセリ吾艦モ（磐手ナリシカ）損所ヲ生ゼシモノカ一時隊形ヨリ離レ後方ニテ應急ノ手当ヲナシ直ニ戦列ニ加ハリタリ五時頃ヨリハ追撃トナリテ本島ヲ遠カルガ故ニ日没ト共ニ見ルコトヲ得ザリシ午後八時頃電話ニテ敵艦三隻北南ニ向フ如シ探海燈ヲ点ゼシニ今ハ見ヘズ警戒ヲ頼ムトノ報ニ接ス直ニ水夫佐藤松之助ト御高ニ昇リ見張ス暫ニシテ亀瀬ノ向フ東ノ方位幷ニ天狗鼻木屋島方位ニ白色ノ電燈ヲ見ル直チニ望樓ニ報告ス此ノ艦ハ壱州沖方位ニ逸出セシモノヽ如シ後報ヲ待ツ終夜遠クニ砲声ヲ聞クー同寢ニ就カズシテ天明ニ至ル

 

二十八日　西風晴天

一 日供奉仕如例　　　　宗像／市五郎

一 本日ハ天氣晴和海上遠ク展望ヲ得ル本日ニシテ昨日ナラシメバ海戦便利観戦ニモ都合上好カリシナラント思ヒタリ情報ニ依レバ本日朝鮮松島附近ニ於テ彼我大激戦中トノコト十時頃電報敵ハ少クモ四隻ハ撃沈セラレシト砲声ハ矢張遥カニ殷々トシテ聞ユ午后三時扶桑筑紫高雄ノ三艦西北ニ通過セリ

〔欄外〕本日石見國三輪船長加藤三代吉分船長大木戸豊一郎ノ二舩對州ノ北部七海里ノ処ニ於テ露国ノ小蒸氣ボートヲ漂フヲ見止メ所載ノ軍旗二竿オール（カイ）三丁錨一丁ヲ取得来リシヲ望楼ノ依頼ニ依リ押収スボートモ曳キテ来ラントセシモ追風ナキ為メ沖島ヲ去ル八海里ノ所ニテ放棄セシ由

 

二十九日　晴天北東風

一 日供奉仕如例　　　　宗像／市五郎

一 本日午前十時本島東南八海里計リノ処ニ岩手八雲ノ二艦通過ス見分ケ着カザル迄ハ敵艦ナラント思ヒ非常ノ騒動セリ漸ク見分ヲ得ルニ従ヒ我軍ノ大勝利ノ報ヲ傳フ一同万歳ヲ三唱ス