Tome Kannon

"This small Kannon temple, a 20-minute drive from the Chiran Interchange on the Ibusuki Skyline, is located in Chiran, the site of the southernmost kamikaze base on the mainland of Japan during World War II. During the war, Tome Torihama, the proprietress of the Tomiya Shokudo restaurant (now the Tomiya Ryokan inn) was adored by many of the kamikaze squadron's members and was known as the ""Kamikaze Mother."" In honor of the men who left to die in the attacks, Torihama prayed each day to a statue of Kannon which this temple now enshrines. Today, the inn strives to keep the establishment looking as close as possible to the way it did when it was run by Torihama; all are welcome to worship in the temple, which is located in the inn's main building."