Hatanaka Osamu Memorial Monument

Date CapturedJanuary 16th, 2025 at 04:43 UTCCameraDC-S5M2LensLUMIX S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6Apertureƒ / 4Shutter Speed1/160 secFocal Length20.0 mmISO100Exposure Value11.3 EVOriginal Size3600 × 2400

An obscure memorial to the Hatanaka Osamu Plane Crash Incident (畑中修飛機事件), in which a Japanese fighter pilot crashed on this hill in Zuozhen on November 24th, 1941. Hatanaka was a third class airman (海軍三等飛行兵曹) and perished during a training exercise flown out of the IJN airfield in Tainan City. Chen Chunmu (陳春木), a Taiwanese official at the local branch of the hokō (保甲) system of community policing, mobilized men in the nearby community to locate the wreckage and protect the crash site until Japanese official arrived hours later.

Date CapturedJanuary 16th, 2025 at 04:38 UTCCameraDC-S5M2LensLUMIX S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6Apertureƒ / 5.6Shutter Speed1/200 secFocal Length21.0 mmISO100Exposure Value12.6 EVOriginal Size3600 × 2400

In April 1942 an official monument was erected at the crash site at the direction of Zuozhen village chief (左鎮庄長) Tokuji Sakari (坂梨德次), who perished in January of the following year from disease while still in office. Hatanaka’s next of kin traveled from Japan for the unveiling, where they were met by Chen Chunmu, who promised to maintain the site in perpetuity. With the expulsion of the Japanese from Taiwan following their defeat in World War 2 it fell to successive generations of the Chen family to maintain the site.

Date CapturedJanuary 16th, 2025 at 04:39 UTCCameraDC-S5M2LensLUMIX S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6Apertureƒ / 3.8Shutter Speed1/250 secFocal Length24.0 mmISO100Exposure Value11.8 EVOriginal Size3600 × 2400

Date CapturedJanuary 16th, 2025 at 04:40 UTCCameraDC-S5M2LensLUMIX S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6Apertureƒ / 5.6Shutter Speed1/250 secFocal Length20.0 mmISO100Exposure Value12.9 EVOriginal Size3600 × 2400

Date CapturedJanuary 16th, 2025 at 04:41 UTCCameraDC-S5M2LensLUMIX S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6Apertureƒ / 4.5Shutter Speed1/160 secFocal Length20.0 mmISO100Exposure Value11.7 EVOriginal Size3600 × 2400

In recent years the site has become neglected and is only occasionally visited. There are no signposts or other markers to guide you to the monument. Finding the sight might be a little tricky, but it is far from difficult. The access point is located near the southeast side of Dali Ceramics (大立窯業), across a possibly dry stream, and up a small hill through the bamboo forest. It is not deep within the bush; if you haven’t found it after a few minutes consider retracing your steps and heading out in another direction.