Takamatsu Gushiken hunts caves in Okinawa’s jungles for the bones of those who died in the WWII Battle of Okinawa, one of the war’s bloodiest

As a volunteer cave digger, Takamatsu Gushiken has unearthed the remains of several hundred people. Excavation is not his goal. The “gamahuya” wants the bones to be identified and returned to their families.

The remains of some 1,400 people sit in storage for possible identification with DNA testing. So far just six have been identified and returned to their families.