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Old grenades and bayonets, believed to have been used by the Imperial Japanese Army, were found buried in a school playground in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, police said Tuesday.
Police said they were probably used for training drills during the war.
TBS reported that the weapons were unearthed on June 1 during construction work at the playground. Besides the grenades, 47 bayonets and parts of gun barrels used by the Imperial Japanese Army were also found. The grenades are all rusty and in no danger of explosion, police said.
Utsunomiya officials are now discussing whether to preserve the weapons as historical relics or dispose of them.
© Japan Today
10 Comments
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Harry_Gatto
I would like a second opinion on that, old grenades are downright dangerous.
ka_chan
What a safe playground for the last 68 years. Wonder what is buried around an maybe under the school.
BurakuminDes
Why not give donate them to the right-wing black van mob? Let them play with the grenades in their vans!
nath
Why would you not keep them in a museum? I know Japan isn't exactly proud of it's once imperialistic past, but it's a great chance to preserve some history: you don't unearth relics every day. So long as they're safe, I think a museum would be happy to have them.
sengoku38
That's really cool. I wish I could find some old stuff like that.
FizzBit
I just started metal detecting here. WW II bombs and now this?
smithinjapan
Sorry, but how are old grenades not dangerous? Them being old and rusty would only indicate a lack of stability, so long as a fuse is still intact. Dispose of the grenades at least, please. Keep a bayonette or two in the town hall, if you must.
Elbuda Mexicano
Old hand grenades?? Sounds like a bad idea to keep them around.
Fadamor
Before anyone else spouts off about how "dangerous" these grenades are, consider that they were obviously inert from the beginning. Or do you think Japan wasted precious live ammo for "training drills" during the war? EVERY armed force has inert grenades they use to get the trainees used to properly throwing them. Same shape and weight as a live one, but no explosive.
As for why they wouldn't be suitable for a museum, 70 or so years of rainy seasons have undoubtedly corroded the items. If they're in too bad a shape even cleaning them up won't help.
gelendestrasse
I think the story is rather ambiguous on if the grenades were inert practice grenades or part of a stash waiting for the allied invasion. If they are live they are very dangerous - especially if they are rusty. I would not be the one to volunteer to find out.