Village to the west of Wewak, the Hawain River and east of Banak village . The Malamba Creek runs inland at Boiken.

Japanese Barge Wreck
The wreckage of a Japanese barge is on the shore at Boiken. Covered by sand, only part of the engine and fuel tank are visible today.  The ship's anchor is displayed in the village.

Japanese Roads & Trails
The Japanese built a series of limited roadways several kilometers inland at Boiken.  Disused since the war, the road beds are still visible to this day and used by locals for foot traffic. Smaller trailed cover hillsides and roughter ground. The trails lead inland to villages as far away as

Japanese TU-10 Trucks
Two Isuzu TU-10 Trucks are abandoned off the old road several kilometers inland. Likely parked where they were abandoned.  One is near a large pit, the other is mostly buried by sediment, likely in an earthen ravetment.

Japanese Navy Hospital Boiken
Located several kilometers inland, the Japanese had a large hospital.  Buildings were constructed from bush materials, including a seporate quarters for doctors, and area for patients inside to larger hillsides, and located near a river. The cooler air was ideal relief from the hot costal weather for patients.

Tetsuo Watanabe writes in Naval Land Unit that Vanished in the Jungle, page 59:
"May 6, 1944  Soon we reached the Boiken Naval Garrison. The navy men there were wearing neat uniforms. In sharp contrast, we were wearing tattered and muddy uniforms [from trek by foot from Sio and Madang areas]. But it did not matter. We had arrived at our destination. It took us 18 days from Oramba [Hansa Bay area]. I suddenly began to feel my exhaustion. As the bombardment was intense, we entered deep into the jungle to camp."

As death rates increased, mass burial graves for dead were dug into nearby hillsides. Since the 1950's and concentrationg their efforts since the 1970s to the present, the Japanese Government's Ministry of Health and Welfare has been returning to this area, as part of 'Operation Boiken' to exhume remains and return them to Japan. Several of the burial areas have each yeilded 700+ sets of remains, buried aproximately 1-2m in the ground, and stacked two or three in each grave.  Other burial areas have yeilded several hundered.  To this day, exposed remains are still found in the area.

Doctor Fumuio Yana Grave Site & Memorial
Japanese Army doctoer, from Kobe. According to locals, this strong and handsome doctor was in charge of the Boiken Hospital and also had several Boiken villagers as assitants.  He was killed during October 27, 1944 and his body was brought inland to the hospital for burial.  His grave was carefully outlined with rocks to mark the spot.

His daughter, a Kobe School Teacher, was able to trace her father's history to Boiken from a single letter he had send from New Guinea. She visited her father's grave in 2002. A small memorial for luck was built at the main road side in Boiken as a more acessible location for visitors to pay respect.

 

Hawain River
This river (pronounced "Hawaiian") is located to the west of Wewak crossing the west coastal road towards Boiken and Dauga and beyond. 

Abandoned Equipment
Retreating Japanese followed the Hawaiin river southwards, to Maprik, abandoneding their heavy equipment and guns at the river as they lightened their loads for the inland march.  Much of this equipment was still present until the 1970s, according to David Pennefather.  It is unclear if any is still left today.

Japanese Burial Areas
Area villages include: Molomogu Village (along the Molomugo River, an arm of the Hawain), Singang Village. A large Japanese burial area is reported near the Kuyoko Creek near Horama and Karawai.