Anyone able to read the Japanese alphabet? (life)

[Doowlle34]

I was going through some of my grandfather's photos from WWII. I believe he was stationed in Okinawa at the end of the war, and he snapped some "slice-of-life" type photos. One of my favorites is the attached. I've always wondered what is written on the outside of this building.

[botticelli]

It is in Chinese, meaning a certain hotel's name (literally "Glory State Hotel", something like that)

[Doowlle34]

Thanks much! Does this suggest, therefore, that this picture was taken somewhere on mainland China and not on Okinawa as I had been led to believe?

[Queldorei]

"botticelli" is correct. It does look like it was mainland China, the guy on the right, his beard style says 'Chinese' to me.

[Greysholic]

No. 榮州(Yeongju) is in Korea so that picture was most likely taken in Korea.