noun
monument to the war dead; cenotaph for fallen soldiers
A stone monument or stele erected to honor and console the spirits of soldiers who died in battle, commonly found at shrines or public spaces in Japan.
神社の境内に忠魂碑が建てられている。
A monument to the war dead stands within the shrine grounds.
毎年、忠魂碑の前で慰霊祭が行われる。
A memorial service is held in front of the cenotaph every year.
戦没者慰霊碑 is a more descriptive term for a war memorial, often used in official contexts, whereas 忠魂碑 carries a traditional, somewhat patriotic nuance.
Compound of 忠 (loyalty), 魂 (spirit/soul), and 碑 (stone monument). The term emerged in modern times to honor soldiers who died for their country.