Yanaka Cemetery, Tokyo

Yanaka Cemetery, Tokyo

Yanaka Cemetery was once a Buddhist cemetery. This is evidenced by the Buddhist temple, Tennoji, and its large, bronze statue of the Buddha. During the Meiji Restoration, which began in the 1860s, the cemetery was transferred into a public one so that Shinto funerals and burials could take place.

Yanaka Cemetery encompasses more than 1,000 square meters and has about 7,000 graves. Also located on the cemetery grounds are the ruins of a 20th century, five-story pagoda and a large number of cherry trees that line the walkways. The blossoming trees make the cemetery a popular tourist location in late-March and April of each year.

Notable burials at Yanaka Cemetery include last shogun of Japan, Tokugawa Yoshinobu; former prime minister Ichirō Hatoyama; Momoko Kōchi, a popular actress and author Ichiyō Higuchi.

The cemetery is open to guests 24-hours per day. However, the cemetery is not well-lit at night and may be best viewed during daylight hours.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Tokyo. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Yanaka Cemetery on Map

Sight Name: Yanaka Cemetery
Sight Location: Tokyo, Japan (See walking tours in Tokyo)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Tokyo, Japan

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