Sep 11, 2013 - 1 min read

Zoshigaya Rei-en

Find peace amongst the graves

By John Carter

Community writer

The smoke of incense rises from a grave that had not since long been visited

Narrows paths form between the graves and the songs of the Cicada ring out from the trees above

This stone featured an image of a person scaling what appears to be Fuji-san.

The areas was full of wildlife and here a dragonfly rests upon a grave in the warm sun.

There's a saying that goes 'sleep when you dead', but the shade of the trees and the quiet road running through the cemetery seemed to be the perfect place to nap for tired taxi drivers

Amongst the foreigners who are buried at the site there is a group plot shared by female Catholic missionaries.

Many graves were extremely ornate and this one in-particular features a statue of a woman in attire of the Meji era.

Places such as cemeteries and shrines in Japan are never complete without crows lurking in the shadows.

The street car that runs in area is a great way to get to Zoshigaya cemetery from the Metro station.

A cemetery is not a likely destination to visit for those coming to Tokyo, but for Zoshigaya Rei-en you should make an exception.

The graveyard is an extremely tranquil place and each headstone is a work of art. The cemetery was founded in 1874 when the Meji government banned cremation and burial in the central area of the city. Within it lie many famous names and amongst them are several foreigners. One of these is the famous author, Lafcadio Hearn.

Located in the quiet neighbourhoods of Toshima ward you can easily make your way there by foot, train, subway or bus from Ikebukuro. There’s even a streetcar running in the area.

The cemetery makes for a really tranquil walk and is a lovely place to visit. It’s really worth the trip.