In Japan, you can find cemeteries even in urban areas. Unlike in Korea, where cemeteries are mainly located in mountains or on the outskirts of cities, this reflects a somewhat contrasting cultural aspect. When I first traveled to Japan, I didn’t even realize places like these were cemeteries and found myself looking around curiously.
Given the unique landscape not commonly seen in Korea, I decided to explore a cemetery from a traveler’s perspective and capture some photos.
“Yanesen: Rediscovering the Northern Tokyo Urban Area”
During this Tokyo trip, I explored the area called “Yanesen,” which comprises Yanaka, Nezu, and Sendagi. Yanesen is a region found north of central Tokyo, easily accessible via Nippori Station.
Although Yanesen is close to the heart of Tokyo, it retains the old charm of the city. This area, once inhabited by commoners, features more modest buildings compared to central Tokyo, offering a peaceful, village-like atmosphere.
“Common Sight in Yanaka: Community Cemeteries”
Exiting Nippori Station and entering Yanaka, one of the first things that caught my eye was a community cemetery. Community cemeteries were a common sight in Yanaka, often accompanied by parks.
Finding cemeteries near residential areas was quite ordinary, providing an opportunity to casually explore places that are somewhat uncommon in Korea. One such place I stumbled upon during my wanderings was the “Honkoji” cemetery. The entrance, resembling that of a temple, was so inconspicuous that, at first, I thought it led to a Buddhist temple. It turned out to be a small cemetery in the Yanaka area. Visiting Honkoji provided a chance to indirectly experience Japan’s distinctive cemetery culture, different from that of Korea.
“Japan Tokyo, Yanaka Ginza, Cemetery Honkoji”
- Address: 3 Chome-1-3 Nishinippori, Arakawa City, Tokyo 116-0013, Japan
- Phone Number: +81 3-3821-4458
- Website: Honkoji