Yokohama Cremation Memorial
- Country Japan
- Total identified casualties 284 Find these casualties
- Identified casualties from Second World War
- GPS Coordinates Latitude: 35.4341, Longitude: 139.58035
Location information
Yokohama Cremation Memorial is located in Yokohama War Cemetery. The cemetery is 9 kilometres west of the city centre on Jido-Yuenchi-Dori, Hodogaya Ward, which branches about 300 metres left off the old Tokaido highway. The best way to reach the Cemetery is by taking the number 53 bus (correct as at 24/7/2019), which departs every 20 to 30 minutes from Hodogaya Railway Station, approximately 4 kilometres away. To locate the bus stop, leave the railway station via the ‘East’ exit, in the direction of Tokaido Highway. It is on the opposite side of the Highway and can be accessed via the pedestrian bridge. When boarding, please let the driver know that you need the bus stop at Nagatadai Kouen Mae (永田台公園前) and will be visiting ‘Yokohama War Cemetery’ (‘英連邦墓地eirenpobochi’). On arrival at Nagatadai Kouen Mae, you should follow the road for approximately 100 metres, in the direction that the bus was travelling. The Cemetery is located on the left-hand side of the road and is marked by two brick pillars and a metal gate. There is also a sign outside the Cemetery, showing the CWGC logo and ‘Commonwealth War Cemetery Yokohama’ written in English. The Cemetery’s address is 238 Karibachō, Hodagaya-Ku, Yokohama 240.
Visiting information
PARKING
There is a car park outside the main entrance gates, there are spaces for vehicles. The car park is level, the surface of the car park is cobbled.
MAIN ENTRANCE, ACCESS & LAYOUT
The cemetery is oval shaped, situated in a large, wooded parkland area and there are five sections to the cemetery, each section is a separate burial area or memorial for Commonwealth service personnel.
The cemetery also houses the Yokohama Cremation Memorial and the Yokohama Memorial, where twenty members of the undivided India and Indian Royal Air Force personnel are buried.
The Australian section is to the right of the main entrance linked to all the other sections by a pathway. There are steps that go up into the Australian plot, a Cross of Sacrifice stands in the centre at the top end of the section.
Follow the path out of the Australian section, the path winds through the park to the New Zealand and Canadian section. Here, there are two sets of steps into the plot. The Cross of Sacrifice is adjacent to the steps.
From the New Zealand and Canadian section, a sealed pathway winds towards the main entrance. There is a T junction in the pathway; follow the path to the right to find the Indian Section, Post War plot and the British Section.
There are three sets of stone steps leading up to the Indian section, to access the Post War and British sections. This is the only route.
There are wooden benches alongside all routes around the cemetery and in each burial section.
ALTERNATIVE ACCESS
Access to the cemetery is through a wide entrance gate that opens onto a smooth path. The path links with other paths and provides a route around the cemetery.
There are parts of the route where it is not possible to access the separate sections without using steps.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The cemetery is open 0800-1630 seven days a week, including public holidays.
History information
The Memorial takes the form of a beautifully designed shrine which houses an urn containing the ashes of 335 soldiers, sailors and airmen of the Commonwealth, the United States of America and the Kingdom of the Netherlands who died as prisoners of war in Japan. Their names (save for 51 who were not identified) are inscribed on the walls of the shrine.