Jōkan-ji

Jōkan-ji is a Buddhist temple situated at the northern edge of Tokyo, featuring stone monuments and traditional gardens spread across its rectangular grounds.The site functions as a cemetery with carefully arranged spaces for remembrance.

The temple was founded in 1655 and became the resting place for thousands of people from the Yoshiwara district during the Edo period.Following the Great Ansei earthquake of 1855, it rapidly served as a mass burial site to prevent disease.

The temple holds memorials for roughly 25,000 people who worked in the Yoshiwara district, honoring them through Buddhist practices and stone monuments.Visitors experience a direct connection to the neighborhood's history through these carefully maintained dedications.

The grounds are accessible during daylight hours and can be reached by public transportation via Kami-Nakazato station.Plan your visit to allow enough time to explore the monuments and gardens at a leisurely pace.

During a cholera epidemic in the 19th century, the temple took on a critical role in rapidly burying victims to contain the outbreak.This urgent need shaped its role as a place of mourning and community protection.