Sugamo Prison, Former prison in Toshima-ku, Japan
Sugamo was a detention center in Toshima‑ku, Tokyo, comprising individual cells and administrative offices spread across several buildings. The compound covered a rectangular plot with high walls and watchtowers at the corners.
The facility was originally built to hold Japanese criminals and taken over by American authorities in 1945 for war crimes trials. After 1952 it returned to Japanese control before closing in 1971.
The detention center kept its Japanese name Sugamo Kōchisho even during American administration, reflecting its continuous presence in local memory. Today visitors can find the memorial stone at the edge of the skyscraper, standing quietly among modern shops.
The memorial stone stands in a corner of the Sunshine City complex near the main entrance. Visitors can find it at ground level, between the modern buildings.
Executions took place in a separate building within the walls, often in the early morning hours. Some of those held there were later transferred to other facilities or released.
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