Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery, Military cemetery and tomb of unknown soldier in Sanbanchō, Tokyo, Japan
Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery is a military burial ground in Sanbanchō, Tokyo, that holds the remains of unidentified Japanese soldiers who died during the Second World War. The site spreads across a spacious area near the Imperial Palace and includes a central memorial hall plus paved paths that wind through rows of trees and low commemorative stones.
The Japanese government opened this site in 1959 after a special committee began collecting remains from former battle zones in 1952. The facility later expanded to accommodate a growing number of recovered remains that continued arriving from overseas locations.
Visitors come here to stand quietly before the memorial stones and light incense as a gesture of remembrance for those who never returned home. On certain days, groups gather to lay flowers together and pray in silence, keeping alive the traditional Japanese customs of honoring the departed.
Visitors can reach the cemetery on foot from nearby subway stations and walk freely across the grounds without paying any entrance fee. The paths are paved and manageable even in wet weather, with the quietest hours usually falling in early morning or late afternoon.
Architect Yoshirō Taniguchi designed the layout and blended straightforward modernist lines with elements drawn from traditional Japanese memorial design. His approach shows in the clean geometry of the buildings and the open spaces that still convey a sense of restraint and respect.
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