Tama Cemetery Photo Guide: Tokyo’s Resting Place of Giants

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Richard Sorge's grave at Tama Cemetery, with gold Russian text on a black headstone and a large carved granite base — *Richard Sorge and Hanako Ishii’s graves.*

My first visit to Tama Cemetery was an eye-opener. A mere forty-minute train ride from the electric chaos of Shinjuku, I found myself in a sprawling, 128-hectare kingdom of silence. Here, beneath trees and enormous kanji-covered monoliths, rest the makers, shakers, and giants of Japan’s modern history. It’s a place where history isn’t just in books; it’s etched in stone. Whether you’re a history lover or a photographer hunting for something unique, many delights for your camera are waiting to be discovered.

Yukio Mishima's Hiraoka family grave at Tama Cemetery, a grey granite headstone behind a blur of red flowers. — *The grave of Yukio Mishima (note the fresh flowers)*

Why Tama Cemetery is a top location for Tokyo photographers

The tomb architecture and history are impressive. Tama is on the same level as Aoyama, Zoshigaya, and Yanaka cemeteries. Enormous kanji-covered monoliths, stone lanterns, and mound-shaped crypts fill the grounds.
Shinto and Buddhist icons are standard, but Christian crosses are sprinkled among them. A columbarium is also on the grounds.
There is even a foreign section. Many of the names seem to be of Islamic origin. A star above a crescent moon on the gravestone is common.
Some of Tama’s residents had a good sense of humor in life. Others wanted to express their appreciation to someone with the word Arigato (thank you) on their tombstone. These people decorated their graves appropriately.
No large buildings or skyscrapers are near Tama Cemetery. Trees cover the grounds. It is quiet and peaceful. Spring is an excellent time for a visit.

Bronze busts of a man and a woman in kimono at Tama Cemetery, set against a clear blue sky.

Famous figures: Who is buried in Tama Cemetery?

It’s a Who’s Who of Japanese historical figures. Here is an abbreviated list:

Literary giants

Edogawa, Ranpo (1894 to 1965) – author and critic. He played a significant role in the development of Japanese mystery fiction
Kitagawa, Fuyuhiko (1900 to 1990) – poet and film critic
Mishima, Yukio (1925 to 1970) – literary figure
Ōoka, Shōhei (1909 to 1988) – literary figure and translator of French literature
Yosano, Akiko (1878 to 1942) – author, poet, pioneering feminist (in Japan), pacifist, and social reformer

Large circular stone gravestone with Chi-Rho symbol and kanji characters in a sunlit section of Tama Cemetery. — *A Chi-Rho symol decorates this grave*

Military people

Araki, Sadao (1877 to 1966) – senior commander in the Imperial Japanese Army. He was also a right-wing political theorist in the late Japanese Empire
Hayashi, Senjuro (1876 to 1943) – Imperial Japanese Army commander. He was also the 33rd prime minister of Japan
Kurita, Takeo (1889 to 1977) – senior Imperial Japanese Navy commander during World War II
Sorge, Richard (1895 to 1944) – German communist who spied for Russia and was executed during WW2
Tatekawa, Yoshitsugu (1880 to 1945) – senior commander in the Imperial Japanese Army in WW2. He was also an ambassador to the Soviet Union
Togo, Heihachirō (1848 to 1934) – Japanese naval hero
Yamamoto, Isoroku (1884 to 1943) – Admiral and WW2 navy commander-in-chief

Stone lanterns flank Admiral Isoroku Yamanoto's grave in a shaded, tree-lined section of Tama Cemetery. — *Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto’s grave*

Pioneers of the arts

Kaitani, Yaoko (1921 to 1991) – ballerina
Yamahata, Yōsuke (1917 to 1966) – photographer of the Nagasaki bombing

Political leaders

Arita, Hachihiro (1884 to 1965) – government minister. He supposedly created the concept of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
Azuma, Ryotaro (1893 to 1983) – doctor, bureaucrat, and Governor of Tokyo from 1959 to 1967
Takahashi, Korekiyo (1854 to 1936) – politician and 20th prime minister of Japan. His house is at the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum.

Sporting legends

Matsudaira, Yasutaka (1930 to 2011) – coach of Japan’s men’s national volleyball team from 1965 to 1972. He was also the first Japanese to enter the International Volleyball Hall of Fame.
Starffin, Victor (1916 to 1957) – first professional baseball pitcher in Japan to win three hundred games.

Look at the names on that list. Many of them had a massive impact on Japanese history. Togo, Yamamoto, and Sorge influenced world events. There are more. Tama Cemetery is the resting place of giants.

Bronze statue of a man seated with legs crossed on a rugged stone base, set against a clear sky.

How to navigate the Tama Cemetery map

How do you find people? Tama Cemetery is divided into blocks and rows. Everything is numbered, including the graves. Where’s that information? It’s on bilingual (Japanese and English) maps at the administration building.

Two mushroom-shaped trees frame a Japanese stone grave marker at Tama Cemetery under a clear blue sky.

Big signboards with maps scattered throughout the grounds help visitors. Landmarks, toilets, etc., are marked on them. So finding graves should be easy with that information, right?

A stone Japanese gravestone with kanji and yellow flowers, surrounded by lush greenery at Tama Cemetery.

It’s not always easy. Tama is enormous. The place resembles a jigsaw puzzle. Plot sizes vary. Nothing is uniform. Thick grass and weeds are in some areas. Gravestones become worn and eroded. Identifying tombstones might be problematic.

A granite Japanese gravestone with kanji at Tama Cemetery, framed by yellow flowers and a bright pink azalea bush.

That makes the English maps less useful. Why? Keep the above problem in mind. Let’s add one more. Japanese is on the overwhelming majority of tombstones. The chance of not finding the grave you want is high. Arrange linguistic help before you go to avoid trouble.

There is a general knowledge problem. Let’s use the writer Ranpo Edogawa as an example. His real name was Taro Hirai, and his tomb bears that. If you don’t know that, you can’t find him. Do your research before you go to avoid this type of problem. Wikipedia is an excellent source of information.

Islamic gravestones with Turkish and Arabic inscriptions at Tama Cemetery, featuring crescent and star symbols. — *Foreign grave at Tama Cemetery*

Yukio Mishima fans are in for bad news. You have to find it by yourself. His family wants it protected for various reasons, and the staff respects their wishes. They won’t tell you where he is. The grave isn’t on the map.

Sunlit Japanese gravestones and colorful floral tributes under a tall tree at Tama Cemetery.

Photography tips for Tama Reien

A wide-angle is perfect for capturing the grand avenues of trees and stones. Telephotos let you isolate intricate details on a distant tombstone from a respectful distance. Many lenses have a use here.
Long exposures can be good. The cemetery opens at 8 a.m. That rules out sunrise pictures. But sunset is possible, in the cooler months.
If you take a bag of heavy photo gear, use Tama Station. It is much closer to the cemetery than Tama-Reien (about a twenty-minute walk).

Best time to visit

Many people say spring is best for the cherry blossoms. I can vouch for that, as I have seen them. They are good!

Stone lanterns flank Togo Heihachiro's grave at Tama Cemetery, shaded by a canopy of green trees. — *Admiral Heihachiro Togo’s grave*

A brief history of the cemetery

The cemetery’s story begins in 1923 when it opened as Tama Graveyard, officially changing its name to Tama Cemetery in 1935. Its history even includes a surprising chapter during World War II. The Japanese Air Force used its vast, tree-covered grounds to hide aircraft from the nearby Chofu Airport.

A stone Japanese gravestone with vertical kanji characters and a circular crest, set in a sunny cemetery. — *Tomoyuki Yamashita’s grave*

Visitor information: Location, access, costs, & hours

Where is Tama Cemetery?

Address: 4 Chome-628 Tamacho, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-0002
Here is the cemetery on a Google Maps:

Closest train stations:
- Tama – Seibu Tamagawa Line
- Tama-Reien – Keio Line
Entry fees: None
Opening hours: The grounds are accessible 24/7 but there is no lighting after dark.
For the most up-to-date information, consult the official Tama Cemetery (Japanese) website.

Top photo spots near the cemetery

Chofu Airport
Jindai Botanical Garden
Nogawa Park

Is Tama Cemetery worth it?

Given its immense size, you can’t see every grave of interest in one trip. A little planning will transform a visit from a simple walk into a profound journey through Japanese history. And it will be stress-free and deeply rewarding.

A five-tiered stone pagoda monument stands under a clear blue sky at Tama Cemetery.

Do you want to see more of Tokyo’s graveyards? Check out [The Photographer’s Guide to Tokyo’s Historic Cemeteries]. It will give you all the information you need to know.

Tama Cemetery FAQ

The grounds are open twenty-four hours a day, but the administration office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Take the Seibu Tamagawa Line to Tama Station or the Keio Line to Tama-Reien Station.

Yes, bilingual maps are available at the administration building, and large map signboards are located throughout the grounds.

It can be challenging. The cemetery is enormous, many tombstones are only in Japanese, and some graves, like Yukio Mishima’s, are not marked on public maps. It’s recommended to do research beforehand.

Spring is highly recommended for its beautiful cherry blossoms, but the cemetery is peaceful and worth visiting year-round.

1. While you can visit a grave at any time, it is respectful to avoid visiting late at night.
2. Keep a respectful demeanor.
3. Graves are family monuments, containing the ashes of multiple generations. Treat them with the reverence they deserve.

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Tama Cemetery Photo Guide: Tokyo’s Resting Place of Giants

Why Tama Cemetery is a top location for Tokyo photographers