Yes, Yanaka Cemetery is open to the public. Visitors are welcome to explore the grounds, pay their respects, and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and natural beauty. It's a place of reverence, so visitors are expected to behave respectfully.
The best time to visit is during the cherry blossom season in early April, when the sakura trees are in full bloom. However, the cemetery offers a peaceful and scenic walk throughout the year.
Photography is generally allowed, but it should be done respectfully and without disturbing other visitors. Avoid taking photos directly of gravesites or funerary rituals out of respect for the deceased and their families.
Yanaka Cemetery is vast, spanning about 10 hectares (25 acres), and contains over 7,000 graves.
Yanaka Cemetery is the final resting place for several notable figures in Japanese history. One of the most famous interments is Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the last shogun of Japan, along with many other members of the Tokugawa family.
Traveler reviews
I think it's beautiful. We don't have this kind of cemetery at home. Spend time walking through and seeing all the different headstones and lanterns, incense holders. Some are very old, some are brand new, all different styles. I like to draw so I picked a spot to sketch.
I don't know the etiquette so I did not take many photos or draw the kanji names.
I visited Yanaka Cemetery because I wanted to find the tomb of Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the last shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find it—the cemetery is very large, and I couldn’t locate a clear map or guide to the notable graves. Maybe I just didn’t know where to look 😄
Even so, I really enjoyed exploring the area. While walking around, I came across several notable tombs, including Fukuchi Genichiro, who played an important role in Japan’s journalism history. Some of the graves include information in both Japanese and English, which made it easier to understand their historical significance.
Beyond its historical value, Yanaka Cemetery is also known as a beautiful sakura spot. The main path is lined with cherry blossom trees, which must be stunning during spring. I visited in January, but I was lucky to still find one sakura tree in bloom—it was unexpectedly beautiful.
Overall, I think Yanaka Cemetery is a very interesting and meaningful place to visit, especially if you’re curious about notable figures in Japanese history. I would love to come back again—hopefully during sakura season—and try to explore more of the important tombs.
One of Tokyo’s largest cemeteries, it’s quite large but still very peaceful. It’s quite pleasant to stroll around there.
It’s just a cemetery, so don’t expect much more than that, although some seasons are probably more beautiful than others (I visited last December).
Personally, I enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere of the visit. I also recommend stopping by the nearby Tennōji Temple.
Large old cemetery. Peacful area to explore with multiple shrines and many noblemen tombs.
Few playgrounds nicely includes bringing life into this rest place.
A peaceful and beautiful cemetery full of history. Walking among the old trees and monuments gives a real sense of Japan’s past. Surprised it only has 4.1 stars—definitely worth a visit.
