Historic Ruins & Heritage

Sakamoto International Cemetery

📍 Sakamoto 1-chome, Nagasaki, Nagasaki, Japan

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3.6/ 5.0

★★★★☆

Quick Facts

Location: Japan, Nagasaki
Category: Historic Ruins & Heritage
Duration: 45-60 minutes
Opening Hours: Grounds open freely; no fixed hours
Ticket Price: Free Admission: Free to visit
Address: Sakamoto 1-chome, Nagasaki, Nagasaki, Japan
Coordinates: 32.7654, 129.8683

Introduction

The Sakamoto International Cemetery crowns a hillside in the Urakami district's Sakamoto quarter of Nagasaki. Opened in 1888 after the closure of the Oura foreign cemetery and administered by the city, it holds some 440 graves, with the 1903 Shin-Sakamoto section across the road. Those buried here include the Scottish merchant Thomas Blake Glover (with his son Tomisaburo Kuraba), Sigmund D. Lessner who founded Japan's first synagogue, the atomic-bomb survivor physician Takashi Nagai and his wife Midori Moriyama, French soldiers and Vietnamese laborers killed in the Boxer Rebellion, plus a Jewish section. Cherry blossoms in spring, with views over Nagasaki harbour.

✨ Highlights

Glover's grave

The Victorian Scottish merchant and his family.

Takashi Nagai

Author of 'The Bells of Nagasaki', the bomb-survivor doctor and his wife.

Lessner's grave

Founder of Japan's first synagogue, marked by a bust.

French and Vietnamese

Graves of Boxer Rebellion dead.

Jewish section

Sakamoto's Jewish burial ground.

Harbour and sakura

Spring cherry blossoms and port views on the slope.

🛈 Practical Info

→Location：Sakamoto 1-chome, Nagasaki, Nagasaki, Japan

→Time needed：45-60 minutes

→Opening Hours：Grounds open freely; no fixed hours

Ticket Information

Ticket Information
Free Admission	Free to visit

Transportation

Tram

Nagasaki Tram to Heiwa-koen stop, ~5 min on foot

Note

~8-min walk from JR Urakami Sta.; walkable from Urakami Cathedral and Peace Park

💡 Tips

• The cemetery is a resting place — stay solemn and keep off the graves.

• Part of the Urakami memorial zone with Urakami Cathedral, Peace Park and Sanno Shrine.

• The hillside path is unsheltered and slippery in rain.

• About 8 minutes on foot from JR Urakami Station.

• The grounds are at their quietest and loveliest in cherry season.

• The graves of Takashi Nagai and Thomas Glover draw the most visitors.

FAQ

What are the opening hours of Sakamoto International Cemetery?

Grounds open freely; no fixed hours

How much is the admission for Sakamoto International Cemetery?

Free Admission: Free to visit

Any practical tips for visiting Sakamoto International Cemetery?

The cemetery is a resting place — stay solemn and keep off the graves. Part of the Urakami memorial zone with Urakami Cathedral, Peace Park and Sanno Shrine.