HeritagePhoto Wikimedia CommonsJapanese Cemetery
Western Australia · Australia
See the largest Japanese cemetery outside of Japan, learn about the history, serenity and beauty of the carved headstones
Contents
8 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Japanese Cemetery
Welcome to the Broome Japanese Cemetery, a place of profound historical significance and quiet contemplation. This site is the final resting place of over 900 Japanese pearl divers who lost their lives while working in the…
Listen in the app2The Pearlers' Markers — A Study in Stone
As you look across the cemetery, the sheer number of headstones is overwhelming. Many of the older markers are simple slabs of the local red pindan sandstone, their inscriptions often eroded by decades of exposure to the salt…
Listen in the app3The Cyclone Victims — Nature’s Indiscriminate Power
One of the most striking features of the Japanese Cemetery is the large number of deaths recorded in specific years, particularly following major cyclones. In 1908 and 1935, devastating storms decimated the pearling fleet,…
Listen in the app4The Divers of the 'Bends' — The Invisible Danger
Beyond the external threats of cyclones and sharks, the Japanese divers faced a more insidious danger: decompression sickness, commonly known as 'the bends.' As divers descended to greater depths to find higher-quality pearl…
Listen in the app5Aboriginal and Japanese Synthesis — A Shared History
The Japanese Cemetery also offers insights into the complex interactions between the Japanese community and the local Aboriginal people. In the early days of pearling, Aboriginal people were the original divers, often forced into…
Listen in the app6The Central Shrine — A Focus for Community
In the center of the cemetery stands a larger, more prominent shrine or monument, which serves as a focus for community remembrance. This site is used during the annual Shinju Matsuri, or Festival of the Pearl, when members of…
Listen in the app7The Unknown Divers — A Final Contemplation
As you conclude your walk through the Japanese Cemetery, take a moment to notice the markers for the 'unknown' divers. These simple stones, often without names or dates, represent the hundreds of men whose identities were lost to…
Listen in the app8Closing
As we depart from the Japanese Cemetery, let the profound silence and historical weight of this place stay with you. We have journeyed through a landscape of sacrifice, courage, and cultural synthesis. …
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What is Japanese Cemetery?
Japanese Cemetery is a place in Western Australia · Australia with 8 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | Western Australia · Australia |
|---|---|
| Type | Heritage |
| Story sections | 8 |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | -17.9636, 122.2201 |
| Last updated |
