Japanese Cemetery, Sandakan

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About Japanese Cemetery

There is a Japanese cemetery in Sandakan, Sabah. This is the resting place of a small Japanese community that settled here in the late 19th century. As in the case with many other towns in Malaya, Sandakan saw an influx of impoverished Japanese immigrants at the tail end of the 19th century. They came mostly from rural villages. In Sandakan, they worked as labourers and prostitutes, known as karayuki san, literally "Miss Gone Overseas". The situation here is no different from that in Penang (read Cintra Street and Penang Japanese Cemetery). According to the records, there were 20 brothels and 71 Japanese prostitutes in Sabah in 1891.

The Japanese Cemetery of Sandakan was established by a Japanese women by the name of Kinoshita Kuni, better known as O-kuni. The majority of the graves belonged to Japanese women, many of whom earned a living from prostitution.

Getting There

Go along Jalan Istana, past the Rotary Club Observation Pavillion, Agnes Keith House and the take a right turn to the undulating Chinese Cemetery. Eventually you will see the archway of the Japanese Cemetery.