Stunning Singapore Instagram spot with ‘cherry blossom’ archways exposes the city state’s troubled past with the Japanese
- Dating back to 1891, the Japanese Cemetery Park in Hougang contains more than 900 tombstones laid out in neat grey, white and sepia rows
- Over half the graves belong to prostitutes trafficked from rural Japan, while memorials for individuals who died during World War II are kept discreet
Singapore might be better known for its Formula 1, the Marina Bay Sands and Sentosa island, but before borders were closed by Covid-19, an increasing number of Instagrammers were tapping into a less obvious spot.
Attention was turning to the northeastern suburb of Hougang, where archways draped in bougainvilleas (which look very similar to the cherry blossoms Japan is famous for) make for eye-catching social media photography.
The Japanese Cemetery Park receives little publicity and is tucked away in a quiet neighbourhood, surrounded by the grand houses of Chuan Hoe Avenue.
Its low profile is no accident – nobody wants to upset older Singaporeans who have bad memories of the war years – and it maintains the park’s tranquillity.
Behind metal gates and bordered by mature trees, more than 900 tombstones are laid out in neat grey, white and sepia rows, their headstones, inscribed with Japanese characters, hinting at a largely forgotten history.
