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How to Get to the Chinese Cemetery, a Popular Tourist Spot on Ishigaki Island! Our staff who live on Ishigaki Island will give you a detailed guide!
Hello everyone!
Have you heard of “Tangren Tomb,” a Chinese-style building on Ishigaki Island?
It is a stunningly beautiful building adorned with statues of dragons, phoenixes, and military commanders, all painted in vivid colors.
However, despite its beauty, the construction of the Tang Tomb is linked to a tragic event.
In this article, we’ll introduce you to the Tangren Tomb.
Table of Contents
What Is a "Tangren" Grave?
The Chinese Cemetery is a burial ground located in Kannon-zaki, Ishigaki City, Okinawa Prefecture. In 1852, during the “Robert Bown Incident,” Chinese coolies (Chinese laborers) aboard a slave-trading ship staged a mutiny and killed the ship’s captain. They then took control of the ship but ran aground off the coast of Sakieda Village on Ishigaki Island. With no other choice, the coolies went ashore at Sakieda Village and were detained in a detention camp.
Subsequently, upon receiving news of the *Bown*’s grounding, British ships bombarded the detention camp, and armed British and American soldiers carried out massacres, including hanging Chinese coolies. The residents of Ishigaki Island at the time showed great compassion toward the Chinese coolies who had escaped, responding with human decency—such as secretly providing them with food. Subsequently, the coolies fell ill or were driven to the brink of despair, resulting in a succession of deaths from illness and suicide. The people of Ishigaki Island continued to honor the deceased until the very end, building stone graves and holding memorial services for them.This is a summary of the Robert Bown Incident. The Tangren Tomb was erected in 1971 to honor the memory of the Chinese coolies who lost their lives in that incident.
How to Get to the Chinese Cemetery
If you're traveling by car
It is located about a 45-minute drive from Ishigaki Airport. If you head north on the Ishigaki Port–Ihara Road toward Kannonzaki, you’ll see it on your left as you follow the road. You can enjoy views of the ocean along the way, so take this opportunity to enjoy a scenic drive while taking in the beautiful scenery of Ishigaki Island.
Access by bus
If you're boarding from the terminal, take a local bus and get off at the ”Tojinbo” bus stop.
If you're boarding from downtown, you can get there in 15 minutes on Route 9, the Kabira Resort Line.
If you are traveling from New Ishigaki Island Airport, take Airport Line 4 or 10, then transfer to Route 9 (Kawachi Resort Line) at the bus terminal. The trip takes about 60 minutes.
Detailed Information on the Chinese Graveyard
At the time of the Robert Bown Incident, Japan was in the late Edo period—an era when numerous Western powers were arriving in Japan and China to strengthen diplomatic ties and expand trade. Since the Western powers’ goals were colonization and securing a supply of cheap labor, numerous slave ships from Britain and the United States visited China, selling people off or taking them back to their home countries as slaves. In 1852, the American slave ship Robert Bown, sailing from Xiamen, China, to California, was attempting to transport 400 Chinese people back to the United States as slaves.
They stripped the Chinese coolies naked and cut off their braids. They then pressed a red-hot branding iron against their chests to determine their status as slaves, and subjected them to abuse such as throwing weakened or sick slaves—who were unsellable—into the sea to be devoured by sharks. Upon realizing they had been enslaved, the Chinese men rioted, killing the American captain and crew members before taking control of the ship. However, on February 19, the Robert Bown struck a reef off the coast of Sakieda Village on Ishigaki Island and ran aground. Three hundred eighty Chinese coolies fled the ship and landed in what was then Sakieda Village. Unaware of the circumstances—such as the fact that the Chinese had seized the boats—officials from the Yaeyama Islands first established a detention camp in Akasaki, Sakieda Village, and later moved the detainees to Tomizaki, where they could be more easily monitored, to provide both supervision and protection.
Subsequently, upon receiving reports that the *Bown* had run aground, two British ships arrived at Ishigaki Island. On March 16, they shelled the detention camp at Tomizaki, and more than 200 armed soldiers landed to shoot and capture Chinese coolies who were attempting to flee. As a warning to those who had resisted the white settlers, they hanged nearly 100 people on the spot and set sail on March 23. However, the incident did not end there: on April 4, an American ship arrived, and more than 100 soldiers went ashore to conduct a search before departing on April 12.
The Chinese who escaped capture were taken in by the Ryukyu Kingdom, but due to poor sanitary conditions at the detention camp, the number of those who died of illness, committed suicide, or went missing reached 128. On September 29 of the following year, 172 survivors were repatriated to China; of the 380 who had landed on Ishigaki Island, 208 had died or gone missing. Moved by this tragedy, the people of Ishigaki Island built an old stone-piled cemetery known as the “Three Hundred Chinese Graves” to mourn the Chinese laborers; these graves are scattered throughout the area, and ceramic tombstones from them are housed in the Yaeyama Museum as historical artifacts. If you’re interested, please visit both the Chinese Graves and the Yaeyama Museum.
In 1971 (Shōwa 46), one year before Okinawa’s reversion to mainland Japan, this Chinese Cemetery was erected by gathering scattered remains and soliciting donations from organizations and individuals. At that time, given that it was shortly after World War II, an inscription was also added to commemorate U.S. military pilots and pray for peace.
The Chinese Tomb is situated in a scenic location and features vibrant Chinese-style decorations, including intricate carvings of dragons, phoenixes, and knights.
Also on the grounds is a memorial to U.S. military pilots—much like the history of the Tangren Graves—who died after being subjected to inhumane treatment, along with a monument inscribed with a prayer for peace, making this a place that bears witness to a deeply tragic history. However, it is also a place where one can appreciate the importance of peace and the significance of respecting diverse ethnic groups and cultures.
The Tangren Tomb is located at Kannon-zaki, said to be Ishigaki Island’s premier sunset spot, and offers a breathtaking view. Visitors can enjoy the spectacular sunset every day, and the tomb was built as a place of solace. We hope that the spirits of those who suffered in the disaster find comfort in this beautiful scenery.
How to Tour the Chinese Cemetery
Since this is a cemetery, please do not play here. Let us join our hands in prayer and pay our respects to the victims of this tragic incident. The Tangren Cemetery is designed to evoke images of China as a place of remembrance for the Chinese people. It features intricate decorations, including vibrantly colored phoenixes and dragons, statues reminiscent of emperors, civil officials, and military officers from Chinese dynasties, and martial generals on horseback. You’ll likely notice that particular attention has been paid to the dragons. The fur and beards are intricately crafted, and even the scales are meticulously carved one by one. Additionally, within the same grounds stands a monument erected to honor U.S. military pilots who lost their lives toward the end of the Pacific War and to pray for peace; it serves to convey the preciousness of peace to future generations.
There’s also a structure called the “Rokkakutei”—which resembles a gazebo—that serves as a small power spot on Ishigaki Island. A Rokkakutei is a type of temple found throughout Japan where people draw omikuji fortune slips to predict their fortune for the year and pray for a year of good health and safety. Although there are no fortune slips at the Rokkakutei on Ishigaki Island, it was built as part of a lottery promotion campaign. You might want to open lottery tickets purchased in town or scratch them off here to see what the future holds. It could certainly become one of your fond memories of Ishigaki Island.
A commemorative monument and inscription honoring Kishaba Eishin—known as the “Father of Yaeyama Studies”—are also enshrined here. Eishun Kishaba was a great figure who researched the history, folklore, and culture of the Yaeyama Islands and introduced Yaeyama folklore to the academic world. Next to the commemorative monument is an inscription honoring his dedication to the study of the Yaeyama Islands. This monument was erected to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Kishaba Eishun’s birth. A wealth of materials has been published and can be viewed at the Ishigaki City Library and other locations. Additionally, the Kannon-zaki Lighthouse is located right next to this grave; the sunset viewed from its observation deck is breathtaking and is considered one of the best sunset spots on Ishigaki Island. Why not stop by after paying your respects?
Address: 1625-9 Shinkawa, Ishigaki City, Okinawa Prefecture
Phone Number: 0980-82-1535 (Ishigaki City Tourism and Culture Division)
Hours of operation: -
Closed: Open all year round
Admission: Free
Parking: Available
Restroom: Available
summary
We’ve introduced you to the Chinese Cemetery. What did you think?
The Chinese Cemetery on Ishigaki Island serves as a memorial to a horrific incident that occurred during an era when imperialism was rampant. Some of the graves were also erected to honor the memory of U.S. military pilots and to pray for peace, playing a role in conveying the preciousness of peace to future generations. Located in a scenic spot near the Kannonzaki Lighthouse, we pray that the spirits of the victims may rest in peace, and we hope to use this site as an educational resource to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.
Here are some highlights of the Chinese Cemetery:
・Learn about academic history
・It has a calming atmosphere
・The sunsets are beautiful
・There are observation decks and lighthouses nearby, offering a panoramic view of the ocean
・Power Spot
Be sure to keep the above points in mind and pay a visit to the Chinese Cemetery.
Thank you for reading to the end.
This article was written by.
