Aobaen, Japan's first private park cemetery, opened 70 years ago in Saitama City. Aobaen, Japan's first privately operated cemetery, has installed an "ema-kuguri" wooden frame corridor with 1,500 prayers written on them!

2024.01.18 10:30

公益財団法人青葉園

Aobaen Foundation (Representative: Toyoko Yoshida) has been operating a park cemetery in Nishi-ku, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, since 1952. Since July 2022, a "wooden frame corridor" has been installed in the plaza under the three-story pagoda and decorated with various decorations for the enjoyment of visitors to the park. So far, we have decorated the area with a variety of seasonal decorations such as wind chimes, Kazaguruma dolls, lanterns, fans, and so on. This time, the garden decorated the wooden-framed corridor with as many as 1,500 ema (votive picture horses). The ema were decorated with the prayers of many people, including students from nearby elementary and junior high schools and schools for the disabled, as well as residents of the neighborhood and users of the cemetery.

Ema Kuguri" at Aobaen

Aobaen: https://aobaen.or.jp/

The wooden frame corridor is decorated in various ways according to the season.

The wooden-framed corridor is beautifully decorated for each season. The park has gained recognition through word-of-mouth and other means, and many people not only from within the prefecture but also from Tokyo and other prefectures visit the park as a walking course and sightseeing spot. The decorated wooden frame corridor has also become a photo spot for families to create memories together.

The January decoration is an "ema (votive tablet)" with your wishes written on it.

In addition to the cyclamen, the garden is also filled with the wild tea flowers this season, which can be enjoyed in combination with the ema-kuguri.

After the walk, visitors can enjoy a meal at "Kyoto Cuisine Sanmon," which is located next to Aobaen. Recommended dishes for January are the new lunch menu "Hanayagi Gozen" and the seasonal dessert "Yuzu Mousse".

Emakuguri 1

Ema-kuguri 2

What is "Aobaen," a park cemetery?

Aobaen was the first private park cemetery in Japan, opened in Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture in 1952. In 1957, it was approved as an "incorporated foundation," and in 2015, it became a "public interest incorporated foundation," making it the only cemetery in Saitama Prefecture operated by a public interest incorporated foundation.

In the cemetery, many trees are planted, including "wisteria," a natural monument designated by Saitama Prefecture that is approximately 700 years old, "cherry blossom," "dogwood," "hydrangea," and "hyakkaiben," allowing visitors to enjoy a variety of flowers in every season. The "three-story pagoda" erected in the center of the park creates a beautiful view and is a place for everyone to relax.

By decorating the wooden frame corridor, we hope that even more people will enjoy the park and become more familiar with it as a public interest incorporated foundation.

We hope that Aobaen's efforts will help to create good memories for everyone.