Walking around the Broome Japanese Cemetery provides an understanding of the risks taken by the Japanese pearlers, many of whom came from Japan’s Wakayama Prefecture. Carved in Japanese with the names, birthplaces, and dates of death of the deceased, many headstones were crafted using rocks sourced from Broome’s beaches. There is also a large stone obelisk that commemorates those who drowned during a cyclone in 1908. The cemetery can be visited independently or by joining a sightseeing tour of Broome.
There is no admission fee to enter the cemetery.
There is no interpretation or translation available on-site, so book a guided tour for more details on the graves.
Some original headstones have been replaced and are now in the Broome Historical Society & Museum.
The Broome Japanese Cemetery is located at 1 Port Drive, a 5-minute walk (or 30-minute walk) from both the Broome town center and Cable Beach. If you’re driving, there is a small parking area next to the cemetery.
The cemetery is usually open from early morning until late evening, although exact times may vary throughout the year. Outside of opening hours, the gates to the cemetery are locked. As there is little shelter, the site can get hot during the summer months, so it is best visited early in the day.
Next to the Japanese Cemetery is the Chinese Cemetery, the resting place for members of Broome’s large Chinese population, and an Aboriginal Australian cemetery. There is also a Muslim cemetery nearby with the graves of Malay divers.
