Ohaka Mairi (お墓参り) is a Japanese tradition that consists of people visiting the graveyards of their ancestors and relatives. “Ohaka” means grave or tomb, and “Mairi” means to visit. It is a very important ritual of honoring and paying their respects to their ancestors. People can visit the graveyards anytime, but they will usually go on the same day as the Buddhist memorial service and on the same day of the death anniversary.

To any serious Budo practitioner traveling to Japan, a visit to the burial grounds of the founder of their style or other important figures in Budo culture, should be in their must do list as a sign of respect. We have chosen 5 of the most iconic resting places for some of the most important personalities from the martial arts.

Take note that Ohaka Mairi is a serious act, and should be conducted with respect and seriousness, not as tourist attraction. Most of these memorial grounds are open to the public but always ask first if you can enter or take pictures.

Ueshiba Morihei

The arquitect behind the art of Aikido, Ueshiba Morehei was a reserved and self-restrained person, and it makes sense that his last resting place is in line with the whole philosophy he cultivated during his entire life. He rests inside the simple yet beautiful Kozan-ji Temple in Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture.

The Ueshiba family connection with Tanabe goes back to the Edo period (1603-1867) and Ueshiba Sensei was born in Motomachi Tanabe-shi, Wakayama Prefecture (formerly Nishi-no-tani-mura in Nishijima-gun, present-day Ueyama in Tanabe-shi). Upon his death, Ueshiba's ashes were buried in the cemetery overlooking the ocean at Kozan-ji, his family temple.

The tomb is located in a corner of the graveyard and like most graveyards in Japan, Ueshiba sensei’s consists of a big stone structure with an inscription marking that the founder of Aikido rests there. There is also a tatami mat dojo in the temple precinct, and Aikido classes are organized by the Tanabe Dojo.

Tanabe City has many more places connected with the early years of Ueshiba sensei, and just outside Kii-Tanabe JR train station, sits a monument in honor of him, to mark his honorary citizenship given just before his death in 1969. You can also visit the place where Ueshiba sensei was born, although currently just a sign in Japanese and English marks the place.

As part of an Aikido pilgrimage, don’t forget to visit the beautiful bronze statue of O’sensei located in the seaside Ogigahama Park.

Getting There

Tanabe City, is located on the west coast of Japan's Kii Peninsula, and is a 2.5-hour train ride from Osaka.
It takes 10 minutes by car and 30 minutes on foot from Tatekan Saba to Takayamaji Temple.

Kano Jigoro

Located in an immense area of about 105 hectares, the Yahashira Cemetery, on the East end of Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture, houses the tomb of Judo founder and first Japanese member of the Olympic committee, Kano Jigoro Shihan.
A western style cemetery, the lawn cemetery was built from 1965 to 1969 and in 1991 a wall cemetery was established. The design resembles many parks built around the same era, with a lot of French influence and a general European feeling. The cemetery was the first to use the term Reinen or Soul park and houses many celebrities, but the most relevant to martial art is Kano sensei.

Judos’s father rests in a very rare type of Shinto-style gravestone, that I have never seen before, but marks perfectly the unique personality of the man who brought martial arts from obscurity to an educational and social tool. The tomb has a circular shape, with stones on top, in a dome shape, similar to the old royal graveyards in Kyoto.

Despite the fact that, Kano sensei is one of the most revolutionary figures of modern martial arts, he doesn’t receive the kind of ‘adoration’ other Budo founders get, in particular in the West. So Don’t expect many people around the graveyard. However, recently, the place has gained some “fame” as with 1 year to go to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the figure of Kano Jigoro shihan has been portrayed and discuss more and more in japanese media, in particular NHK’ show ITADEN, a dramatization of the development of the Olympic movement in Japan, and the crucial role of Kano on it.

Getting there

JR Musashino Line Shin-Yahashira Station or Shinkeiseisen Yabashira Station south exit, 1 bus stop new Keisei Bus (Higashi Matsudo Train Station or Kamishiki garage bound), "Yabashira Reienmae" walk 5 minutes

Oyama Matsutasu

In Tokyo’s Bukyoku you will find the Gokokuji, a magnificent temple that has survived earthquakes and wars, standing in the same place since 1681, consisting of several beautiful constructions, including the graveyard. And its in here where you can visit the tomb of Kyoukushinkai Karate’s founder Oyama Matsutasu.

The temple sits in centric Tokyo, conveniently near to a metro station exit, but once you enter the premises you immediately transport yourself to a different wold, as Its design traces the traditional grandeur of the Edo period into present times. The grounds are wide as commanded by Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi who erected the temple in response to the wishes of his mother, Keishoin.

The tombstone of the Oyama family is dominated by a robust black granite stone, reflecting completely the soul of the founder of the hardest style of karate. Also there s plaque with the poem ”Karate baka No1 , Get a cloud and become a dragon, Be the father of karate "and an acknowledgement from the International karate Kyokushikaikan Association to its founder. From time to time, specially in Sosai’s death anniversary, you can see groups of karateka paying respects and doing basic drills around the temple.

Another interesting fact about Gokoku-ji is that the graveyard also includes the tomb of Kazuki Ikki, the author of the manga Karate Baka, which was inspired by the life of Oyama sensei.

Controversy is, unfortunately, also a part of the martial arts world, and this is no exception, as there is another monument dedicated to Oyama sensei and a shrine in Mount Mitsumine in Saitama, the infamous place where Oyama reclused himself to train. We recommend to visit both, regardless of your style or organization, having in mind that the important thing is to pay respects to an exceptional man.

Getting there

Take the subway, Yurakucho line. Get off at Gokokuji station. Gokokuji is few minutes walk from the station or use the JR yamanote line, get off at Ikebukuro station Take the Toei-Bus and get off at Gokokuji-mae.

Kimura Masahiko

The inscription in the tombstone reads “No one before Kimura. No one after Kimura", encapsulating the legendary status of who is considered to be one of the greatest judoka of all time .

Kimura has inspired diverse stories and created techniques widely used around the world, contrasting with the small town of Kawashirimachi, in Kumamoto City, where the 10 time All Japan Judo Champion was born and his final resting place is located, Daiji-ji , a small temple from the Soto Zen Buddisht sect.

The temple is rather austere, typical of the Soto sect, but as you come in you find yourself surrounded by a line of monk statues and a impressive and rare statue of a monk revealing a golden buddha from inside his chest, an unusual image in Japanese temples,that reminds me the images of Hanuman, the indian monkey god and protector of wrestlers, unrelated, but somehow makes sense to have it here, where one of the greatest grapplers of all time rest.

The tombstone of the Kimura family is very simple but big and solid, once again, reflecting the character of its inhabitant. Standing there, you really can feel that you are at the presence of a mythical martial artist. In one side to the stone where the family name is, you will find the famous inscription.

The town has tried to cash into probably the only famous citizen born there, by producing a special edition Shochu called “Kimura Lock” ( a word play as lock and rocks sound the same in japanese) to commemorate Kimura Masahiko's 100th birthday in 2017.

Getting there

A 25-minute walk from JR Kagoshima Main Line Kawajiri Station, get off at Daiji Temple, a 5-minute walk.

Okinawan masters

It is incredible that almost 50 million people in more than 140 countries admire something that originated in a small island of less than 1 million and a half habitants. The story of Okinawa and karate are almost synonyms, and the names and stories of those behind the development of the art spread around the islands that used to be the Ryukyu kingdom.

Okinawa is a compact, close connected society, and it is easy to come across with schools, shops and many things related to karate but it is probably just here where you can find the graveyards of 3 of the forefathers of the art in the same spot.
Finding places and address in Japan sometimes feels difficult (which is why we offer these guides), and this is even more true in Okinawa where you will find the most incredible historical spots in the middle of nowhere, and that is the case of the Makabi cemetery, an extraordinary piece of Budo history that we discover by chance. We are not karate historians, and we had to google on spot looking for references and data to understand the place.

Like most graveyards in Japan, Makabi is surrounded by a residential area, with no signs marking the place, a couple of abandoned cars in one corner, and where the most recognizable landmark is a MOS burger restaurant.

It is in this less than impressive place where someone who is considered to be one of the ‘original’ fathers of karate, Matsumura Sōkon, rests. The dates on his tomb state that he was born in 1809 and died in 1899, and his life mixes between reality and pure folk stories. With an almost superhuman figure, typical of martial arts legends, Matsumura was chief martial arts instructor and bodyguard for the Okinawan royals, which gave him the chance to study abroad different combat techniques and brought what he learned back to Okinawa. He is credited with passing on katas that influenced most of the modern and contemporary styles of Okinawan and Japanese Karate. This place is a karate museum, but as in almost any museum, I felt lost and not sure of what we were looking at.

The historical karate lineage continuous around this unexpected Budo graveyard, as you will find the tombs of Itosu Ankō, Matsumura’s student and who is considered by many to be the father of modern Karate, a title sometimes given to one of his students, Funakoshi Gichin. Also, he is credited to be the teacher of names like Motobu Choki, Kenwa Mabuni and one more inhabitant of the makable cemetery: Hanashiro Chomo, an important member of the Okinawan karate society, author and another big influencial figure in the early stages of karate.

Getting there

Lots of luck and a good GPS, try : 3 Chome Makabi Naha-shi 902-006

Five Budo Burial Grounds

Ueshiba Morihei

Kano Jigoro

Oyama Matsutasu

Kimura Masahiko

Okinawan masters