Cemeteries are generally considered spooky and gloomy, which may explain why Japanese visit the graves of loved ones on few occasions yearly, such as on the anniversary of their deaths and during the spring and fall equinox.

However, visiting the tombs of well-known historical figures has since last year been gaining in popularity, thanks to a greater interest in history and literature.

Many maps of cemeteries have been printed recently to help such visitors find their way about.