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Auburn Pioneer Cemetery

8th NE and Auburn Way North, Auburn, Washington 98002

The Japanese Burials


One of almost 100 kanji stones in the cemetery

The early Japanese language markers include three columns of kanji characters. The left column lists the family and given name of the grave’s occupant. The central column indentifies the posthumous Buddhist name (or “Kaimyo”) given to the deceased that the time of death by his or her priest. The column on the right records the date of death.

The easiest way to locate a specific marker is to locate the nearest romaji marker (those written in English) and count the number of markers from that stone to the one you seek. Consult the lists below to determine a given plot’s position relative to nearby romaji markers. To search for a specific name, use your browser's "find" tool.

Descendants or other visitors who wish to locate a specific family’s stone among these older markers should be aware that many of the families owned more than one plot in the cemetery, and that these plots are often scattered throughout the Japanese section. Also note that it was common practice to place the cremated remains of more than one family member in a single grave, so a plot listed with just one family member’s name could contain remains of other family members as well.

Additional information on all families can be found at our Rootsweb genealogy site.


Rows 1 – 4 run north to south. Row 1 is the closest to the iron fence between the eastern border of the cemetery and the adjacent gravel parking lot.

Row 1 (starting at North end)

Romaji stones (abbreviated) appear in bold, italic type.
Full transcriptions of the romaji/English stones are also available.

  1. Sakamaki, Yoshitaro (以・由太郎) d. Oct. 12, 1940 (family name "Imagari" per Terada transcript)
  2. Okura (大倉): Toichi & Mitsuno
  3. Hirai, Jay Taichi (平井・太一) d. Aug. 25, 1939
  4. Sato, Teddy Goro (佐藤・テディ・五郎) d. Jun. 29, 1939
  5. Kashiwagi, Y. (probably Yaziro d. Jul. 8, 1935 -- Buddhist name appears in kanji)
  6. Kato (加藤): Tora, Sam, Tom, Betty, Mary; all d. Feb. 13, 1937
  7. Terashima, Saburo Jack (西島・三郎) d. May 19, 1935 (Family name "Nishijima" per Terada transcript)
  8. Okura (大倉), Betty Jean
  9. Ishikawa (木田) (Family name "Kida" per Kato)
  10. Togami, Miho (戸上・美保) d. Dec. 14, 1933
  11. Togami, Yoko (戸上・洋子) d. Feb. 22, 1933
  12. Natsuhara, Nobuko (夏原・信子) d. Jul. 7, 1932
  13. Sato, Junko (佐藤・順子) d. Oct. 9, 1931
  14. Natsuhara, Yoshiko (夏原・ヨシコ) d. Aug. 4, 1932
  15. Natsuhara, Kiichi (夏原・喜一) (baby) d. Nov. 6, 1930
  16. Yamamoto (山本): Risaburo, Cho, Toshiko, Isamu
  17. Otsuji, Sueyosi (Sueki) (大辻・末喜) d. Sep. 18, 1929 (d. 1915 per Kato)
  18. Yamada, Sizue (山田・静枝) d. Jul. 20, 1929
  19. Okada, Takakatsu (or Masoru) (岡田・隆勝) d. Mar. 13, 1929
  20. Arima (有馬), Suyeko Alice d. Oct. 20, 1927
  21. Yamashita, Toshiko (山下・トシコ) d. Oct 16, 1932
  22. Takenaga, Masako (竹長・政子) d. Nov. 20, 1915
  23. Omura (大村), Koichi (infant) (April 24, 1932)
  24. Sieh, Peter (German) b. Jan. 15, 1804, d. Mar. 10, 1898 (In Gros Wittensee Germany)
  25. Sieh, Anna (German) b. Aug 15, 1820, d. Dec. 5, 1893 (In Gr. Wittensee Prov.) Schlesig (Holstien) At Rest
  26. ? (broken marker, possible Caucasian burial)
  27. ? (broken marker, possible Caucasian burial)
  28. Shikamoto, Yoshi (鹿本・ヨシ)
  29. Okada, Kojiro (岡田・功次郎)
  30. Osaki (大崎). (Possibly Sakae, infant, d. Mar. 28, 1921, possibly interred with his father Kanzo Osaki d. Mar. 2, 1938 in Auburn. See also Row 2, plots 21 & 22.)
  31. Sakamoto (坂本). (Possibly baby boy Sakamoto, died in Kent on Jul. 27, 1915. Except for his birth & death records, parents I. Sakamoto and H. Nishioka do not appear in any U.S. records, indicating they probably returned to Japan after the baby's death.)
  32. Okuda, Yutaro (奥田・祐太郎)d. Jun. or Jul. 4, 1922
  33. Fujita (藤田) d. Jul. 11, 1920
  34. Yamanaka, Hayao (山中・達郎) d. Jul. ?, 1920 (given name previously translated as Tatsuro/Tatsu, but identified as "Hayao" by Yamanaka Family descendants)
  35. Iwai (岩井): Ikichi, Tadaomi, Ishiro, Shina, Sunao
  36. Ishikawa, Sumiko (石川・スミコ) d. May 19, 1920
  37. Sagara, Koshiro (相良・広四郎) d. Feb. 25, 1920
  38. Otsuji (大辻), infant girl d. Feb. 17, 1920 (and possibly her mother Ito Otsuji d. Feb. 24, 1920)
  39. Imanaka (今中), Yoshito d. Oct 7, 1919
  40. Uchikata (内斤)
  41. Takeda (武田)*
    *There are two otherwise unidentified Takeda graves in the cemetery and three possible occupants: Mary, died as infant May 15, 1927; her father Masaichi d. Sep. 18, 1937 (who could share a plot with her); and Umeko, infant girl d. Feb 6, 1918. (See also Row 2, Plot 39)
  42. Name unintelligible. Date of death possibly Dec. 9, 1916
  43. Nagata, Toshiyuki (永田・敏之) d. 1915

Row 2 (starting at North end)

Romaji stones (abbreviated) appear in bold, italic type.
Full transcriptions of the romaji/English stones are also available.

  1. Konishi, Kazue
  2. Terada (寺田) (no marker)
  3. Omura (大村), Kotaro (小太郎) & Masaru
  4. Hattori, Goro (服部・五郎). (Possibly infant son of Buheigi Hattori and Yoshino Kusatani; he died in Kent Apr. 2, 1916)
  5. Omura (大村), Kimi & Ko Ei
  6. Sawa, Yagoro (沢・弥五郎) d. Dec. 9, 1928
  7. Christina Hanson (Caucasian), d. June 8, 1880 Beloved Wife
  8. Oshita, Hatsuko (大下・ハツコ)
  9. Norikane (乗金) (possibly baby boy d. Jan 29, 1917)
  10. Kaneshige (金重) (probably Naoichi Kaneshige d. Feb. 17, 1939; see also plot 15)
  11. Itoh, Issaku (伊藤・一作) d. Dec. 27, 1922
  12. Murakami, Goro (村上・五郎) d. May 9, 1926
  13. Morishige, Kenichi (森重・健一) d. Dec. 15, 1953 (and probably son Masako, age 2, d. Mar. 27, 1926)
  14. Okada, Shinichi (岡田・信一) d. Mar. 1, 1926
  15. Kaneshige (金重) (possibly Yoshio Kaneshige d. Aug. 22, 1934; see also plot 10)
  16. Nomura (野村・春) d. Mar. 18, 1926
  17. Shirai, Otojiro (白井・音次郎)
  18. Kawasaki, Toshio (川崎・利夫) d. Mar. 16, 1923
  19. Mitsunami (満波) d. Jul. 7, 1924
  20. Yamashita, Yoshi (山下・良勇) d. Apr. 1, 1924 (see also Row 3, Plot 21)
  21. Osaki, Takezo (大崎・竹蔵) d. Mar. 29, 1923*
  22. Osaki, Tazeo (大崎・竹蔵) d Mar. 29, 1923*
    *Death records have been found for two Osaki babies who died in 1923: an unnamed girl on May 6 (parents: Hiromi & Kiku) and Mato on Mar. 28 (son of Kanzo & Yone). The two listings above are probably for these two infants. Mato's father Kanzo who died Mar. 2. 1938 in Auburn could be interred with him. (See also Row 1, Plot 30.)
  23. Gata
  24. Arima, Takeo (有馬・武夫)
  25. Suzumura, Harue May(鈴村・ハルエ) d. Jan. 15, 1929
    and Suzumura, Kenichi d. Mar. 5, 1929 (daughter and father).
  26. Shigaya (志萱), Kinsuke
  27. Natsuhara (夏原), (possibly Kisaburo d. Feb. 4, 1922)
  28. Tsukamoto, Hideo (塚本・英郎) (Possibly infant boy born to Umekichi Tsukamoto and Natsu Obara who died in Puyallup on Jan. 28, 1923).
  29. Yamanaka, Masato (山中・正人) d. Apr. 11, 1922
  30. Ueda, Seeko Jenny (上田・セエ子) d. Mar. 17, 1922
  31. Miyagawa (宮川), Tsuneo d. Jan 6, 1919 (His father Tsunejiro d. Aug. 7, 1941 is perhaps interred with him in the same plot).
  32. Nomura, Syojiro (野村・正次郎)
  33. Nishimoto (西本): Takishiro, Misuno, Harumi, Harue
  34. Okuda, Yutaro (or possibly Hirotaro)(奥田・裕太郎) d. Jul. 18, 1920
  35. Nomura (野村) (broken marker)
  36. Kosai, Yoshi (小財・喜)*
    *At least three members of the Kosai family died in Auburn in the early 20th Century. One, patriarch Shinya Kosai d. 1919, is known to be buried in the Auburn Pioneer Cemetery (location of grave unknown). His grandson Kizo died in Auburn in 1917; according to brother Kiso's descendants, Kizo is also buried in the Auburn Pioneer Cemetery. Kizo's mother Sumi died in Auburn in 1937. Any or none of these family members could be interred in this plot. There is no record of a Yoshi Kosai in the Washington death indexes.
  37. Tokimoto, Toshiko (時本・トシコ) d. Sep. 17, 1916 (Her father Tomisaburo d. Oct. 11, 1927 is perhaps interred with her in the same plot).
  38. Suzumira (玉露) ("Suzumira" per Terada; Kato unable to translate this stone. Probably baby girl Suzumura d. Aug. 17, 1922 in Auburn who was probably the daughter of Kenichi Suzumura. Kenichi d. 1929 is also buried in the cemetery, same row.)
  39. Takeda (武田・知末江) d. Apr. ?, 1916*
    *There are two otherwise unidentified Takeda graves in the cemetery and three possible occupants: Mary, died as infant May 15, 1927; her father Masaichi d. Sept. 18, 1937 (who could share a plot with her); and Umeko, infant girl d. Feb. 6, 1918. (See also Row 1, Plot 41).
  40. Tsuneoka (常岡), Masaru d. Dec. 20, 1919
  41. Yamanaka, Hirota d. before 1926, stillborn (only the Buddhist name/Kaimyo is recorded per Kato; stone identified as Hirota's by Yamanaka Family descendants)
  42. Mizuta, Hajime (水田・一)
  43. Ikeda, Yoshika (池田・吉華)
  44. Suzuki, Yutaka (鈴木・豊) (stillborn) d. Nov. 5, 1925. (This stone was created in 1928--after the Suzuki family, including father Yutaka, left the state. If the child's name was not available when the marker was inscribed, the father's name may have been included for identification purposes).
  45. Hirai (平居) (probably Kaoru, infant girl, d. Nov. 30 1921)
  46. Ishikawa (石川) (possibly Tomi, d. Jan. 19, 1922—she is here or Row 2, Plot 49)
  47. Natsuhara, Kiichiro (夏原・喜一郎)
  48. Okada (岡田)
  49. Ishikawa (石川) (possibly Tomi, d. Jan. 19, 1922—she is here or Row 2, Plot 46)
  50. Murabashi (岡山) (family name Okayama per Kato) (possibly Fuyuko Mary Marubashi, infant girl, d. Apr. 6, 1922—her family came from Okayama, Japan which is perhaps why “Okayama” appears on the marker).

Row 3 (starting at North end)

Romaji stones (abbreviated) appear in bold, italic type.
Full transcriptions of the romaji/English stones are also available.

  1. Yamada, Maki & Mae
  2. Konishi, Thomas
  3. Takehara, Josephine
  4. Kometani (reserved for)
  5. Tanabe (reserved for D. & A.)
  6. Tanabe: Bob Akira & Noriko
  7. Terada: George S. & Kinuye F.
  8. Terada (reserved for)
  9. Terada (reserved for)
  10. Terada: Katsuhei, Toyo, Tamotsu, Yoshiko
  11. Nishizaki (西崎), Elaine Fumiko (plus reserved)
  12. Tanabe (田辺): Suehiko & Hatsuye
  13. Terada (寺田): Minoru & Yayeko
  14. Okihara (flat marker), Ichitaro (沖原・市太郎) d. Jun. 29, 1951
  15. Okihara (flat marker), Ishi (沖原・イシ) d. Dec. 22, 1949
  16. Saika (斉科) (flat marker) (possibly Hisao Sakai d. Oct. 20, 1926 in Auburn or Kuichi Saito d. Feb. 5 1938 in Auburn)
  17. Nishimoto, Joe T. & Helen K.
  18. Hama, Takejiro, b. Mar. 3, 1922, d. Sep. 12, 2009 (and reserved for)
  19. (open space)
  20. Yamashita (山下): Rev. Kiyoshi Seishin & Marrie Nobuko Hata
  21. Mukai (向井): Noritsugu & Shizuko Y.
  22. Yamashita (山下): Tokio & Mary Ishida
  23. Yamashita (山下): Iroku, Some, Yoshio, Toshie
  24. Murakami (村上): Katsuma & Suma
  25. Takamura (竹村): Rev. Giryo (義涼) & Mary Chise
  26. Yamashita, Iroku (山下・伊六) d. Feb. 1, 1943 (see also Row 3, Plot 21)
  27. Buddhist name only (possibly Nouryoin Syaku) (能了院・榮壽), d. Aug. 6, 1933
  28. Shimasaki (嶋崎): Natsuyo Imaoka & Utaro

Row 4 (starting at North end)

Romaji stones (abbreviated) appear in bold, italic type.
Full transcriptions of the romaji/English stones are also available.

  1. Hirose, Ruby S. (廣瀬・ルビー)
  2. Hirose (廣瀬): Shusaku, Tome, Fumi, Tomo
  3. Norikane, Jiro (乗金・次郎) (possibly baby George d. Jan. 25, 1927)
  4. Sawabe (沢部)

Rows 5 - 7 run east to west along the back (south) border of the Cemetery. Row 5 is the north-most row. Row 7 is furthest south (next to the chain-link fence).

Row 5 (starting at East end)

Romaji stones (abbreviated) appear in bold, italic type.
Full transcriptions of the romaji/English stones are also available.

  1. Nishimichi (?), Aki (西道・アキ) (We have located two possible occupants for this grave: Ayako Sakoda, infant girl d. Jun. 12, 1910 in Auburn; or Chiyeo Nishibuchi/Nishibushi, toddler boy, d. Oct 29, 1918 in Fife.)
  2. Natsuhara, M. (Masaru) d. May 23, 1913
  3. Natsuhara d. May 1906 (infant girl per Chiyokichi Natsuhara interview)
  4. Natsuhara, Mr. Z. (Zenzaburo) & Mrs. T. - Cenotaph
  5. Natsuhara, Miss Iyu, age 3 (heart-shaped), d. Aug 18, 1911
  6. Natsuhara, May Haruko
  7. Natsuhara, Frank S. & Shizuko
  8. Natsuhara, Chiyokichi & Sen
  9. Furukawa d. 194?
  10. Furukawa
  11. Natsuhara (reserved for J. & Y.)

Row 6 (starting at East end)

Romaji stones (abbreviated) appear in bold, italic type.
Full transcriptions of the romaji/English stones are also available.

  1. Ueda, Rikizo (上田・力造) (Rikizo died after 1930. This grave is probably his newborn son's, d. Nov. 29, 1913)
  2. Buddhist name only - died May 22
  3. Terashima, Sumi (寺嶋・スミ), March 27, 1946 at age 46
  4. Tokikate, Nobu (時料・ノブ) (possibly Nobuko Tokirio, infant, d. Mar. 14, 1910)
  5. Sagara, Takeyo (相良・タケヨ) d. Feb 20, 1915
  6. Sagara, Koshiro (相良・広四郎) d. May 28, 1913
  7. Deguchi, Yaichiro (出口・弥一郎) d. Jan 4 (There is a Y. Deguchi d. Jun. 20, 1906 in Seattle at age 23; he could occupy this grave).
  8. Sakagami, Yoshi (坂上・ヨシ) d. Oct. 17? Or ?/9/14 (1914? Or the 14th of a month)
  9. Kumano, Suketa (first name "Shintaro" per Kato) (熊野・倶太郎) d. Feb. 6, 1903
  10. Ito (伊藤), Hikane (infant) d. Jul. 4, 1890

Row 7 (starting at East end)

Romaji stones (abbreviated) appear in bold, italic type.
Full transcriptions of the romaji/English stones are also available.

  1. Tsuji, Denkichi (辻・吉) d. Sep. 14, 1937
  2. Okura, Kiyoshi (大倉・キヨシ) (infant) d. Mar. 1, 1912
  3. Yamato (大和・芳斉) (infant) d. Sep. 16, 1927

Unmarked Japanese Burials

Iseri, Hiroshi, b. Mar. 6, 1912, d. Aug. 1, 1912 (Location of marker unknown, but a 1912 burial would probably have been somewhere in row 7. Note: a photo of this child's funeral is on file at the White River Valley Museum.)

Koseki, Hanako Marjory, b.c. 1921, d. Aug. 6, 1934. According to the Kent News-Journal, she was buried in the Japanese Cemetery. There is a marker for her in the Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA (where her parents are buried). The California marker could be a cenotaph.

Nakamoto, Yosako, b. Nov. 1, 1876, d. May 19, 1932. From Kent News-Journal: In vicinity for 20 years. Burial Japanese Cemetery.

Shimisaki, Masayoshi, b. 1913, d. Mar. 3, 1920. Assumed to be buried in the cemetery with his parents Utaro and Natsuyo.

Shimisaki, Arthur Masamichi, b. Jan. 24, 1924, d. Nov. 26, 1931. Assumed to be buried in the cemetery with his parents Utaro and Natsuyo.

Tsubota, Yachiyo Rose b. Aug. 26, 1915, d. Sep. 19, 1933. Although there is no marker, her obituary from the Kent newspaper noted she was buried in the Japanese Cemetery in Christopher. It is likely that her brother, sister, and father are buried here as well. A marker exists for the family in the Evergreen Cemetery in Ontario, Oregon--probably a cenotaph.

Yamanaka, Toshiko b. Jun. 9, 1920, d. Mar. 18, 1935, was reported to be buried in the Auburn Pioneer Cemetery by the Auburn newspaper (location of grave unknown).


Our profound thanks to Mr. Allan Terada for his work in creating the original key connecting the family names to specific markers, to Hilda Meryhew for her research in recording the cemetery’s burial locations, and to Yoshiko Kato for her efforts in translating additional information from the kanji that appears on the markers. It is only through their efforts that we have been able to maintain this critically important element of the cemetery’s history.

All text published on this website © Amerie & Kristy Lommen 2008 – 2011.
All photographs published on this website, except where indicated, © Amerie & Kristy Lommen 2008 – 2011.
Please contact the site author(s) for permission to reproduce any material here published: kristy@lommen.org.