This cemetery was established in 1854 after an American sailor died during a visit by Commodore Perry and part of the grounds of Zotokuin Temple were set aside for the purpose. If you arrive during the week there are barriers to prevent you from seeing more than a few graves, but if you come on the weekends or a national holiday, access to a bigger section is provided for a donation to the volunteer committee which maintains and operates the cemetery and you can visit the small museum inside the main gates. Even then it is only a small proportion of the 4200 graves that can be visited.

this place isn't difficult to find. The easiest way to get there from Yokohama Station is to take the Minatomirai Line to Motomachi-Chukagai and then head for exit 6 by ascending about 6 sets of escalators to exit at Amerika Yama Park. Its only open to visitors on Sundays between 12-4. The museum is generlly open outside of these hours and is very interesting. Only a small section of the cemetery is open. Those involved in the Namamugi Incident are buried here except for Margaret Borrowdale though in a section not generally accessible though the grave can be seen from the fence