Meiji Graves in Happy Valley: Stories of Early Japanese Residents in Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s Meiji-era Japanese community was one of two halves. Company executives sat atop the social ladder and karayuki-san, or prostitutes, occupied the lower echelons, with tradespeople and professionals somewhere in between. By revealing the personal journeys of these mostly forgotten Japanese, the authors aim to add to transnational perspectives on Hong Kong and Japan during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, as well as increase recognition of this fragmented community’s place in the development of this diverse city.

‘Nakano and Challen unlock the secrets of the graves and bring to life the Japanese individuals of diverse backgrounds who had lived and died in Hong Kong. Thoroughly researched and sensitively written, the book throws light on the many factors that had made possible Hong Kong’s multi-ethnic communities and widespread transnational connections. Powerful and mesmerising.’

—Elizabeth Sinn, The University of Hong Kong

‘Through their meticulous and sensitive analyses of the Meiji-era graves in the Hong Kong Cemetery, Yoshiko Nakano and Georgina Challen bring to life the city’s historic yet often-forgotten Japanese community. Thoughtfully written and richly illustrated, Meiji Graves in Happy Valley reminds us how the dead do indeed tell tales.’

—John M. Carroll, author of A Concise History of Hong Kong