The remarkable untold story of former enemies coming together to bury the dead in the shadow of the Second World War

Opening August 15, Eucalypts of Hodogaya showcases an extraordinary cross-cultural project of reconciliation and remembrance between Australia and Japan to create the poignant and peaceful Commonwealth War Cemetery at Yokohama, Hodogaya, Japan. Developed in collaboration with researchers from the University of Melbourne, this exhibition at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance coincides with the 80th anniversary of the official end of Australia’s involvement in the Second World War in 1945.

A rarely celebrated moment of Australia-Japan diplomatic relations immediately post-war, the construction of the cemetery saw architects, gardeners, and builders from both countries overcome lingering hostilities between the former enemy nations to create a final resting place for over 1,500 Commonwealth service personnel. The untold story of this remarkable collaboration despite hostile public sentiment in both nations provides powerful inspiration for peace-building.

Designed and built by the Anzac Agency based in Melbourne—now the Office of Australian War Graves—the cemetery, nestled between cherry blossoms and hinoki pines on the outskirts of Yokohama, blends Japanese and Western traditions in a garden of peace. The title of the Shrine’s new exhibition picks up on the transnational plantings—eucalyptus for the Australian section, maple trees for the Canadians, roses in the British area, tea-tree for New Zealand—that ensured these soldiers have a piece of home while buried in foreign soil. The result is considered one of the most exceptional examples of funereal landscape architecture ever created.

Shrine of Remembrance curator Neil Sharkey said:

“This exhibition invites visitors to reflect on an extraordinary act of peace-making—where Australian eucalypts were planted alongside Japanese flora and landscape design became a language of reconciliation.’’

Professor Anoma Pieris and architect Athanasios Tsakonas, University of Melbourne, said:

“Eucalypts of Hodogaya reveals how the Yokohama War Cemetery embodies the complexities of post-war reconstruction. From the novel use of burial plots grouped by nationalities and connected by pathways and bridges, rather than a single monument, to the artful use of local Japanese stones typically reserved for traditional burial chambers, the site represents a pivotal moment where Australian design sensibilities reshaped global practices in war remembrance.”

Eucalypts of Hodogaya opens to the public on 15 August for 12 months and includes a series of talks and commemorative events with descendants of veterans and those involved in the design of the cemetery.

This project is supported by the Victorian Government and the Victorian Veterans Council.

Program Details

• August 15th, 2025: Exhibition opening/80th anniversary of Victory in Pacific Day
• August 17th, 2025: Panel discussion hosted by Jon Faine and Last Post service with families laying wreaths

Media Opportunities

• Photo and interview opps available at the Shrine and in the lead up to Victory in the Pacific Day on August 15
• Interviews with relatives of Second World War veterans including Peter Hogg, grandson of Peter Spier, who will read The Ode at Last Post service on August 17
• Interview with Keiko Tamura, Japanese academic and member of Nikkei Australia and Cowra Voices, a grassroots reconciliation group that fosters friendship between the people of Cowra in NSW and Japan. (Cowra is the site of the famous Breakout in 1944, when more than 1,000 Japanese prisoners of war attempted an escape from the nearby POW camp).
• Images for media use are available here including drone footage of Yokohama Cemetery

Media enquiries and more information please contact: Anna Lensky at Pitch on anna@pitchprojects.com or 0425 766 780