Many people who go to Ikebukuro today know it for its themed cafes, anime shops, and drinking spots. It’s a busy, happening place with something for everyone. So much so that the fact that Sugamo Prison once stood here is known to but a few.
What Sugamo Prison was
Sugamo Prison was first built in Nishi Sugamo as a police prison in 1895. In the decades that followed, the prison became known for keeping political prisoners. After Japan lost the war in 1945, the Allied occupation forces took over and this became the place where they kept suspected war criminals, including former Japanese Prime Minister Tojo Hideki.
In the first year or so, prisoners who awaited trial and were yet to be proven guilty were exempted from labor and were allowed food brought in by their families. It was only in 1947 when, after being tried and convicted, prisoners were forced to do intense labor with very few breaks in between. Those aged 60 and above, the sick, and Class-A war criminals were, however, exempted.
Sugamo Prison included an execution site which was marked by Door No. 13. This was where convicted war criminals were brought in, hanged, and exited as corpses via Door No. 13-A. A total of 59 war criminals were executed at this site.
After the Treaty of San Francisco took effect, management of the prison was given back to the Japanese in April 1952. The prison closed down six years later in May 1958, after 18 remaining war criminals were pardoned and released.
In the 1960s, the area which has been called Nishi Sugamo (West Sugamo) was renamed Higashi Ikebukuro (East Ikebukuro) as part of a new addressing system. After further urban development, the site of Sugamo Prison became Sunshine 60, Japan’s tallest skyscraper at the time of its opening. Door No. 13 was restored and is currently preserved at the Ministry of Justice, while the execution site was transformed into what is now known as East Ikebukuro Central Park.
Sugamo Prison Gallows
With barely any trace that it was once an execution site, East Ikebukuro Central Park is mostly a quiet area where locals take a breather. Curious observers would find that a portion of it is on elevated ground and slightly hidden by trees. When you enter this area, you will find a stone monument marking the site where war criminals from WWII were hanged. The inscription in Japanese says, “永久平和を願って” or “Wishing for Eternal Peace.”
As a place that witnessed a number of deaths, this area is rumored to be haunted. More than its gruesome past, however, I find its transformation in a span of decades, from a fearsome location to one where people go to make fond memories, to be a truly astonishing feat.
How to Get to Sugamo Prison Mark
Sugamo Prison Mark (Sugamo Purizun Ato Sekihi “Towa Heiwa o Negatte,” 巣鴨プリズン跡石碑「永久平和を願って」)
Located in: East Ikebukuro Central Park
Open 24 Hours
