Jōkan-ji

Jōkan-ji (浄閑寺) is a Buddhist temple in Arakawa, Tokyo, Japan.

Its cemetery houses the remains and spirits of about 25,000 prostitutes and fire victims of the Yoshiwara quarter of the Edo period.

The dead bodies of prostitutes of the Yoshiwara quarter who were too poor, which was the vast majority of them, were tucked into a hay mat and brought to the back entrance of the temple and left there.

[1] However, the actual reason for the name is due to the mass burial of about 500 prostitutes after Great Ansei earthquake in 1855 which was done in haste to prevent disease.

Additionally, the use of hay mat and abandonment were limited to those who committed crimes and/or broke rules of brothels prior to death.