Cowra was one of five locations with a detention camp detaining Japanese prisoners of war and civilian internees. There were 18 camps throughout Australia, prisoner of War camp number 12 in Cowra had a capacity of 4,000 prisoners.
The Japanese compound had a capacity of 1,000 and the population increased to 1,100 by July 1944. It was decided to separate the rank and file from the officers, notifying the Japanese inmates they would be transferred to Hay on the 4th of August, 1944.
On the 5th of August, at the sound of the bugle call in the morning, prisoners set fire to their huts and broke out of their compound. The Japanese military creed held being captured as shameful. Having heard of the transfer, they took a vote to decide if they should breakout or not, with the majority voting for the breakout.
The response by Australian guards were to shoot at the escaping prisoners. 238 people were killed, including 4 Australian servicemen and 234 Japanese prisoners. The Japanese killed were buried next to the Australian War Cemetery in Cowra.
With recognition of the respect and honour provided to the Japanese by maintaining the cemetery, the Japanese Embassy proposed to establish a Japanese cemetery with all Japanese war graves throughout Australia transferred to Cowra, officially opening in November 1964.
There are 524 graves in the Cowra Japanese War Cemetery, mostly of Japanese prisoners of war and civilian internees. Taiwan and Korea were under Japanese rule during the Pacific War, so there also 25 Taiwanese graves and 1 Korean grave.
The P.O.W. campsite in Cowra is a short drive from the war cemeteries with a Cherry Tree avenue from the campsite to the Japanese Gardens in Cowra.
From the Cowra Visitor Information Centre, turn left out of the carpark onto Lachlan Valley Way, then immediately right onto the Mid Western Hwy. Follow the Mid Western Hwy for 500m and turn left at the lights into Lachlan St then immediately left into Redfern St. Follow Redfern St, becoming Canowindra Rd, for 3.8km and turn right into Doncaster Dr with the brown sign for War Cemetaries. Follow Doncaster Dr for 290m and the cemeteries are on the left.
If heading west into Cowra on the Mid Western Hwy, you will pass a brown sign for Japanese Garden when entering Cowra just before crossing over Waugoola Ola Creek. From the bridge, continue for another 1.8km and turn right at the lights into Brisbane St with the brown sign for Japanese Garden. Follow Brisbane St, becoming Binni Creek Rd, for 3.6km and turn left into Doncaster Dr with the brown sign for War Cemeteries. Follow Doncaster Dr for 500m and the cemeteries are on the right.
If heading north into Cowra on the Lachlan Valley Way, follow the Lachlan Valley Way to the end where the Cowra Visitor Information Centre is on the left. Turn right onto the Mid Western Hwy, using the directions above from the visitor centre.
If heading north into Cowra on the Olympic Hwy, follow the Olympic Hwy to the end where the Cowra Visitor Information Centre is on the right. Turn right onto the Mid Western Hwy, using the directions above from the visitor centre.
If heading east into Cowra on the Mid Western Hwy, continue into town passing the Visitor Information Centre on the right shortly before crossing the Lachlan River. From the bridge, continue for 200m and turn left at the lights into Lachlan St then immediately left into Redfern St. Follow Redfern St, becoming Canowindra Rd, for 3.8km and turn right into Doncaster Dr with the brown sign for War Cemetaries. Follow Doncaster Dr for 290m and the cemeteries are on the left.
If heading south into Cowra on Canowindra Rd, as the speed zone changes to 80km/h, turn left after 300m into Doncaster Dr with the brown sign for War Cemeteries. Follow Doncaster Dr for 290m and the cemeteries are on the left.
