The Yorioka Shrine stands as a testament to the complex history between Japanese migrants and local communities.
The stories shared among the villagers of Kampung Seniawan Jepon in Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, resonate with echoes of the past. Whispers about the Yorioka Shrine keep residents vigilant, especially during the night when the shrine’s presence looms large.
Built in 1911 to safeguard the former plantation estate, the Yorioka Shrine has weathered more than a century of tranquility and turmoil. Before its restoration in 2019, the shrine lay in ruins, overtaken by vines and wild bushes that cloaked its once-vibrant façade. Now, it stands as a ghost of its former glory, evoking a sense of eeriness at dusk.
“Some villagers have claimed to see the spirits of the Yorioka brothers at night,” shares Haji Anuar Unid, the village head. These brothers were instrumental in bringing Japanese migrants to the area to transform it into a thriving rubber plantation.
An urban legend persists in the village about a mischievous boy who disturbed the shrine’s peace, only to lose his mental faculties as a consequence. Anuar explains that these tales are rooted in a time when Japanese migrants collaborated harmoniously with locals, a relationship that soured during World War II when the Japanese were labeled as the enemy.
The Yorioka Shrine
The entrance to the Yorioka Shrine is marked by a red torii gate, nestled at the foot of a slope in rural Kota Samarahan. Today, palm oil trees surround the shrine, but in the early 1900s, it was situated amidst a flourishing 1,700-acre rubber plantation operated by a Japanese company.
Kazue Sakai, 67, President of the Rotary Club Kuching Jaya, recounts that 250 Japanese citizens migrated to Sarawak under the Nissa Shokai Corporation in 1910, invited by Sarawak’s second White Rajah, Charles Vyner Brooke, to develop the rubber industry. “The global demand for rubber at that time prompted Charles to bring in the Japanese, known for their agricultural expertise,” Sakai explains.
A Testament to Heritage
The Yorioka Shrine was constructed from wood sourced from a Sakura tree brought by the Japanese. Despite the passage of time, its structure remains resilient, showcasing the craftsmanship of that era. Sakai discovered the shrine in 1982 after moving to Sarawak from Japan.
“When I first saw it, I was astonished. I never expected to find something like this in Malaysia,” she recalls. However, the shrine fell into disrepair, with a leaking roof and creeping vegetation. In 2019, she collaborated with Rotary Club Tokyo Haneda to restore it. “Before beginning the restoration, a Chinese prayer ritual was performed to cleanse the area of any negative energy,” she notes.
The Legacy of Yorioka Shozo
Named after the ambitious tradesman Yorioka Shozo, who serendipitously met Charles in Singapore, the shrine symbolizes a shared history. Shozo, invited by Charles to assist in the plantation’s development, returned to Japan to gather supplies and laborers. Despite his vision for the rubber estate, he succumbed to malaria two years later. His brother, Yorioka Shosuke, took up the mantle, successfully expanding the plantation into agriculture.
While the estate flourished, it halted operations during the Japanese occupation in 1941. Today, the remnants of the rubber processing machines and a big water tank built by the Japanese bear witness to a time when collaboration thrived.
An Underappreciated History
The drive from Kuching to Kampung Seniawan Jepon takes about an hour and a half, which might explain the lack of awareness about this significant historical site among many Sarawakians.
Anuar, whose grandfather once worked at the rubber plantation, shares insights about the shrine and its surroundings. “Before the Japanese arrived, our village struggled with poverty and limited job opportunities. Their presence brought much-needed employment and prosperity,” he reflects.
Despite the painful memories associated with the war, Sakai emphasizes the importance of preserving the shrine. “The Yorioka Shrine is crucial to our history as it demonstrates the harmonious coexistence of Japanese migrants and local residents,” she asserts.
Restoration, she believes, is vital for allowing future generations to grasp the intricacies of their shared past. “You cannot recreate history; authenticity matters,” she insists.
In preserving the Yorioka Shrine, we can honor the complex relationships formed between communities and their past oppressors, allowing history to speak for itself.
