Jackson, 50, died from a drug overdose at a rented Los Angeles mansion on June 25 last year, a seismic celebrity death that triggered a global outpouring of tributes for the eccentric genius known as "The King of Pop."
Jermaine and Janet Jackson joined the singer's other siblings to mourn their loss at the picturesque Forest Lawn Memorial Park, a star-studded cemetery where the singer's golden casket was entombed last September in a neo-classical mausoleum.
More than 5,000 fans have marched since dawn to cast flowers and mementos to their idol.
Family matriarch Katherine Jackson, 80, unveiled an eight-foot (2.5-meter) granite monument to her famous son in the frontyard of the modest home where she raised her nine children in Gary, Indiana. The sculpture represented the singer performing his "moonwalk" dance.
"I want to say thanks to his fans from all over the world for their love and support," she told a crowd of about a thousand excited fans who traveled to the white frame house to pay respects to their favorite entertainer.
"This last year has been a very hard time for us, for the whole family. If it wasn't (for) you fans, we could not have made it through."
The two-bedroom, one-story home has become a magnet for tourists from all over the world since Jackson's death. Gary police cruised the streets and private security popped in and out of the house.
"This is where he was born," said Eileen Garbutt, 44, who flew in from London on Thursday for the anniversary. "Without this place we wouldn't have Michael Jackson."
In Tokyo, flowers began piling up where 50 diehard fans paid more than 1,000 dollars each to attend a sleepover inside an exhibition space showcasing some of the singer's belongings.
The participants were chosen from some 10,000 applicants who wanted to spend the night in the Neverland Collection at Tokyo Tower, surrounded by artifacts, including Jackson's music awards, Rolls Royce and crystal-studded gloves.
In Germany, candlelight vigils with music, balloons, posters and Jackson imitators were planned in numerous cities, including Berlin, Hamburg and Munich.
Fans dressed as their idol gathered in Prague, too, and unveiled plans for a bust of the singer in a city party.
Long Beach college student Dominique Richardson woke up at 2:00 am to get to the Forest Lawn cemetery at daybreak.
"It's Michael Jackson," she told KTLA local television. "Michael Jackson has inspired a lot of people and it's like the closest we're ever going to get to Michael so why not come and pay your respects?"
A wax likeness of Jackson was put on display in front of Madame Tussauds on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, a short distance from Jackson's star on the Walk of Fame.
Jackson family members are expected to attend a tribute event -- "Forever Michael" -- at a Beverly Hills hotel on Saturday, with tickets priced at between 150 and 500 dollars.
The music icon's death sent shockwaves around the world, and family and fans were outraged to learn that the singer was administered a cocktail of powerful prescription drugs including the anesthetic propofol.
Legal wrangling over the tragic death flared anew after patriarch Joe Jackson filed a wrongful death lawsuit against his son's doctor Conrad Murray, the last person to see the singer alive.
The lawsuit, filed in US District Court in Los Angeles, claims Murray "began a course of medication treatments for Michael Jackson which was below the standard of care and ultimately resulted in Jackson's over-medication and death on June 25, 2009."
Murray has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the case and is expected to stand trial next year. Murray denies the charges.
While the immediate aftermath of Jackson's death saw intense speculation about court-room disputes for control of the singer's affairs, expected legal battles over his children and vast musical empire failed to materialize.
Katherine Jackson was granted custody of the children Prince, 13, Paris, 12, and Blanket, 8, who she has revealed will enroll in school for the first time later this year after having been educated at home for years.
Jackson racked up a massive debt during his lifetime, but his estate is said to have generated over a billion dollars in revenues since his death, through the re-issue of his music, films and other commercial spin-offs.
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