Okay, does anyone here know anything about Japanese funerals at all? I looked up some stuff on wikipedia and google and all that, but so far, I haven't been able to fine much. I need to know about what goes on, especially later on after the funeral, when a relative goes to the grave to pay respect to the dead family member.
What traditions are there to the funeral, during and after it? How does one pay respects to the dead long after the funeral is over?
I need to know these things and so much more. If anyone knows anything that can help, please tell me.
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Apr 15, 2008 - 19 27
On the funeral day the body is cremated. The guests take a first meal during that time in the crematorium. Afterwards, the relatives pick the bones out of the ash and pass them from person to person by chopsticks.
The actual funeral ceremony is then held by Buddhist monks according to Buddhist rituals. Many guests are present at this ceremony. Each of them will pay about 20,000 Yen to the relatives and receive a small gift in return. At last, another meal is held.
The urn is put on an altar at the family's house and kept there for 35 days. Incense sticks (osenko) are burned there around the clock (special 12 hour sticks for the night exist). Many visitors will come to the house, burn a stick, and talk to the family. After 35 days, the urn is finally buried on a Buddhist cemetery. - from about.com
If this is modern day and set in Tokyo, keep in mind that burial sites are so crowded that it's almost impossible to get a burial plot nowadays.
Also, there is usually a wake beforehand with a viewing of the body. If the deceased is dressed in a kimono, it's put on right over left vs. left over right with the living.
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Apr 19, 2008 - 20 58
My boyfriend is Japanese and he was telling me about one of his relatives passing away when he was younger. He said it was creepy because the body was in his house. They had special clothes on (he said special underwear kind of, specailly for this.. some things get lost in transalation.. so idk haha) anyway - people come over and everyone has to rub the body with a cloth thats got some flammable stuff on it. It's supposed to help the body burn better.
That's about as far as I let that convo go... I don't deal well with death so I ended it there.
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Apr 22, 2008 - 07 40
The dead are indeed 'in the house' although there are places you can rent, usually in a temple, for this purpose but someone has to stay by the body all day and night. This is usually done in shifts and the night seems to be mostly done by the men. I don't know if this is because the men are busy at work during the day or it's just a nice quiet place to sleep.
During the day and evening people come to visit, talk with the family, light incense, and pray for the soul of the dead. And drink. Lots of sake involved.
Rent a movie called The Funeral (Ososhiki) by Itami Juzo. It's a dark comedy but it has scenes of a 'normal' funeral that you might find interesting.
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Mei 16, 2008 - 16 54
I do know that there is a festival on one day of the year to respect the dead. Families make lanterns, and at night, they light them and put them in a river, and all these little flames float downstream. Water's meant to be an important symbol. There should be pictures somewhere. Try google.
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