Japanese funeral traditions modify

Tokyo [Japan], September 16 : Bidding a funeral to a deceased loved one is the most crucial ritual one has to perform in their lifetime. The after-death rituals have evolved over time due to alterations in social structures and an increase in the number of single-person households.

To add to the cause and make funerals memorable, an exhibition was recently organised in Tokyo, where a number of companies offering funeral services and items showcased their products.

The changes in social structure and the Coronavirus pandemic have made Japanese companies develop services that are more compact and less formal. The prime focus is being emotionally associated with the deceased while keeping ceremonies and the burial compact.

The "Arikata Project," is a venture jointly produced by the Mintera Division and Rokumeido that offers memorable items and products that can be passed on to the next generation by placing a memento of the deceased and a message in a wooden box.

The main objective behind the idea is to connect the thoughts and feelings of loved ones for the deceased.
Hironobu Tuda of Rokumeido said, "We're thinking about how we can connect and pass on our thoughts and ideas to future generations. The goal is to create as many touch points as possible. We can remember the deceased through this product, which is placed in the main hall and other places. These products are designed to remind people when they visit a grave."
"In the past, when we were young, we could understand our parents' thoughts and feel from the message written beside the picture in their album. In this way, we would like to create a mechanism for people to gradually store the thought of the deceased," Tuda added.

TOWA offers products that turn photographs of the deceased into art to be displayed on a Buddhist altars. This is a product for those who, due to recent family circumstances, do not have a Buddhist altar and cannot place a large portrait.

By turning the heavy atmosphere of the portrait into art, children can also be exposed to the memory of the deceased. Towa develops products based on the theme of connecting the thoughts of the deceased.

Hidekazu Taniguchi from Towa said, "Due to recent family circumstances, the photo of the deceased has been left in a closet, or has no place to display, or has faded. The realistic photograph is good, but I think that artistic photographs are more gentle and better as a new way of representing the deceased. I believe that if everyone can make a memorial service by having a picture of the deceased in their living room for a long time, it would restore the dignity of the deceased."

The rituals and methods of burying our loved ones might have changed, but the feelings of love and remembrance for the deceased remain the same. Due to the change in societal structure, burial ceremonies have been transformed to meet the needs of modern age while keeping the essence of rituals alive.