Japanese funeral

Religious beliefs of most Japanese are combination of Buddhism and Shintoism. But more than 90% percent of all funerals in Japan are organized according to Buddhist tradition.

According to 2007 estimate, Japan has a population of 127,433,494 people. The country has an area of only 377,873 square kilometers. Considering this two things it is not strange that almost all the deceased in Japan are cremated.

After death there is a ceremony called "Water of the last moment" or "Matsugo-no-mizu" where lips of the deceased are moistened with little bit of water.

Most Japanese have a household shrine. After death the shrine is closed and covered with a piece of white paper. It is done to keep out the impure spirits of death. Japanese call this Kamidana-fuji.

A small table is put next to the bed with deceased. On such table there are some flowers, incense and a candle. Some people put a knife on the chest of deceased. This knife should defend her or him from the evil spirits.

Family of the deceased then informs cousins and friends. As a sign that someone died family puts a white paper lantern in front of the house. A death certificated is issued. Family also contacts the local temple to make arrangements for the funeral.

People are rather careful when deciding the day of funeral. Some days are believed to be "tombiki" ("friend pulling") when it is good to organized a wedding but who are not suitable for funerals. Japanese would say "you would not like to join the dead in the grave".

Body of the deceased is washed. Little bit of cotton or gauze is put in the orifices. The deceased female wears are a kimono. Men sometimes wear it too. But usually dead male wears a suit. To improved the look of the deceased a make-up may be applied.

The body is then put on a dry ice in the casket. It is a tradition that few other things are placed in the casket too. They are a white kimono, six coins for the crossing of the Sanzu River ("Sanzu-no-kawa") or River of Three Crossings and several objects the deceased used to love like for example sweets.

It is believed that the Sanzu river is located in Mount Osore in far away in the northern Japan. It is a river which the dead has to pass on the seventh day after death on the way to afterlife. Number of bad things done in one's earthly life determines the place of crossing.

female demon Datsue-ba

The river can be crossed on a bridge, a ford (shallow part of the river), and a place with a snake. On the bank of the Sanzu there is a big tree. Under the tree there are two demons – female one called Datsue-ba and male one called Keneō. Datsue-ba strips the dead of their clothes. Keneō is the one who does the "measuring". He puts the clothes on a branch of the tree and determines the "weight" of the bad things done in life.

male demon Keneō

When the casket is ready it is put on an altar. The head of the body in the casket should point towards the north or west.

The second stage in the funeral activities is the wake. Traditional colour of sorrow in Buddhism is white. Still most of people in Japan today wear black when attending the Wake. People at the wake sometimes carry set of prayer beads called "juzu". Juzu is similar to the Rosary.

juzu prayer beads

People arriving at the wake bring condolence money or "koden" in a special envelope that has a black and white ribbon wrapped around it. The amount of money is written on the envelope.

envelope with condolence money

People are seated. Family and close relatives sit in the first row. The Buddhist priest will then chant a section from a "sutra" (religious scriptures). In front of the deceased there is an incense urn. The family members will offer an incense three times. Other people at the wake will offer incense in the place behind seats where the family members are seated.