Japanese people mourn exactly as all others at funerals,we do this with a quiet and stoic respect.
Courtesy of Ayumi,funeral details in Ayumi own description..
First, after people died, makuragyo is done. After people died, they are conveyed to their home. They are lied on room which is enshrined Buddha, butuma In bedside, a desk with a white cloth and some Buddhist altar fittings are prepared. After that, yukan is done. It means that remains of people are taken a bath. If remains are male, their bear is shaved, and if remains are female, they have their makeup and they have wear kimono. After that, they are laid into coffin.The meaning of putting flowers is that the remain does not feel lonely on his/her way to heaven. After that, people never see the remain. All people wear black suits and they are crying.
Before the day of the funeral, tuya is held. Tuya is a funeral eve and it starts about 6 p.m. Buddhist priest comes to house and recite Buddhism, Shinto, Shingonshu, Tendaishu, Jyodoshinshu and so on with family of remain and neighborhoods. What Buddhist priest recite is different from each family?s religion. After finishing it, Buddhist priest and neighborhoods go home. Family members have to keep exchanging incense stick and candle so as not to fade out all night. It means to protect the remain from devil.
Next day, the funeral is held. Most remains are cremated in Japan; however, some areas in Tohoku, Japan, remains are committed their body to the earth.
After the cremation, furijio is done. It means to put a touch of salt around the house in order to purify. And the family members pick up remains? bone with chopsticks. It calls hashiwatashi It means that by collecting bones with hashi, chopsticks, deceased let go to heaven without difficulty.
At the top of this alter, there is a color picture of the deceased. There are some plates which are made from trees. Those plates are written family menbers name and relatives who bought oblations such as flowers and some foods. As you can see, funeral is really magnificent. Although, most Japanese do not belong to religion, almost all funerals are held in Buddhist style. I think it is strange. And also Japanese people tend not to have question about this situation. It is also strange for me, Tanaka Ayumi.
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