Synopsis

A society’s approach to death, and the reverence it offers to the departed, often speaks volumes about its core values. This holds true in Japan as it does elsewhere in the world. The nation boasts a deep history of grave-making, interwoven with millennia of rituals and traditions. As Japanese perspectives on family, finances, and life itself shift in modern times, so too do attitudes toward burial sites. On this installment of Japanology Plus, we delve into the past, present, and future of thes