Death Ritual: Mahayana Buddhism in Japan

With the Buddhist religion and culture there are two different types of prevalent Buddhism:  Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism.  The Mahayana Buddhist religion is common in the Japanese Culture.  The Death ritual involves a pre-funeral event called "Otsuya".  This ritual is similar to a wake:  loved ones come and pay their respects with more happy stories than sad ones.

The actual funeral is called "ososhiki".  Funeral attendees first pay a fee to the family before entering t the funeral location.  The funeral entails an altar with the deceased's photograph surrounded by flowers placed in front of the deceased's casket.

Picture 4, Death and Funeral Customs:  Buddhism Post, Funerals and Flowers In Loving Memory Website, Accessed 29 April 2014.  http://www.funerals-and-flowers.com/death-and-funeral-customs.html

Priests chant up until the point when the body is shown to the public for the last time.  This point in the funeral is called "Nobe no Okuri".

After the funeral ceremony, the Japanese Mahayana Buddhists then have the body cremated.  Loved ones wait at the crematorium for the body cremation to be complete.  When the body is returned the family members place the bones in an urn with ceremonial chopsticks and someone who works for the crematorium crushes the bones until they are ash.  The family is then given the ashes and a certificate of cremation.

Although the ceremony lasts for a short period, the Japanese Mahayana Buddhists are not finished.  The 49th day of one's death is an important stage in the Buddhist reincarnation cycle.  The 49th day means that the deceased has made it to their next stage of reincarnation:  they are at their next destination.

http://www.buddhanet.net/d_cermon.htm