We also find deep-rooted customs in Japanese traditional funerals.

In Japan, it is thought that man is going to be away on a journey toward the next world after dying. In accordance with regions and doctrines of a religion, there are some differences, but when a man dies, we dress a dead person with a white robe and a pair of white tabi (sandals). Then, we prepare a sack in which we put money so that the deceased may safely cross the river of death or "Sanzu-no-kawa", believed to be located between this world and the next world. We put the sack on the shoulder of deceased, place in his hands a rosary called "Juzu" and then lay him in a casket. The appearance characterizes that of an ancient traveler. Juzu is a string of 108 balls about 1 cm and said that the Buddha made it from nuts as a tool to explain the teachings of Buddhism so as to relieve people from their distressed life. By praying with Juzu, according to Buddha, we are able to renounce worldly desires and be given good virtue.

Meanwhile, we have a custom to moisten dead person's lips with a new brush, which means to wish a dead person to return to life and not to feel thirsty in the next world.

The casket turns the head north and is placed, which is reminiscent of Buddha's posture and appearance when Buddha renounced worldly desires, tenacity of purpose and be enlightened. Therefore, in our daily life, it is considered to be a bad omen to place our head toward the north when we sleep because this appearance suggests death.

Before funeral, we have a ceremony called "Otsuya". Originally, at Otsuya, only the relatives and close friends used to gather in order to console the deceased, reluctant to leave while setting a light and burning incense all day long. Recently, those who cannot attend a funeral are accepted at Otsuya as well. The function of burning incense called "Sho-ko" exists in every Buddhist funeral regardless of religion. Both at funeral and otsuya, the attendees offer an incense for the repose of a departed soul and to purify ourselves while a priest recites a sutra. First of all, we pick the powder incense up with our fingers, raise it at height of our eyes while closing eyes, bowing and praying. Secondly, we drop the powder incense in the incense burner.This series of action will be done twice. When the funeral finishes, the hearse will leave the place. Before that, the bereaved are allowed a last seeing with the deceased. They drive in a pile twice with a fist-sized rock in turns to close the lid of casket. This means to wish the deceased a safe journey across the river "Sanzu-no-kawa" and arrive at the next world in safety. The other people who attend the funeral join their hands in prayer and see the deceased off until the hearse leaves the place.

In Japan the deceased is cremated. The family of the deceased, relatives and deep acquaintances burn the incense and join their hands in prayer after sutra recitation and offer of an incense by a priest. After cremation, the funeral ashes are placed in a cinerary urn and buried in a cemetery.

End

funeral		console
deep-rooted		reluctant to
doctrines of a religion		incense
the deceased		repose
rosary		purify
casket		priest
characterize		recite a sutra
renounce		hearse
worldly desire		drive in a pile
virtue		fist-sized
reminiscent		cremate
posture		cinerary urn
tenacity		bury
omen