Reflection - A funeral in Japan

Apr 13, 2015

A funeral in Japan

Recently we celebrated the funeral of Mrs Hanako Shibata. I use the word 'celebrate' because the ceremony has a palpable atmosphere of peace.

Mrs Shibata was 93, and up to her late 80s was active in the Hodogaya Church community. She was much loved by her family and our parish community.

Catholic funeral rites in Japan to a certain extent follow Buddhist practice. However, these rites are basically ancient Japanese cultural practices as they even preceded the entry of Buddhism into Japan from China through the Korean peninsula in the 6th century AD (552AD).

The following is the way of funerals in the parish of Hodogaya in Yokohama City.

After death there is the solemn transferral of the body into the coffin. This small but important rite is done in the home. The priest blesses the body which is laid out on a strong cloth, then the coffin itself is blessed with Holy Water. After a prayer each of the family takes sides of the cloth and lift the body into the coffin. We all sing a hymn and offer incense.

Incense is much used during the various rites. As I put incense onto the live coals I offer a prayer based on Psalm 141:2, "O Merciful Lord, may our prayer for the deceased ascent like incense before you." The scented smoke of the incense is a symbol of our prayer going up to God.

The body is transferred to the church and met by the priest and representatives from the community. In front of the coffin is a big photo of the deceased. Many Japanese choose their funeral photo while alive. In some parishes a photo comes to the 'Respect for the Aged Day' meal to take a portrait. This is a service much appreciated by the elderly. The photo and coffin are surrounded by flowers donated by well wishers. In the church we depart from usual practice in that we do not allow a placard on each bunch of flowers indicating who sent it. This practice leads to competition which is unseemly.

The liturgical wake is usually held at 6:00pm, ie after working hours. In the case of Mrs Shibata the church was packed. Present were not only her children and grandchildren but also representatives from the companies and factories where her three sons worked. Also present were people from the neighbourhood, many friends and a large number of the parish community. Of the 200 present I would estimate that about one half were non-Christians, and of those, one quarter were in a church for the first time. I base these estimates on the number of phone calls we had during the day: "Where is the church?" "What do I wear to a Christian funeral?" As to what to wear we answer, "Follow the usual Japanese custom." This for women is a black dress and a single string of pearls. For men a dark suit and black tie.

To set at ease those first-timers to the church I speak to them directly, saying something like this:

"Just relax before God who loves you and gladly accepts the way you pray for the deceased. When I go to a Buddhist funeral I do not understand the monk's sutra prayer in ancient Japanese, so I just absorb the atmosphere of prayer, which in itself becomes a prayer for the deceased. I recommend you do the same here."

The liturgical wake usually lasts one hour. We have prayer and psalms with solemn, haunting melodies. For example, Psalm 42, "Like a deer, I thirst for you my God,' and Psalm 139 'Lord, you know me through and through.' The homily, when so many non-Christians are present is a wonderful missionary opportunity to tell them of God's unconditional love for all. The ceremony concludes with a resume of the deceased's life and death (with full clinical details) usually by the oldest son.

Then each person in procession places a white carnation in front of the photo as a symbol of prayer for the deceased. After the wake there is often refreshments laid out which is always Japanese sushi.

The next day is the funeral Mass and final farewell. The singing of the Hodogaya community is beautiful and really consoled Mrs Shibata's family.

Then after Mass the coffin is opened and first the relatives, then all, place flowers around the body. Even Mrs Shibata's smallest grandchild touched her granny's forehead and with her flower also a handwritten note and drawing. Finally each close relative puts a hand on the coffin lid and then the coffin is closed. Notice the participation of all the family. This is a very healthy custom.

At the crematorium there are short prayers. The ashes are placed in a crockery urn - again by the close relatives. Crematoriums have their own customs. Every 10th day they are closed as that day is called 'Tomobiki' in the ancient Japanese calendar. 'Tomobiki' (Tomobiki is one of the 6 days of the rokuyo Japanese calendar which significance means "good luck all day, except at noon and a bad day for funerals").

On the 49th day after death the urn is solemnly placed in the family grave, which is an underground space holding 8-10 urns. Graves are well tended being visited on the Equinoxes and August 15 (Buddhist day of the dead) and Catholics also on November 2 (All Souls). Special remembrance days are the first, third, seventh and 13th anniversaries. Mrs Shibata will be well prayed for.

"It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead" (2 Macc 12:46).

Fr Barry Cairns has been a missionary in Japan since 1956.