Okinawa Tradition for their Deceased

[Prince Loeffler]

Do Okinawans Bury or cremate thier Dead ?

[bakaboy]

I was told that they burn the body then place the remains in the family hakka.


James East

[RobertRousselot]

http://japanupdate.com/en/?id=6361


Okinawans looking for break to local funeral burial traditions
Posted: June 16, 2005

Burial practices vary between mainland Japan and Okinawa, and now Okinawans are moving to split procedures even more.

Mainland Japanese practice spreading of ashes following cremation. Okinawans have for centuries chosen to have family burial tombs where they keep their ancestors’ bones forever.

The practice has become lucrative for companies that manufacture tombs. Importers bring the stone from China, business reflecting a four-fold increase in the past decade. The reason is simple; people want their own tombs now, and aren’t so willing to be part of the family gravesite. Import taxes to the Japanese government from the stone have increased ¥933,000,000 over the past ten years.

Aside from the desire for family privacy, many Okinawans point out family policy and traditional that prevents a divorced daughter from being buried in the family tomb. Instead, she must be buried elsewhere in the graveyard, in a separate area. That’s driving younger Okinawans to consider breaking with tradition and going their own separate ways with individual family tombs.



http://www.art-and-archaeology.com/japan/shuri1.html
This stone mausoleum, built in 1501, is the burial place of the rulers of the second Sho dynasty, beginning with King Sho En. It consists of three chambers. The bodies would be placed, initially, in the center chamber until they decomposed. After defleshing, the bones would be washed clean and moved to the left or right chamber for final burial. Kings and queens were buried in the left chamber, while other members of the royal family were buried in the right chamber.

The mausoleum was restored after suffering heavy damage in WWII.

(Blue Burial Urn)

[Prince Loeffler]

Thanks for the post and the link Mr. Rousselot !