Copywriting | Ignorant
Editor | Anlan
Picture | Network
As the development of modern society continues to accelerate, Japan's population aging phenomenon has become increasingly prominent and has ranked first in the world. The number of elderly people is increasing, but the number of deaths every day is also increasing. The crematoriums cannot bear the load, and people are beginning to look for solutions. Under such circumstances, the "Body Hotel" came into being.
Body Hotel Appearance
Hotel, as the name suggests, is a place for travelers to stay and rest. However, this world is so big and full of wonders. There were no tourists inside the hotel, and the bodies were placed in a grand manner. "Body Hotel", a term that sounds unfamiliar to us, has long been common in Japan. But why are “corpse hotels” so popular in Japan? This has to start with Japan’s own domestic situation.
Population status of the island country
First of all, as of now, the total population of Japan is about 126 million people, but the elderly over 65 years old account for nearly 30% of the total population. This is not the most important thing. What is more noteworthy is that Japan has experienced negative population growth for eleven consecutive years since 2010. The birth rate is extremely low, and the "fewer birthrate and aging population" are very obvious. Not only that, the death toll in Japan is also rising year by year. This has also resulted in the current situation of "a society with many deaths" in which Japanese society has fewer births and more deaths.
According to data released by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, there were approximately 1.4 million deaths in Japan in 2020, but less than 7,600 of them died due to the new crown epidemic. Therefore, the large-scale death toll in Japan is not due to the impact of the epidemic. After the deaths of people, how to place them has become a big problem again.
Crematoriums are overwhelmed and overloaded
As the death toll in Japan continues to increase, Japan's crematoriums are becoming busier and busier. However, the number of dead people is so great that many crematoriums are overloaded, but even so, the supply still exceeds the demand.
So far, the total number of crematoria in Japan has slowly grown to approximately 5,100. But these are far from enough to burn the growing death toll. The disparity in the number of deaths and the number of crematoria makes it difficult to bury remains.
Take Tokyo, the most populous city in Japan, as an example. The total population of the capital Tokyo is about 13 million, and the number of deaths every year is about 110,000, which is about 300 people every day on average. But looking at the entire city of Tokyo, there are only 26 crematoriums. Therefore, there is an endless stream of people queuing outside the crematorium every day, from day to night.
But you may not be able to get in line every day, so you have to wait for three to five days, or even ten days and a half a month. Moreover, each crematorium also has its own specialized set of work processes. Each burning has a fixed time, which is basically about three to four hours. The furnace in the crematorium also keeps running every day, but after all, it is just a simple machine, not an perpetual motion machine , and it can only turn a few times a day. Even if the furnace in the crematorium keeps running every day, there will still be a large number of people who are still waiting in line.
In addition, the funeral ceremony in Japan is very complicated. Not only does the furnace have to work, but after the body is burned, there are specialized personnel responsible for cleaning the bones and ashes with special tools. It takes several days to complete various procedures, and it becomes even more difficult to go back and forth. Then someone said, if it is so troublesome, why not build more crematoriums and purchase more furnaces? But things are never as simple as that.
Difficulty in building crematoria
From a geographical point of view, Japan itself is an island country surrounded by the sea, with a long and narrow land area. About 70% of the country’s land is mountainous, and plains suitable for human habitation are scarce. Moreover, the population distribution is also extremely uneven. The land that Japanese people live in during their lifetime is already very limited, let alone after death, it is even rarer, and it is difficult to find a cemetery.
The Japanese government has strict and clear legal regulations on land management. Although it does not prohibit burial , the regulations indicate that burial sites must be used in a limited and reasonable manner to improve land utilization efficiency. Therefore, this also leads to high land prices in Japan. Moreover, the Japanese government has also reviewed and approved the site selection for the construction of crematoriums at various levels. Also, in this only suitable place for living, part of the land is held individually by individuals, and the government has no power to expropriate it. So building a proper crematorium is not just about paying lip service. Furthermore, Japan's local customs and cultural beliefs also have a significant impact on the construction of crematoriums.
Most of Japan's domestic population is of the Yamato ethnic group, and there are also many ethnic taboos and cultural conflicts. It is said that peace is in the grave, and the dead are in great danger. Death has always been a very mysterious matter, and dealing with the funeral affairs of the deceased is also very taboo. Although everyone is in awe of death, things after death become complicated. In the eyes of the majority of Japanese people, facilities such as crematoriums and funeral parlors have always been disliked. If you build a crematorium around your home, it will not only make people feel bad and fearful, but will also bring bad luck. On the other hand, , in their view, if these facilities are built next to their homes, they will not only affect the price of their houses, but also cause air pollution and noise pollution, thus affecting the overall domestic environment.
Therefore, based on the above reasons, Japan will make it clear to the public when it comes to building crematoriums and extensively solicit public opinions in order to achieve a result that is satisfactory to both parties. But things went counterproductive, and the publicity effect was not ideal. After encountering the announcement about the construction of another crematorium, local people in Japan will never be too satisfied. Even if a certain piece of land meets the construction standards in all aspects such as engineering construction, there is nothing you can do when it comes to customs and habits, and it still cannot be built. This is not a good thing to say, after all, cultural taboos such as cannot be solved in a short while. Just like Chinese Feng Shui, this kind of thing is difficult to explain clearly.
So in the end, considering various factors, the construction of another crematorium in Japan was shelved. This is not an easy task, and it cannot be done overnight.
There is no way. This is already the case in the crematorium. In addition, various ice coffins for storing remains are not available in cold storage. But the number of deaths is still increasing every day, so how to solve the problem of burial of remains? At this time, someone came up with a solution that sounded very feasible.
The idea of a cremation ship
With the continuous improvement of the living standards of the Japanese people, cremation has basically become popular in Japan's current society. However, due to the various reasons mentioned above, crematoriums are not popular, so some Japanese consortium proposed the idea of crematoria .
This kind of cremation ship has a natural advantage compared to crematoriums, that is, it does not occupy land. This kind of cremation ship takes full consideration of Japan's geographical environment and population distribution. In view of the dense population in some areas of Japan, such as metropolitan cities like Tokyo, it does not occupy land resources, thus solving the funeral problem reasonably. And there will be no land management restrictions or cultural taboos.
In addition, it is expected that after this kind of cremation ship is built, its total weight will be about 2,600 tons, and it will travel at sea all the time. will not affect the normal life of residents. Moreover, all kinds of burning equipment and sacrificial facilities on the cremation boat are also complete. First of all, four cremation furnaces will be installed on the ship, which are fully powered, so there is no need to worry about fuel. Furthermore, the ship also has a memorial hall for funerals, where relatives and friends can come to pay their respects. Finally, after the body is cremated in the crematorium, the ashes of the deceased can be scattered directly into the sea without causing any pollution. Also, after the ashes are scattered, specialized personnel on the cremation boat will sound the whistle to pray for the deceased and wish the deceased a happy journey.
This method is equivalent to breaking through the traditional cremation form into sea burial, following the concept that people come from nature and return to nature. The idea of this cremation boat is relatively beautiful, but judging from the current situation, most Japanese people are influenced by traditional funeral concepts and are still not able to accept this method. In addition, the number of daily deaths in Japan is uncertain, resulting in an uncertain number of cremations every day. Moreover, the idea of a cremation ship at sea has not yet been determined whether it is legal, and the implementation of a cremation ship is not easy.
The idea of cremating ships was also shelved. Under such circumstances, Japan's funeral industry is also facing unprecedented difficulties. But the water will naturally flow straight to the bridge, and the car will have a road to the mountain. The method was thought up by people. At this time, a new form of funeral appeared.
"Body Hotel"
According to traditional Japanese customs, after a family member dies, relatives will stay at home for a night. Then, wait until the next day to notify relatives, friends and neighbors to come to worship and pray. After all the worship ceremonies are over, the remains of the loved ones will be sent to the crematorium for cremation and finally burial.
However, as mentioned above, there are endless problems in various aspects of cremation. Not only is it time-consuming and labor-intensive, but there are also various high costs. This also leads to a large number of remains that cannot be properly placed. Therefore, at this time, "remains" is derived from the business of "hotel".
"Remains Hotel" literally means a hotel for the remains. Although we may not be familiar with these, has long been common on the streets of Japan. From the appearance, this "corpse hotel" is roughly the same as an ordinary hotel, and there is no difference in the appearance of . Of course, this is understandable. The main reason is to not attract attention. After all, most people don’t want their neighbors to have corpses in their homes. But there is a lot going on inside the hotel, and it has a different look.
First of all, there are no beds in this "corpse hotel". The coffin of the deceased is placed in the center of the room. The hotel will arrange the remains into rooms of different levels according to different price levels. In addition to storing the coffin in a general room, there are also several seats next to it to facilitate relatives and friends to observe. There is also a table usually placed in front of the body, with some sacrificial supplies, photos and tablets of the deceased placed on it.
Of course, the air conditioning in the hotel is also very sufficient. In addition to the coffin itself having its own refrigeration system, the indoor temperature is also very suitable. Some better hotels will also install electrical appliances such as TVs, sofas, bathtubs, and simple toiletries in the bathroom to make it easier for the family members of the deceased to keep vigil at night. These issues must be considered by hotels in all aspects. relatively comprehensive.
Furthermore, the coffins in some hotel rooms are equipped with temperature adjustment devices, so that the body can be kept at a constant temperature, which is also more conducive to the preservation of the body. Moreover, the lid of this kind of coffin is transparent, so when relatives come to pay their respects, they can see the deceased's remains through the glass.
In addition, regarding the hygiene of the remains in the hotel, the hotel has naturally taken it into consideration. Disinfected and sterilized every day, there will be no virus problems.
It is also worth mentioning that the "Remain Hotel" also provides corresponding services, such as corpse transportation and handling. If the family members have already decided to come to the hotel for placement, they will arrange a special vehicle to transport the body of the deceased to the hotel. When the time is right and they are ready to go out for cremation, they will also send a dedicated person to take the body out in a separate car, which saves money. Save your family members’ travel troubles.
Another thing to mention is that the "Remain Hotel" provides specialized wakes and farewell ceremonies for the deceased. It goes without saying that this requires some expense. Farewell ceremonies that were previously held at home can be held in a hotel with great results. After all, the space and other conditions at home are limited, and the people who come to pay homage and pray may sometimes be messy, making people feel uncomfortable. So it would be nice to have such an occasion where you can have a quiet farewell with your loved ones. These hotels are generally much cheaper than funeral homes.
According to statistics from relevant reporters, the average cost of a funeral in Japan is about 1.95 million yen (about 130,000 yuan), but at the "Corpus Hotel", the lowest package here is about 190,000 yen (that is, 10,000 yuan). (about 1 yuan). This nearly ten-fold difference has also made the Japanese people increasingly favor “corpse hotels”.
Of course, although the price of this "body hotel" is relatively low, there are still many things that should be included in the funeral process. This package includes transportation of the remains, flowers for memorial service, the deceased's shroud, coffin decoration and urn, as well as the disposal of ashes after cremation. And this is also a normal hotel service. If the family members need more convenience, they can communicate with the hotel and add money to purchase it. Everything is voluntary. But under normal circumstances, the ordinary package can meet people's needs, and there is no need to purchase additional services.
It’s really hard not to be tempted by the “Remain Hotel” that offers such a convenient, fast and affordable one-stop funeral service. This is why it is so popular in Japan.
In a nutshell, the emergence of "corpse hotels" has indeed revitalized the Japanese funeral industry, but this new form only appeared in some big cities and has not spread throughout the country. There are still some people who don't disapprove. The residents next to the corpse hotel have always had a grudge against this, and they don't want corpses living in the houses next to them. Therefore, these methods generally treat the symptoms rather than the root cause. So how can we find a perfect solution?
There is a way to provide for one's old age and to be buried in one's old age.
As Japan's aging phenomenon accelerates, the population over 65 years old accounts for one-third of the country's total population. Therefore, the issue of how to provide for the elderly has been put on the agenda again. The retirement age, which was originally 60 years old, has now been extended to 70 years old. Moreover, the starting amount of pension benefits remains unchanged, and the total amount has not increased. Therefore, the Japanese government’s annual parliamentary issues involve the issue of pensions. Of course, the Japanese government has also introduced a series of policies, such as the long-term care insurance system. Residents only need to pay a small part, and the government is responsible for the bulk to protect residents' retirement. However, in the face of the huge elderly population, the government's financial funds still cannot meet the needs. At this time, major companies began to compete to contribute. For example, Panasonic , Sony and other companies invested in nursing homes and other elderly care industries, which to a certain extent alleviated the problem of difficulty in providing elderly care. However, not everyone can afford to live in a nursing home. Most residents still care for themselves at home. Providing support for the elderly in is always a complex problem and needs to be slowly adjusted and integrated.
One wave has not subsided, but another wave has arisen. Japan's annual death toll is still increasing, and is expected to reach a peak of about 1.7 million around 2040. And regardless of immigration, Japan's total population will be greatly reduced, about 20 million less than it is now.
Although the prospects of "corpse hotels" are very good, as the age of these elderly people continues to increase, it is possible that by the time they pass away, they will not have many relatives and friends around them, and they will not be able to organize this kind of ceremony.
According to data released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in July, the average life expectancy of Japanese people is about 84 years old, the average life expectancy of women is as high as 87 years, and the average life expectancy of men is also about 81 years old. Moreover, elderly people in their 70s and 80s are still working, so after they pass away, there will be almost no one left to handle matters for them.
As mentioned before, the crematorium is overcrowded and people have to queue up for cremation. When these people get old, who else will be able to queue up and wait for them to be cremated, because they are all of the same age group and the children around them are also They are all getting old and don’t have that much energy anymore.
What's more, a large number of elderly people die alone in their houses in Japan every year. When loneliness becomes the norm in society, human feelings will inevitably become indifferent, and the entire society will also become indifferent. Therefore, handling the posthumous affairs of these elderly people is a top priority.
Respect the dead and revere life
Life is only once and cannot be repeated. In Japan, where aging is so serious, they need to consider more, how can allow these elderly people to take care of themselves, enjoy their old age, and be buried in a safe place, and finally leave this world with dignity. Respecting the right to burial is also an issue they need to think deeply about.
