New 'Bonds' and 'Memorials' for Remains: 'Taguru' Bone Storage and Enshrinement Service Officially Launched

goenn Inc. (Headquarters: Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture; Representative Director: Kazuki Imahashi; hereinafter 'goenn') has officially launched 'Taguru', a new service that supports everything from bone storage and enshrinement to subsequent grave building and memorial services, following the start of service provision in April 2026 and an official release in May 2026. The service has two entry points: 'Send-only, Bone Storage/Enshrinement', where remains are entrusted via mail, and 'Pick-up, Bone Storage/Enshrinement', where religious professionals or experts visit the home.

Taguru is for people who are worried about what to do with remains after closing a family grave, who are unsure when and how to enshrine remains kept carefully at home, who find it difficult to visit a grave site due to distance or family circumstances, or who cannot immediately decide on building a grave or a final resting place. Starting from bone storage or enshrinement, it connects users to grave building and subsequent memorial services.

Taguru's goal is not simply to store remains. By collaborating with religious professionals such as temple priests, specialists in tombstones and cemeteries like stonemasons, cemeteries, and local experts, it aims to expand an environment where people can consider not only where to place the remains but also whom to entrust with memorial services and what form of grave or memorial to choose.

The Challenge of 'What to Do with Remains' After Grave Closure

In Japan, as society faces a high death rate, opportunities to deal with enshrinement and memorial services are increasing. According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's 'Vital Statistics Monthly Report Annual Total (Preliminary Figures) for 2024', the number of deaths in 2024 was 1,605,298, an increase of 29,282 from the previous year. The opportunity to confront enshrinement and memorial services is expected to grow across society as a whole.

Meanwhile, family structures and living situations are also changing. It is becoming increasingly difficult for families to live nearby and maintain ancestral graves in the same way as before.

Furthermore, more people are considering relocation of graves or closing family graves. Closing a grave is not just about removing the tombstone. One must consider where to place the remains that were inside the grave, whom to ask for memorial services, and what kind of grave or memorial form to choose in the future.

However, remains are not simply something for which a destination must be decided. Because they are precious family members, people do not want to treat them carelessly. Yet, it is often difficult to immediately build a grave or decide on a final resting place. Many people harbor such hesitation and conflict.

Taguru was officially launched as a service that creates new 'bonds' and 'memorials' for remains, responding to these changing times and the feelings of families.

*Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare 'Vital Statistics Monthly Report Annual Total (Preliminary Figures) for 2024'

What Taguru Can Do

Taguru is a service that allows users to think about subsequent grave building and memorial services together with religious professionals and experts, starting with 'enshrining' or 'storing' remains.

For those who want to enshrine remains immediately, enshrinement is offered. For those who find it difficult to immediately build a grave or decide on a final resting place, storage is offered. Users can choose a form that suits their individual circumstances and feelings without pressure.

Enshrinement and storage are carried out with care for the remains at partner temples or other religious facilities and under the guidance of religious professionals. In the future, the company plans to expand collaboration with religious professionals and experts in various locations, including Shinto shrines.

[Send-only Bone Storage/Enshrinement]

The 'Send-only Bone Storage/Enshrinement' service delivers a special sending kit; users send their remains using this kit to proceed with enshrinement or storage.

This option is for people living far away, those who have difficulty traveling to the site, or those worried about the destination of remains after closing a family grave. It provides a way to entrust remains from home without burden.

After application, a special kit necessary for packaging is sent. The user places the remains in the kit and mails it to the temple.

[Pick-up Bone Storage/Enshrinement]

The 'Pick-up Bone Storage/Enshrinement' service involves a religious professional or expert visiting the home to directly receive the remains and proceed with enshrinement or storage.

This option is for those who are uneasy about mailing, who want to entrust precious remains directly, or who have difficulty transporting the remains themselves. It offers a secure and reassuring choice.

[Beyond Storage]

Storage is not merely a temporary holding of remains.

It is an option for when a grave cannot be built immediately, a final resting place cannot be decided right away, or family feelings and preparations are not yet ready. It allows the remains to be received with care first, creating time for consideration.

At the end of the storage period, users can consult on the next steps according to their wishes and circumstances, such as having the remains returned or proceeding directly to enshrinement. Taguru can present options for grave building, final resting places, and memorial methods, and help users think about the next form of enshrinement or memorial together.

Because a decision cannot be made immediately, Taguru creates time to face the precious remains and carefully connects them to the subsequent grave or memorial.

Example of Enshrinement/Memorial Partner

Taguru collaborates with partner temples and religious facilities to carefully receive remains and connect them to enshrinement, storage, and subsequent memorial services.

As an example of an enshrinement and memorial partner, Taguru collaborates with Bandosan Shokeiji Temple in Noda City, Chiba Prefecture. Shokeiji Temple has a system in place not only to accept remains for enshrinement and storage but also to continue memorial services through Buddhist ceremonies and sutra chanting.

Furthermore, Taguru addresses the issue of unclaimed remains in municipalities by collaborating with temples to accept them and continue memorial services through ceremonies and sutra chanting.

Call for Collaboration with Religious Professionals and Experts Nationwide

goenn is calling for participation in the Taguru initiative from religious professionals such as temples and Shinto shrines, specialists in tombstones and cemeteries like stonemasons, cemeteries, and local experts.

Taguru is not a replacement for stonemasons or religious professionals. It is an entry point to connect people who find it difficult to immediately build a grave or decide on a final resting place with local experts who support graves and memorial services.

By using storage to give individuals time to calmly consider their final resting place and grave form, and then carefully connecting them to subsequent choices for cemeteries, tombstones, and memorial services, Taguru aims to broaden the contact points between local memorial service providers and individuals.

Comment from the Representative of goenn Inc.

The way we relate to remains is changing with the times. Family forms, living situations, financial circumstances, and views on graves differ for each household.

However, remains are not simply something to be stored or moved somewhere. They are precious family members and the very connection to the deceased and ancestors. That is why people do not want to treat them carelessly. If possible, they want to properly hold memorial services. Many people feel this way.

On the other hand, there are financial issues and differences in opinions about graves among family members.