How to Choose a Funeral Home: Top Choice is "Through Mutual Aid/Membership Services". Key Priorities Are "Proximity" and "Clarity of Pricing".
A survey of 182 people who have experienced arranging a funeral shows that 24.2% chose a funeral home through mutual aid or membership services. The most important factors were "proximity to home or venue" (26.4%) and "clarity of pricing" (23.6%).
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 12, 2026 at 00:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 11, 2026 at 15:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 11, 2026 at 15:51 (19 min after Collected)
■Funeral Home Selection and Pre-Consultation: How Did Those with Actual Experience Choose and Prepare?
The opportunity to arrange a funeral does not come often in one's life.
For many, the first experience comes unexpectedly.
That's why the dilemma of "which funeral home to rely on" or "what should I prepare in advance" is likely felt more keenly by those who have actually experienced it.
Therefore, in collaboration with "Saijo Hakushimakaikan," a funeral home in Hiroshima specializing in family funerals, we conducted a survey on "funeral home selection and pre-consultation" targeting 182 men and women nationwide who responded in a preliminary survey that they "have experience as a chief mourner or arranging a funeral."
*When quoting the contents of this press release, please adhere to the following:
・State that the source is "a survey by NEXER Co., Ltd. and Saijo Hakushimakaikan."
・Provide a link to Saijo Hakushimakaikan (https://www.so-gi.co.jp/).
・Provide a link to the relevant article (https://www.so-gi.co.jp/blog/6794/).
"Survey on Funeral Home Selection and Pre-Consultation" Overview
Survey method: Online questionnaire
Survey period: April 10, 2026 - April 14, 2026
Target respondents: Men and women nationwide who responded in a preliminary survey that they "have experience as a chief mourner or arranging a funeral."
Valid responses: 182 samples
Questions:
Question 1: How did you choose your funeral home?
Question 2: Please tell us why you chose that method.
Question 3: What were the important points you considered when choosing a funeral home?
Question 4: Please tell us why.
Question 5: Have you ever consulted a funeral home in advance?
Question 6: What were the positive aspects of consulting in advance? (Multiple answers allowed)
Question 7: What were your reasons for not consulting in advance? (Multiple answers allowed)
Question 8: What kind of information or support would make you feel more at ease when choosing a funeral home or consulting in advance?
Question 9: Please tell us why.
*As fractions are rounded to the second decimal place, the total may not always be 100%.
■24.2% Selected a Funeral Home "Through Mutual Aid/Membership Services"
First, we asked how those who had experienced a funeral chose their funeral home.
The most common response was "through mutual aid/membership services" at 24.2%.
This was followed by "had already decided" at 20.9% and "chose a funeral home nearby" at 17.6%.
On the other hand, only 6.0% responded that they "searched online."
This suggests a tendency to choose based on existing human relationships or prior arrangements like savings plans, rather than digital searches.
We also asked for reasons behind each selection method, and here are some examples:
Those who responded "Through mutual aid/membership services":
・"I was enrolled in a funeral savings plan." (40s, male)
・"My father was enrolled through his company." (50s, female)
・"It seemed like it would keep costs down." (60s, female)
Those who responded "Had already decided":
・"It was the deceased's wish." (40s, female)
・"We used them for my grandfather and parents, and the hall is close to home." (50s, female)
・"Since I was a member, I got a discount." (60s, male)
Those who responded "Chose a funeral home nearby":
・"It was a place we had been familiar with before." (50s, male)
・"I chose a ceremony hall close to my home." (60s, male)
・"As a full member of JA, I could prioritize using the agricultural association hall." (60s, female)
Family circumstances such as prior savings or membership registration, referrals from others, and a lack of time stood out. It appears that in many cases, people had no choice but to decide from familiar options rather than carefully comparing and selecting.
■26.4% Prioritized "Proximity to Home or Venue"
Next, we asked about the important points considered when choosing a funeral home.
The most common response was "proximity to home or venue" at 26.4%.
This was followed by "clarity of pricing" at 23.6% and "track record and trustworthiness" at 15.9%.
We also asked for reasons why these points were prioritized, and here are some examples:
Those who responded "Proximity to home or venue":
・"It was a family funeral." (40s, male)
・"It's convenient for traveling between home and the funeral hall." (50s, female)
・"It makes it easier for attendees to come." (60s, male)
Those who responded "Clarity of pricing":
・"I often hear stories of being ripped off." (30s, female)
・"500 yen for one pen is unacceptable." (40s, male)
・"Since it was my first funeral, I excluded funeral homes with unclear costs from my options." (60s, male)
Those who responded "Track record and trustworthiness":
・"I'd be anxious without a track record."
The opportunity to arrange a funeral does not come often in one's life.
For many, the first experience comes unexpectedly.
That's why the dilemma of "which funeral home to rely on" or "what should I prepare in advance" is likely felt more keenly by those who have actually experienced it.
Therefore, in collaboration with "Saijo Hakushimakaikan," a funeral home in Hiroshima specializing in family funerals, we conducted a survey on "funeral home selection and pre-consultation" targeting 182 men and women nationwide who responded in a preliminary survey that they "have experience as a chief mourner or arranging a funeral."
*When quoting the contents of this press release, please adhere to the following:
・State that the source is "a survey by NEXER Co., Ltd. and Saijo Hakushimakaikan."
・Provide a link to Saijo Hakushimakaikan (https://www.so-gi.co.jp/).
・Provide a link to the relevant article (https://www.so-gi.co.jp/blog/6794/).
"Survey on Funeral Home Selection and Pre-Consultation" Overview
Survey method: Online questionnaire
Survey period: April 10, 2026 - April 14, 2026
Target respondents: Men and women nationwide who responded in a preliminary survey that they "have experience as a chief mourner or arranging a funeral."
Valid responses: 182 samples
Questions:
Question 1: How did you choose your funeral home?
Question 2: Please tell us why you chose that method.
Question 3: What were the important points you considered when choosing a funeral home?
Question 4: Please tell us why.
Question 5: Have you ever consulted a funeral home in advance?
Question 6: What were the positive aspects of consulting in advance? (Multiple answers allowed)
Question 7: What were your reasons for not consulting in advance? (Multiple answers allowed)
Question 8: What kind of information or support would make you feel more at ease when choosing a funeral home or consulting in advance?
Question 9: Please tell us why.
*As fractions are rounded to the second decimal place, the total may not always be 100%.
■24.2% Selected a Funeral Home "Through Mutual Aid/Membership Services"
First, we asked how those who had experienced a funeral chose their funeral home.
The most common response was "through mutual aid/membership services" at 24.2%.
This was followed by "had already decided" at 20.9% and "chose a funeral home nearby" at 17.6%.
On the other hand, only 6.0% responded that they "searched online."
This suggests a tendency to choose based on existing human relationships or prior arrangements like savings plans, rather than digital searches.
We also asked for reasons behind each selection method, and here are some examples:
Those who responded "Through mutual aid/membership services":
・"I was enrolled in a funeral savings plan." (40s, male)
・"My father was enrolled through his company." (50s, female)
・"It seemed like it would keep costs down." (60s, female)
Those who responded "Had already decided":
・"It was the deceased's wish." (40s, female)
・"We used them for my grandfather and parents, and the hall is close to home." (50s, female)
・"Since I was a member, I got a discount." (60s, male)
Those who responded "Chose a funeral home nearby":
・"It was a place we had been familiar with before." (50s, male)
・"I chose a ceremony hall close to my home." (60s, male)
・"As a full member of JA, I could prioritize using the agricultural association hall." (60s, female)
Family circumstances such as prior savings or membership registration, referrals from others, and a lack of time stood out. It appears that in many cases, people had no choice but to decide from familiar options rather than carefully comparing and selecting.
■26.4% Prioritized "Proximity to Home or Venue"
Next, we asked about the important points considered when choosing a funeral home.
The most common response was "proximity to home or venue" at 26.4%.
This was followed by "clarity of pricing" at 23.6% and "track record and trustworthiness" at 15.9%.
We also asked for reasons why these points were prioritized, and here are some examples:
Those who responded "Proximity to home or venue":
・"It was a family funeral." (40s, male)
・"It's convenient for traveling between home and the funeral hall." (50s, female)
・"It makes it easier for attendees to come." (60s, male)
Those who responded "Clarity of pricing":
・"I often hear stories of being ripped off." (30s, female)
・"500 yen for one pen is unacceptable." (40s, male)
・"Since it was my first funeral, I excluded funeral homes with unclear costs from my options." (60s, male)
Those who responded "Track record and trustworthiness":
・"I'd be anxious without a track record."