How are funeral homes chosen? Were there any points that needed improvement?

Funerals, which bid farewell to family and loved ones, are not events that one experiences many times in a lifetime.

When you find yourself in the position of organizing a funeral, you might feel bewildered, thinking, "I don't know which funeral home to choose."

Therefore, in collaboration with "Murata Funeral Home" in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, we conducted a survey targeting 400 men and women nationwide who responded "I have experience as a chief mourner or bereaved family member" in a preliminary survey, and we are introducing the results published on our site.

*When quoting the content of this press release, please take the following actions:* - Please state that the source is "a survey by NEXER Group Inc. and Murata Funeral Home." - Please install a link to Murata Funeral Home (https://www.murata-group.co.jp/)

- Please install a link to the relevant article (https://www.murata-group.co.jp/【葬儀社の選び方】4人に1人は「知人・親族の紹介/)

"Funeral Home Selection" Survey Overview Survey Method: Internet-based questionnaire Survey Period: May 6, 2026 - May 17, 2026

Target Respondents: Men and women nationwide who responded "I have experience as a chief mourner or bereaved family member" in a preliminary survey.

Valid Responses: 400 samples Questions: Question 1: How did you choose your funeral home?

Question 2: Were you satisfied with the funeral home's services?

Question 3: Were there any aspects of the funeral home's services that you felt needed improvement?

Question 4: Please tell us what aspects of the funeral home's services you felt needed improvement.

Question 5: What is the most important point you want to consider when choosing a funeral home in the future?

Question 6: Please explain the reason for your answer.

*Note: In principle, values are rounded to the second decimal place, so the total may not be 100%.

23.3% answered that they chose a funeral home based on "referrals from acquaintances/relatives"

First, we investigated how people chose their funeral homes.

23.3% answered "referrals from acquaintances/relatives," and 20.8% answered "reused a funeral home that had been used before."

This shows that 1 in 4 people choose a funeral home based on "referrals from acquaintances/relatives."

Next, we asked if they were satisfied with the funeral home's services.

29% answered "very satisfied," and 62.5% answered "somewhat satisfied," for a total of 91.5% who were satisfied with the funeral home's services.

Although many were satisfied with the funeral home's services, were there any aspects they felt needed improvement?

We investigated whether there were any aspects of the funeral home's services that they felt needed improvement.

15.8% answered "there were aspects that needed improvement," and 84.3% answered "there were no aspects that needed improvement."

It seems that many people did not feel there were any aspects that needed improvement.

We asked a minority who felt there were aspects needing improvement about those points, and here are some examples:

What aspects of the funeral home's services needed improvement?

- The funeral date was delayed because the crematorium was crowded. (30s, Female)

- I wish they wouldn't talk amongst themselves. If the procedures are decided, everyone should be aware of them. (30s, Female)

- I wish they had been more empathetic. (40s, Female)

- The person in charge kept changing, and I had to explain everything from the beginning, which was troublesome. (50s, Male)

- There were differences in service depending on the person in charge. (60s, Male)

- I was a member of the funeral home, but the cost greatly exceeded the budget. I wish the pricing were clearer. (70s, Female)

There were many comments requesting improvement regarding escalating prices.

Some opinions stated that the price was far higher than what was shown in the brochure, and others mentioned that while there were many optional services that increased the price, there wasn't much time to consider them.

In particular, if the cost exceeds the budget even after joining a mutual aid society or becoming a member, dissatisfaction may increase.

Aside from pricing, there were few common points regarding aspects of the funeral home's services that needed improvement, indicating that people have various expectations.

53.8% answered that "clarity of costs and plans" is the most important point when choosing a funeral home in the future

We investigated the most important points when choosing a funeral home in the future.

53.8% answered "clarity of costs and plans," and 24.5% answered "staff's responsiveness and trustworthiness."

"Clarity of costs and plans" and "staff's responsiveness and trustworthiness" account for about 80%, indicating that these are strongly desired.

We asked for the reasons behind each answer, and here are some examples:

Reasons for answering "Clarity of costs and plans"

- Because it's better to have a clear understanding of the costs. (20s, Female)

- Funeral costs are often unclear, and additional costs may arise later. (30s, Male)

- I want to clarify the costs and details in advance. (40s, Female)

- Transparent accounting is important. (40s, Male)

- Since it's not something that happens often, the costs are not well understood. (50s, Female)

- There were many additional and separate charges, such as for flowers. (60s, Male)

Reasons for answering "Staff's responsiveness and trustworthiness"

- I felt that trustworthiness is important. (30s, Female)

- It is important for conducting the funeral smoothly. (40s, Male)

- I think the atmosphere changes with just one gesture of consideration from the staff. (40s, Female)

- The 담당자's service was very good, and I was able to send them off comfortably. (50s, Female)

- If the 담당자 can be trusted, the bereaved family can feel at ease. (60s, Male)

- First and foremost, whether there is respect for the deceased. (70s, Male)

Those who answered "clarity of costs and plans" included people who wanted a clear pricing system and those who were dissatisfied with unexpected additional costs that increased the total price.

Since funerals are not frequent events, people may not know the general price range.

There were comments about feeling dictated to by the funeral home and about being concerned about the costs during the funeral due to their ambiguity.

To cherish the final moments with the deceased, a clear pricing system is desired.

Those who answered "staff's responsiveness and trustworthiness" included people who were grateful for the empathetic service provided to relatives during the funeral and those who received accurate advice.

The atmosphere can change with the consideration and thoughtfulness of the staff.

It is important to have reliable staff whom you can entrust with the arrangements with peace of mind.

Conclusion

In this survey, we conducted a questionnaire regarding "funeral home services" and introduced the results.

It was found that 1 in 4 people decide on a funeral home based on "referrals from acquaintances/relatives."

Also, 1 in 5 people reused a funeral home they had used before.

Since experience with funeral homes is rare, referrals and past experiences can be relied upon.

Regarding funeral home services, a total of 91.5% responded that they were satisfied, indicating that many people are satisfied.

However, there were also points that needed improvement, with the most frequent comment being about "escalating costs."

Furthermore, when choosing a funeral home in the future, about half of respondents indicated "clarity of costs and plans" as the most important point.

Clarity in pricing systems is required to ensure peace of mind when entrusting arrangements.

Some funeral homes clearly present their pricing systems on their websites.

If you can confirm this in advance, you can entrust them with peace of mind.

To cherish the final moments with the deceased, let's entrust the arrangements to a reliable funeral home.

*Regarding Use in Articles, etc.*

- Please state that the source is "a survey by NEXER Group Inc. and Murata Funeral Home." - Please install a link to Murata Funeral Home (https://www.murata-group.co.jp/)

- Please install a link to the relevant article (https://www.murata-group.co.jp/【葬儀社の選び方】4人に1人は「知人・親族の紹介/)

*About Murata Funeral Home:*

Address: 6-4-5 Minatomachi, Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, 790-0012 TEL: 089-941-4444 Toll-free: 0120-33-4444

*About NEXER Group Inc.:* Head Office: Rise Arena Building 11F, 4-5-2 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, 170-0013 Representative Director: Yuya Miyata URL: https://www.nexer.co.jp Business Activities: Internet research, SEO, web branding, review content, real shop support, website production

FACT BOX

  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: アンケート結果