A Movement to Reconsider Rituals Triggered by Grave Plot Contracts: Increasing Users Switching to 'Shinto-style' Interment Ceremonies

Osaka Memorial Park Sales Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Daito City, Osaka Prefecture; Representative Director: Koichi Higuchi; hereinafter "the Company"), in its "Takeda-style Kofun Tombs" jointly developed with Kofun Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Tsuneyasu Takeda), has observed a growing number of users spontaneously switching their memorial services and rituals from traditional Buddhist forms to Shinto forms, triggered by their grave plot contracts.

Traditionally, Japanese funeral practices have generally followed Buddhist forms in accordance with family customs. However, users who chose the "Kofun" (ancient burial mound) space, an ancient Japanese burial style, have re-evaluated the nature of memorial services. As a result, a new trend is emerging where individuals choose Shinto as the form of prayer that best harmonizes with their own roots.

From "Custom" to "Choice": A Movement to Redefine Ritual Forms

The forms of interment rituals and memorial services have largely been determined by family and local traditions, leaving little room for individual will. However, during the consideration process for the Takeda-style Kofun Tombs, users are seen confronting fundamental questions such as "Where is it most natural for me to return?" and "What is a sending-off method that resonates with me as a Japanese person?"

Consequently, beyond the framework of dogmatic adherence to a specific religion, there is a noticeable trend of individuals spontaneously choosing Shinto as the ritual most fitting for the unique spatial beauty of the Kofun (ancient burial mound). This represents a modern manifestation of a new perspective on life and death, elevating memorial services from a "formal obligation" to a "prayer reflecting one's own values." In fact, contracted users have voiced sentiments such as, "Until now, I had no particular denomination and performed Buddhist services, but while visiting and considering the Kofun tomb, I was touched by the atmosphere of the space and decided I wanted to perform the interment in the Shinto style." This indicates that dialogue with the space is becoming a catalyst for redefining one's own views on life and death.

"Unchanging Harmony" Residing in Eternal Form: The Landscape Before the Arrival of Buddhism Invites a Return to the Origin of Prayer

It is believed that the primary factor promoting the change in ritual forms at these Kofun tombs is the reproduction of the "original landscape of prayer" that existed in Japan before the advent of Buddhism, achieved through modern technology.

By experiencing the symbolic presence of the "Three Sacred Treasures (mirror, sword, comma-shaped bead)" enshrined within the stone chamber, and the form of the ancient burial mound, which integrates with the earth like a natural mountain, users tend to feel a deep sense of peace that transcends logic. This "space that directly appeals to the Japanese sensibility" functions as a spiritual nexus, embracing even the compassionate spirit of Buddhism while naturally allowing for the acceptance of pure Shinto rituals.

Towards Spiritual Sanctuary: Cultural Rediscovery Brought by Grave Site Selection

In an age of increasing secularization, there is a growing latent desire to value fundamental spiritual culture at life's milestones and farewells. The Takeda-style Kofun Tombs do not merely provide a burial place; they offer users an opportunity to position their lives within the grand narrative of Japan. The manifest shift in rituals this time indicates that grave site selection is evolving from a mere real estate acquisition into a highly creative act of reclaiming "prayer practices" based on one's own roots.

Future Developments

Information regarding the purchase process is being sequentially provided through our official website and Kofun Co., Ltd.'s "Kofun Window," among other channels. Please look forward to a new place of prayer that fuses history, design, and reliable perpetual interment, all within a special space supervised by Tadao Ando Architect & Associates.

▼ "Osaka Memorial Park Official Website" ▼

https://osaka-memorialpark.co.jp/

▼ "Kofun Tomb Special Site" ▼

https://osaka-memorialpark.co.jp/kofun/

▼ "Kofun Window" ▼

https://madoguchi.kofun.co.jp/

About Osaka Memorial Park Kofun Tombs

Rebirth of Kofun as a "Modern Place of Prayer"

Kofun are magnificent legacies that symbolize Japanese culture, where kings and powerful clans once rested. The Company has re-engineered this "Kofun" form for modern individuals who worry about "having no one to succeed their graves" due to the declining birthrate and aging population. The "Takeda-style Kofun Tomb," advocated by Mr. Tsuneyasu Takeda, is currently attracting significant attention as a completely new style of prayer that integrates history, design, and perpetual interment.

The Only Sacred Space in Kansai Where Views and Design Converge

Osaka Memorial Park boasts breathtaking views of the Osaka Plain from a hilltop on the slopes of Mt. Ikoma, a proven track record of being selected as "Kansai's No. 1 Cemetery Grand Prix," and a dignified design supervised by the world-renowned architect Tadao Ando Architect & Associates. In this unique environment, the only one of its kind nationwide, where views, achievements, and design are integrated, we will protect your precious sentiments.

▼ Kofun Tomb EC Site "Kofun Window"