Comments on: Zoshigaya Cemetary http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/05/zoshigaya-cemetary/ a Ruins Explorer and SF / Fantasy Author in Japan Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:20:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: MJG http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/05/zoshigaya-cemetary/comment-page-1/#comment-237 MJG Tue, 27 May 2008 09:20:22 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=169#comment-237 Thanks Mom, Al. As for tending the graves, they do, there's a holiday here in the spring called O-bon, which means- 'great suffering', so the holiday is about alleviating the suffering of the dead by going to the graves, cleaning and polishing them up, having prayers and ceremonies, and purifying with incense. At O-bon everyone in Tokyo goes back to their home towns to be with their families and deceased relatives. As for burying- that hardly ever happens here- all these graves we see are family graves, with ashes interred underneath in urns. There's just not enough space for all the bodies. Hence they have the wooden sticks rather than engraved stones- it's easier to add and renew a stick than it is to rework stone every time another family member dies. I don't know, but I imagine the grave sites in Zoshigaya are all incredibly expensive. Though of course it's full now- not sure how that works. Glad you liked the video Al, wasn't sure about the dancing bit after- seems a bit weird to dance in a cemetary! At the time of shooting though it seemed fine. Good news mom the builders finished, hurrah! Thanks Mom, Al. As for tending the graves, they do, there’s a holiday here in the spring called O-bon, which means- ‘great suffering’, so the holiday is about alleviating the suffering of the dead by going to the graves, cleaning and polishing them up, having prayers and ceremonies, and purifying with incense.

At O-bon everyone in Tokyo goes back to their home towns to be with their families and deceased relatives.

As for burying- that hardly ever happens here- all these graves we see are family graves, with ashes interred underneath in urns. There’s just not enough space for all the bodies. Hence they have the wooden sticks rather than engraved stones- it’s easier to add and renew a stick than it is to rework stone every time another family member dies. I don’t know, but I imagine the grave sites in Zoshigaya are all incredibly expensive. Though of course it’s full now- not sure how that works.

Glad you liked the video Al, wasn’t sure about the dancing bit after- seems a bit weird to dance in a cemetary! At the time of shooting though it seemed fine.

Good news mom the builders finished, hurrah!

]]> By: ALice http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/05/zoshigaya-cemetary/comment-page-1/#comment-232 ALice Sun, 25 May 2008 19:07:55 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=169#comment-232 That is fooking hilarious. Mike you really got something with these vids, they are so funny. Keep em coming. Classy!!! xxxxxxxxxxxxx That is fooking hilarious. Mike you really got something with these vids, they are so funny. Keep em coming. Classy!!! xxxxxxxxxxxxx

]]> By: Becky http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2008/05/zoshigaya-cemetary/comment-page-1/#comment-231 Becky Sun, 25 May 2008 13:40:03 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=169#comment-231 Fun video and I do like those 2 boys singing...but I have forgotten their names. Do they tend the graves like here...flowers on and so on. I did see some flowers on one grave. Do they bury only...or is there cremation too? The news of the day from here is that the BUILDERS, AFTER 2 YEARS, HAVE FINISHED with the snagging list...i.e., things left to do before you get your final payment!!! Bye. Becky Fun video and I do like those 2 boys singing…but I have forgotten their names. Do they tend the graves like here…flowers on and so on. I did see some flowers on one grave. Do they bury only…or is there cremation too?
The news of the day from here is that the BUILDERS, AFTER 2 YEARS, HAVE FINISHED with the snagging list…i.e., things left to do before you get your final payment!!!
Bye.
Becky

]]>