The Heian period history book Shoku Nihon Kōki (Volume 9) records that Emperor Junna (the retired emperor), who passed away in 840, requested that his ashes be scattered, and that he was cremated and then scattered at the summit of Nishiyama in Oharano. By order of Emperor Junna (the retired emperor), his body was cremated and then scattered at the summit of Nishiyama in Oharano (Oharano Minami Kasuga-cho, Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture).

On his deathbed, Emperor Junna (reigned 823-833) told Crown Prince Tsunesada, "I personally do not like ostentatious displays. I do not want to cause trouble to people or things, or waste anything. All funeral preparations should be kept simple." He also reportedly ordered, "I have heard that when a person dies, their spirit returns to heaven, and that demons will take up residence in empty tombs, eventually causing curses and bringing long-lasting misfortune. After my death, my bones should be crushed into powder and scattered throughout the mountains."

Why did Emperor Junna wish to have his ashes scattered? It was for the common people. At the time, the greater the power of the powerful, the more lavish the funeral ceremonies, and the expense and time required placed a strain on the lives of the common people. Therefore, the Taika Edict for Simple Funerals, issued in 646, aimed to simplify the costly and laborious funerals of aristocrats and powerful families, thereby alleviating the plight of the common people. Emperor Junna's will read, "Let my bones be crushed into powder and scattered in the mountains." After his death, his close aides cremated him as instructed, crushed his remains, and scattered them in the mountains above Seirei. Emperor Junna (786-840, died at the age of 55) was the third son of Emperor Kanmu, who built Nagaoka-kyo, and his mother was Tabiko, the daughter of Fujiwara no Momokawa. He succeeded his older brother, Emperor Saga, to the throne.

However, Emperor Junna was not the first person in Japan to have his ashes scattered. The same Shoku Nihongi, Volume 9, also contains a record of Emperor Junna's close aide, Chunagon Fujiwara no Yoshino, urging him to reconsider the practice, stating, "Scattering the ashes of princes and below is an example, but I've never heard of it being done for an emperor, and a mountain ridge should be built." In other words, Fujiwara no Yoshino's advice was based on the premise that scattering the ashes of those of princes and below and commoners had been practiced, suggesting that scattering the ashes of the general public, apart from emperors, was not particularly unusual.

This may have been influenced by the Taika Edict on Simple Funerals. According to the Nihon Shoki, the "Simple Funeral Edict" was issued in the second year of the Taika era (646). Modeled after Chinese funeral regulations, it detailed regulations on the size and number of people allowed in graves for each social class. This is thought to have triggered the cessation of kofun construction. Subsequently, tombs became smaller and simpler, the construction of keyhole-shaped tombs ceased, and the Kofun period effectively came to an end.

Oharano Nishiminekami Mausoleum, located at the summit of Mount Koshio (642m above sea level) in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City, is a tomb dedicated to Emperor Junna and is under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Household Agency. At the foot of the mountain, there are scattered tombs, including the Emperor Junna Cremation Tomb, where Emperor Junna is said to have been cremated, and the Kurumazuka, which is said to have housed his hearse. The cremation tomb is located in Muko City, Kyoto Prefecture. At the eastern foot of Mount Koshio, where the tomb is located, there is a town called "Haigatacho," named after the direction in which Emperor Junna's ashes flew during his scattering.

Oharano Nishiminekami Mausoleum (Oharano Minamikasuga-cho, Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto City)
This is the most challenging imperial tomb to reach. There is a paved forest road, but it is reserved for those who work at the radio tower, and there is a gate at the entrance, so general vehicles cannot enter, so you will need to walk along the mountain trail to the summit of Mt. Koshio, which is 642m above sea level. The course from Oharano on the east side of Mt. Koshio is a hiking trail, but the difference in altitude from the trailhead to the summit is the greatest at 550m.

"Forest scattering" is a natural burial where the remains are returned to nature. It is similar to "tree burial," which involves burial at the base of a tree, but is slightly different. While "tree burial" involves digging a hole in the ground and burying the remains in an urn, "forest scattering" involves grinding the remains into a fine powder beforehand and scattering them in the mountains. The remains are not buried underground, but rather scattered over the ground like the "Grandpa Who Made Flowers Bloom." In the wild, grass grows and bare ground is rarely found, so the white remains are not left in one place. The powdered remains gradually return to the soil as they are exposed to wind and rain. Furthermore, while in a typical "tree burial," the remains are exhumed and interred after a certain number of years, in the case of "forest scattering," the remains cannot be manually retrieved, so they rest there forever. Japan has a long tradition of "mountain worship," which views the entire mountain as a sacred object. ・・・

"Ocean scattering" is a funeral method that has become popular not only in Japan but around the world. Scattering ashes into rivers is not permitted in Japan, so this method seems to be gaining popularity. It is particularly popular as a way to say goodbye to a deceased loved one, and services such as chartering a motorboat or cruiser to scatter ashes offshore are popular. However, the drawbacks of this method include the fact that the ocean is easily affected by weather, which can suddenly result in a cancellation on the scheduled date, and the relatively high cost of chartering a boat. Our company, SANKOTSUYAMA, offers an "Ocean Scattering Plan," which uses our small boat, eliminating the additional cost of chartering a boat. All costs are included in the price. Furthermore, "ocean scattering" does not necessarily require the services of a specialized scattering company. Individuals are not prohibited from scattering powdered ashes into the sea. However, scattering ashes is prohibited near fishing ・・・