There are no cemeteries in Thailand. 95% of the population is devout Buddhist, and cemeteries like those found in Japan are unheard of in the Kingdom. In the past, cremations were carried out in temple grounds, with firewood piled high and flames blazing. Nowadays, however, cremation takes place in temple furnaces, and the remains are placed in an urn. Even in rural areas, cremations can sometimes take several days. In Thailand, the body is burned thoroughly until completely reduced to ash, so there are no visible remains, as in Japan.

Afterward, a section of the wall of the temple's passageway, ossuary, or pagoda is carved out, and the remains and personal belongings are placed inside and then covered with a lid. Once the lid is on, the remains are then plastered with mortar. You may sometimes see photographs taped to the walls of pagodas, and sometimes people are temporarily buried in this manner for a while after their death. If you climb a pagoda as a tourist without knowing, you may be surprised. You may suddenly feel frightened when you see all the gazes of the photographs staring back at you. However, this is only a temporary burial and does not remain there forever. The most common practice is to remove the ashes several years later and scatter them in the river.

The Chao Phraya River, which flows through Bangkok, is still a river where ashes are scattered today. While now famous as a tourist destination, it was once home to floating markets and people who lived on the water, making it an integral part of daily life. Thai people don't seem to mind having other people's remains near their homes. However, stories of ghosts appearing are commonplace. Young women, in particular, are often heard to say, "I don't want to go there because ghosts are there." One Thai therapist at a Thai massage parlor in Japan suddenly disappeared, saying, "A ghost appeared at this parlor, so I'm quitting."

Scattering of ashes takes place from a boat shared by relatives. The ashes, contained in a water-soluble container, along with a banana leaf container containing flowers and candles, are lowered from the boat, and flower petals are scattered over them. The banana leaf container apparently symbolizes "respect for the mother river and father sea," while scattering flowers symbolizes "respect for the deceased." After scattering the ashes, the bereaved family is not allowed to look back at the spot. The rule is not to look back, lest the deceased's soul harbor any regrets.

Scattering the ashes is said to have the meaning of returning to nature. Death is not something special, so we should accept it. Rather than becoming attached to the body or ashes, we should be grateful for the body we borrowed from nature and return it to nature.

In Thailand, there are no funeral companies like in Japan, nor are there any funeral halls. When someone dies, the wake is held at home. An altar is set up at home, the coffin is placed, and the whole family comes together to hold the wake and welcome mourners. Traditionally, Thai men are required to become monks at least once in their lifetime, so most people can recite sutras (if they haven't forgotten).

At temples in Thailand, Japanese people can also take short-term monastic leave. At some temples, you don't have to shave your head. Short-term monkhood involves spending about a week meditating, chanting sutras, and not talking to anyone.

*It seems that this can be accommodated at the SANKOTSUYAMA. Although it's not stated on their website, they apparently provide free tours. Please contact them directly using the inquiry form. http://sankotsuyama.com/

"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 ・・・