REKIHAKU

Photo 2: Preface

Describing what went on in a Meiji period funeral is not so easy to do today. At that time, the most important part of a funeral was the funeral procession. After an overnight wake at the family home, the coffin would be loaded onto a bier on the day of the funeral and a funeral procession consisting of anywhere from tens to hundreds of people would make their way toward the temple. A Buddhist funeral ceremony would take place in the temple's main hall, after which burial or cremation would take place. Consequently, it was not the time of the funeral ceremony itself, but the time of the departure of the coffin marking the beginning of the funeral procession that was publicized in a funeral notice enclosed in a black border. Basically, attendance at a funeral involved gathering at the family home of the deceased and taking part in the funeral procession.

There are a number of photographs that show us what went on in funeral processions. However, photo albums showing the various stages of an ordinary funeral starting with the scene at the family home prior to the setting out of the coffin through to the procession and the funeral ceremony held at a temple are indeed rare. As such, they are valuable materials that can provide us with an insight into funerals of that era.

This is a booklet of photos of the funeral of Teru Araki, the elderly mother of Heihachi Araki, a fish wholesaler who lived in Uogashi, the name given to the riverside fish market in Nihonbashi. The booklet was printed on the 35th day of mourning and appears to have been distributed to those associated with the family. On the cover of the booklet there is a photo of Teru taken 20 years earlier, showing a healthy Teru looking very proper wearing a black haori emblazoned with a family crest. The preface describes what sort of person she was, saying "She was a fine woman, who as a considerate and courteous person was a true "Edokko" (native of Edo), and also took good care of household affairs and always put money aside." According to Fumiko Araki, one of Teru's descendents, there were indeed stories testifying what a fine woman Teru was. It is also said that Heihachi, the head of the household at the time, also worked as a chef in the Imperial Household.

Teru died on February 4, 1911 at the age of 82. A notice appeared in the February 6 edition of the Miyako Shimbun. The funeral procession left the Araki home in Motofune-cho Nihonbashi (present-day Nihonbashi Muromachi 1-chome, Chuo-ku) at 1:00pm on February 7, and the funeral was held at Joshoin Temple in Fukagawa (present-day Kiyosumi 3-chome, Koto-ku).

Included in the booklet, on page 3, there is a valuable photo (Photo 4) titled "Scene of the coffin inside the Araki home". It clearly shows that at that time they did not use the white funeral altars of the kind in use today. The photo shows the coffin lying in state at the back of an eight-mat room. On a long table covered with a white cloth there is a wooden tablet inscribed with Teru's posthumous Buddhist name, white lotus flowers arranged around a tray, an incense burner on a stand, small lotus flowers on stands, a candle stand on a small table at the front, as well as incense burners. Surrounding them are artificial lotus flowers, chrysanthemums, plum blossoms and peonies of varying sizes. They are all on white stands, and it is clear that they are offerings presented by people associated with the family. This shows that the decorations inside the family home were extremely plain. Besides the wooden tablet, tray, incense burners and candle stand, offerings from others are lined up within a confined space, in one sense in a disorderly fashion, and it is clear that the funeral altar inside the home was not intentionally decorated for the sake of appearance.

The following photos show masses of lotus flowers arranged around the home. Some lotus flowers are inserted into bamboo tubes, while others have been put into vases resting on white stands. Accompanying the lotus flowers are wooden plaques inscribed with the names of the donors, and we can see the name of the Uogashi Association and of various people who lived in the neighborhood. We can also see rows of lotus flowers from many kabuki actors, including Onoe Kikugoro, Kataoka Nizaemon XI, Ichikawa Monnosuke and Ichikawa Otora, and Nakamura Shikan and Nakamura Kotaro.

Attached to the lotus flowers, birds, flowers and other offerings are wooden plaques with "Porter in attendance" written in small lettering. This signifies that the offering was made together with a porter to carry the offering. In other words, this offering was made based on the assumption that it would be carried along in the funeral procession. The family of the deceased arranged for porters for the bier carrying the coffin and lanterns through the funeral director. They are decorated with various kinds of artificial flowers, including artificial lotus flowers and plum blossoms in small wooden pails.

The photos of the funeral procession show a large number of porters carrying the various lotus flowers and other offerings. In front of the coffin there are rickshaws carrying Buddhist priests, women and children.

Another unusual photo is one titled "Reading of the Sutra in front of the coffin inside Joshoin Temple" showing the funeral ceremony inside the temple. The bier, which carried the coffin, stands in the lower chamber of the main hall facing the principle image of Buddha, and situated on a table covered by a white cloth are six candles, shika (clusters of artificial flowers used in the funeral ceremony), and an incense burner. The various lotus flowers carried to the temple are placed around the table. A Buddhist priest is reading a Sutra while facing the principle image of Buddha, and relatives wearing clothes adorned with the family crest are seated at the front. This shows that the decorations in the main hall are also fairly simple. A photo titled "Inside Joshoin Temple", presumably taken after the coffin has been taken away, shows the wooden tablet, four flowers, stands, six candles beside the main image of Buddha, which is flanked by rows of lotus flowers.

These photos show us that what took place at the family home and at the temple was not the same as the funerals of today, and that the decorations were extremely plain. In contrast, all of the overwhelming masses of flowers were carried along with the bier, revealing once again that for funerals of the Meiji period it was the procession that constituted the main funeral ritual. It was in reaction to this enlarged funeral procession that the funeral procession was abolished in the Taisho period and replaced with a memorial service that took place at the family home.

Photo 3: Preface

Photo 4: "Scene of the coffin inside the Araki home".

Photo 4 (enlarged): The coffin is visible at the back, flanked on both sides by rows of lotus flowers.

Photo 5: " In front of sheds Shibagashi" .
There are rows of lotus flowers.

Photo 6: "In front of sheds in Nakagashi".
The names of Onoe Kikugoro and Sawamura Sojuro are visible.

Photo 7: "Nakagashi".
A row of porters at the back carry lotus flowers in vases.

Photo 8: Cage of birds.
Artificial peonies, wisteria and other flowers are situated on the top of a cage measuring more than two meters in height. Four people carry the cage, and there is a wooden plaque inscribed with "Porters in attendance" in small letters.

Photo 9: "At 1, Honfune-cho".
There are small artificial lotus flowers and plum blossoms.

Photo 10: "Takabashi Avenue, Fukagawa".
There is an endless stream of lotus flowers in the funeral procession.

Photo 11: "Takabashi Avenue, Fukagawa
".Following the priests are children seated in rickshaws carrying incense burners and a wooden tablet. A white bier is visible at the back.

Photo 12: "Reading of the Sutra in front of the coffin inside Joshoin Temple".
The bier stands in the lower chamber of the main hall.

Photo 13: "Inside Joshoin Temple".
This photo appears to have been taken after the coffin was taken away. In Tokyo, only the bier was taken to the crematorium.