How foreigners should consider perpetual memorial services in Omiya: Management after returning to their home country, costs, and contract confirmation.

For foreigners living in Japan and their families, deciding where and how to continue memorial services after death is a crucial issue. If plans to continue living in Japan change, or if relatives return to their home countries, concerns arise about who will take over the responsibility of inheriting and maintaining the grave. When considering perpetual memorial services for those living in the Omiya area, it is reassuring to carefully review each contract detail, focusing on whether the memorial services will continue even if they are unable to visit the site in the future.

Perpetual memorial services are a system in which the administrator of a cemetery or temple manages and cares for cremated remains according to the method stipulated in the contract. However, the location of the memorial service, the period of individual placement, subsequent handling, and methods of visiting vary from facility to facility. The content is not uniformly determined by the word "perpetual." It is important not to rush into making a judgment based on the meaning of the word, but to organize the conditions necessary for the individual and their family, and then confirm them in writing.

First, let's consider what will happen after we return to Japan and decide who will check what.

Reasons for considering perpetual memorial services include the possibility of returning to Japan in the future, children or relatives living outside of Japan, and the lack of someone in Japan to maintain the grave. These circumstances are not unusual. What is important is to avoid a situation where you cannot contact the deceased when needed and their wishes become unknown.

First, let's consider the place of memorial service the person wishes to have and who will handle the procedures after their death. Confirm who can be contacted, such as relatives in Japan, family overseas, friends, or colleagues at work. Since contact information can change, it's a good idea to ask before signing a contract about the number of people who can be registered, whether they accept overseas addresses or email addresses, and how the facility will handle situations where contact cannot be made.

• Do the form of memorial service the person desires and the family's understanding of it match?
• Who are the contract holder, user, and contact person?
• What is the procedure for reporting changes such as returning to Japan, moving, changing surname, or changing contact information?
• What are the procedures for family members living abroad to visit a shrine or make inquiries?
• What procedures should be confirmed if it becomes necessary to move cremated remains in the future?

If you have concerns about the contract details in Japanese, share them with your family in a language you fully understand, and consider consulting a reliable interpreter or expert if necessary. It is important not to make decisions based solely on verbal explanations, but to check for any brochures, terms and conditions, or estimates that you can take home, and not to leave any unclear expressions unresolved.

When looking at expenses, we look not only at the total amount but also at what the payment is for.

The cost of perpetual memorial services varies depending on the method of service, the facility, and the terms of the contract. Even if a fee is labeled as "perpetual memorial service fee," it is not always the case that it includes the work involved in interment, the display of nameplates, memorial services, annual maintenance, and costs related to future joint burial. Instead of just comparing prices, be sure to check what is included and what additional costs may be incurred.

In particular, if you anticipate that there will be no one to handle payment procedures in Japan after your return, the timing and method of payment are crucial. You should ask the facility specific questions about whether the contract is for a lump-sum payment or if there are ongoing fees, and what happens if the payer dies or moves overseas. You will need to individually confirm whether the methods available, including handling international money transfers and communications from abroad, are actually feasible.

Recording the details you've confirmed, categorized by expense item, payment date, payment method, included services, and situations where additional costs may arise, will make it easier to explain to family members who live far away.

It's important not to confuse the costs with unexpected expenses for a funeral or cremation. A perpetual memorial service contract covers the memorial services and management after the remains are interred. On the other hand, immediately after death there are other matters to consider and arrange, such as filing a death certificate, obtaining cremation permits, temporary storage of the body, the funeral, and the cremation itself. Even when considering this during one's lifetime, distinguishing between the memorial service contract and funeral preparations will help predict the burden on the family.

The contract specifies the period of memorial services and how to handle matters afterward.

In perpetual memorial service contracts, there are two main forms: one where the remains are interred together with other remains from the beginning, and another where they are kept individually for a certain period before being interred together. Which is more suitable depends on the family's wishes regarding visits, their religious and cultural beliefs, and the possibility of future reburial. Since it may be difficult to separate and return the remains after they have been interred together, be sure to carefully review the explanations and regulations and share them with your family.

Contractual items to confirm with the facility

1. The location where the remains are kept and the period during which they are kept individually.
2. Methods of memorial service after the period ends, timing and handling of joint burial.
3. Dates, times, and methods for visiting the shrine; how to inquire from family members living abroad.
4. Details of memorial services and ceremonies, and conditions for participation.
5. Changes in administrators and handling of facility operations according to regulations
6. Procedures for requesting contract changes, cancellations, or transfer of remains.
7. Who will keep the contract, usage rules, receipts, etc.?

If you have religious preferences, do not make decisions based solely on general perceptions; please confirm with the host organization. Methods of prayer, expressions of remembrance, items you wish to bring, and appropriate attire for worship vary depending on the facility's rules and the religious leader's beliefs. It is important to both communicate your wishes and not assume that they will be accommodated. If your family is overseas, it is helpful to write down your priorities in writing to facilitate communication during consultations.

Let's consider funeral services, cremations, and interment separately in the Omiya area.

Even if you live in Omiya Ward, Urawa Ward, or Minuma Ward of Saitama City, the location and procedures for memorial services are not determined solely by your place of residence. After a death, there are procedures related to filing a death certificate and obtaining a cremation permit, and a reservation at a crematorium is also required. In Saitama City, the name of the crematorium is written on the cremation permit, so the process proceeds while confirming the relationship with the reservation. For foreign nationals, nationality, name notation, and notification to their home country may be involved, so it is best to inquire with the relevant office, embassy, or consulate for necessary confirmations.

The funeral venue, crematorium, and burial site for perpetual memorial services are not necessarily the same place. For example, the Saitama City Hikari Hall is a funeral facility, but cremation takes place at either the Urawa Crematorium or the Omiya Seien. You need to check with the facility regarding eligibility and availability. Even if you want a family funeral, it will be easier to organize things if you consider the venue, cremation, and burial as separate stages, taking into account the number of attendees, the content of the rituals, and how to contact family overseas.

Seikatsu Funeral Service Center accepts consultations in Japanese, and information regarding consultations in multiple languages is available via email. The availability and costs of interpretation, transportation, mortuary services, and religious ceremonies vary depending on your circumstances and the receiving facility, so it is important to confirm these in advance. If you are already considering perpetual memorial services, prepare materials and contract terms from potential facilities and communicate them along with your preferences for funeral, family funeral, or cremation to help us organize the necessary confirmations.

Let's leave a record of your current wishes in a way that your family can see and understand.

Perpetual memorial services are one option for ensuring that memorial services continue even after returning to Japan or during future absences. However, whether a contract is reliable depends not on its name, but on its contents. It's important to confirm the location and duration of the memorial service, the breakdown of costs, how contact information will be handled, how to visit the site, and how the remains will be handled in the future. Aim to ensure that both the individual and their family share a common understanding.

You don't need to decide everything at once. Start by writing down your hopes and anxieties, and then separate the items that need to be confirmed. Take your time to consider a form of memorial service that you can be satisfied with, while keeping in mind both your life around Omiya and the circumstances of your family overseas.