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Cemetery just outside my bank. Japanese cemeteries are
normally very small, but very numerous - you'll find several tucked away
within residential areas.
Today, I went to Komine Cemetery near my university to take photos of
ohaka - Japanese graves.
This is because as homework, one of our teachers is getting us to make a
small video entitled "watashi ga mita nihon" ("Japan as I see it"),
consisting of photos of a particular aspect of Japan that we find
interesting. For me, this definitely has to be bochi, or Japanese
cemeteries; they are quite different from those in the West.
Most Japanese cemeteries are pretty small, and tucked away in the middle
of residential areas, occasionally (but not always) with a small shrine
or temple nearby. However, Komine cemetery, which I discovered only on
Thursday on the way to Tatsuda Nature park, is very different. It's huge,
the graves are mostly all very large and impressive, and there's quite a
bit of space to walk around them (most little Japanese cemeteries are
absolutely packed with gravestones which makes it difficult to walk
between them).
Certainly, like Western cemeteries, Komine Cemetery is very peaceful. It's
incredibly quiet, something that's rare in Japan, it's filled with birds
and trees, and you can often smell the scent of incense in the air from
freshly-lit incense sticks that people leave by the graves.
The graves themselves are all really interesting to look at, especially
the large family tombs in Komine cemetery. They are really large, and are
often set on a raised platform with a step leading up, and surrounded by a
gate. Inside the gate, there are typically two vases for flowers (with a
pot of water by them to keep them fresh), two lanterns for candles, and a
small shelter for burning incense or lighting candles. There may also be
statues of Buddhist deities.
The tombstone itself is normally oblong, like Western ones, although I've
seen other shapes. They have the full name written down them, and below
the tombstone is a display of the family crest. The tombstone can come in
several colours - black with gold or red text is popular.
Oh, and Nick has just come back from Jersey - and has brought with him
Ready Brek for me!! Hooray for porridge!!!
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