earticle

영어

Historical changes of Japanese graveyards are dealt with in this study, with focuses brought into some major turning points throughout the history. Amid an influx of Japanese culture in various fields today, this study lays weight on exploring the method of treating mortal bodies during the Japanese ‘EDO(江戶)’ era which has been thought to have a relatively advanced burial system. Such a study, I am sure, will definitely help contribute to correct orientation of Korea's burial policy in more desirable manner.
Under the section “A Study on the burial methord and the grave system of the last stage of Morden ages, the cloing days of the ‘EDO’ era”, features of burial system and method in the cloing days of the ‘EDO’ era, emergence of ‘SOSIKI(葬式)’ Buddhism and ‘DANKA(檀家)’ system, and details of RYOBOSAI(兩墓制) and SOBOSAI(總墓制) are reviewed. From the review, it was found that interment, a way of burial in soil, was the main method employed during the era under the influence by Confucianism as state religion in place of Buddhism which was prevailed in the near modern pre-EDO era. It must be noted, however, that Japanese unique burial system such as RYOBOSAI and SOBOSAI started to take forms when ‘SOSIKI’ Buddhism and ‘DANKA’ system were instituted in spite of the widely practiced tendency of burial after cremation.
It is anticipated in the future that, not only in Japan but also in Korea, so-called ‘natural method of burial’ or ‘ash scattering’ will be adopted as official policy for reason of its environment-friendliness for the visitors who come to graves. It is, thus, advised for Japanese government agencies to reorganize various concerned systems in a try to induce bereaved family members to visit graveyards without hesitation. The policies in this regard may include immediate disposition of neglected graves, development of new types of graves and new strategies for grave management etc.