A Japanese Company Is Going To Offer A Drive-Thru Funeral Service
It takes convenience to a whole new level.
By Sheryll Paul — 06 Sep 2017, 01:53 PM
A drive-thru funeral service will soon be available in Japan
It will be offered by the Kankon Sousai Aichi Group, a funeral home based in Nagano Prefecture.
And it's exactly what it sounds like
Just like a regular fast-food drive-thru, funeral attendees will have to pull up their cars to a window of the home.
There they have to sign their name on a touch screen panel and hand over koden (customary condolence money). Attendees can also pay their respects using an electronic incense-burning device.
On the other side of the window, the host of the ceremony along with other funeral-goers, will be able to monitor the drive-thru visitors.
The service is primarily aimed toward people who lack mobility, such as the disabled or elderly
“I’ve been in this business for a while and have seen how burdensome attending funerals can be for old folks in wheelchairs,” said Masao Ogiwara, head of Kankon Sousai Aichi Group, in a report by The Japan Times. “The new service will allow those who would otherwise stay home go out and bid farewell to friends and family.”
Ogiwara also estimates that the service will cut down the time it takes to attend a funeral by around one-fourth or one-fifth.
However, drive-thru funeral services are not a new concept
The controversial practice has been put into play in several funeral homes around the United States including funeral homes in Tennessee, California and Michigan.
"It helps out those that lack (physical) mobility, those who don't feel like the hassle of parking cars and getting out or those who are scared to come into a funeral home. A lot of funeral homes creep people out.” said the owner of a home in Tennessee, in a report by USA Today.