Changes

 

Burial practices in Japan changed considerably over time, and according to social class, among other factors. Since the introduction of [[Buddhism]] in the 6th century or so, that tradition has dominated burial and memorial practices for the vast majority of Japanese, albeit with some notable exceptions: Imperial burials, for example, were divorced to a great extent from Buddhist trappings in the [[Meiji period]], and continue to be surrounded by constructions of [[State Shinto]] today.

Burial practices in Japan have changed considerably over time, and historically varied considerably according to social class, among other factors. Since the introduction of [[Buddhism]] in the 6th century or so, that tradition has dominated burial and memorial practices for the vast majority of Japanese, albeit with some notable exceptions: Imperial burials, for example, were divorced to a great extent from Buddhist trappings in the [[Meiji period]], and continue to be surrounded by constructions of [[State Shinto]] today.

==Kofun==

==Kofun==

::''Main article: [[Kofun]]''

::''Main article: [[Kofun]]''

From roughly the 3rd to 7th centuries CE, local elites across much of the Japanese archipelago were buried in massive tumuli, or tomb-mounds, called ''[[kofun]]''. The [[Kofun period]] of Japanese history is named after this practice. ''Kofun'' varied greatly in size, and experienced some notable shifts in shape over time. The largest were centered in the [[Kinai]] ([[Kansai]]) region, though a great many can be found across western Japan, including in [[Kyushu]], as well as on the Korean peninsula. ''Kofun'' were often topped or surrounded by clay figures known as ''[[haniwa]]'', which are believed to have performed some kind of spiritual protective function, or perhaps to have simply served as ornamentation, signalling the wealth or power of the occupant of the tomb. The tombs were composed largely of earth, atop a core of stone corridors, containing one or more chambers of grave goods, including weapons, armor, pottery, and ''[[magatama]]'' beads.  

From roughly the 3rd to 7th centuries CE, local elites across much of the Japanese archipelago were buried in massive tumuli, or tomb-mounds, called ''[[kofun]]''. The [[Kofun period]] of Japanese history is named after this practice. ''Kofun'' varied greatly in size, and experienced some notable shifts in shape over time. The largest were centered in the [[Kinai]] ([[Kansai]]) region, though a great many can be found across western Japan, including in [[Kyushu]], as well as on the Korean peninsula. ''Kofun'' were often topped or surrounded by clay figures known as ''[[haniwa]]'', which are believed to have performed some kind of spiritual protective function, or perhaps to have simply served as ornamentation, signalling the wealth or power of the occupant of the tomb. The tombs were composed largely of earth, atop a core of stone corridors, containing one or more chambers of grave goods, including weapons, armor, pottery, and ''[[magatama]]'' beads.  

==Buddhist Burial==

==Buddhist Burial==

The spread of Buddhism brought the decline and eventual disappearance of the ''kofun''. Bodies continued to be buried, however, for some centuries before the practice of cremation became standard.

The spread of Buddhism brought the decline and eventual disappearance of the ''kofun''. Bodies continued to be buried, however, for some centuries before the practice of cremation became standard.

As late as the [[Heian period]], most graves, including those of top-ranking [[kuge|aristocrats]], were left unmarked. The early 12th century text ''[[Eiga monogatari]]'' is among the earliest describing the visit of a member of the [[Fujiwara clan]] to his father's grave, and even in this case the grave is unmarked, and the individual expresses his woe at being unable to find its precise location. The practice of cleaning or maintaining gravesites was also not standard at this time, and so he finds his father's grave (or, at least, its rough vicinity) overgrown with weeds. Prof. Hank Glassman suggests that the advent of the custom of visiting and maintaining gravesites may have been spurred by the adoption into Japan of [[Song Dynasty]] [[Neo-Confucianism]], which emphasizes [[filial piety]] (devotion and loyalty to one's parents).<ref name=glassman>Hank Glassman, "Remembering the Dead in Medieval Japan: On the Origins of Stone Grave Markers," talk given at University of California, Santa Barbara, 7 May 2015.</ref>

As late as the [[Heian period]], most graves, including those of top-ranking [[kuge|aristocrats]], were left unmarked. The early 12th century text ''[[Eiga monogatari]]'' is among the earliest describing the visit of a member of the [[Fujiwara clan]] to his father's grave, and even in this case the grave is unmarked, and the individual expresses his woe at being unable to find its precise location. The practice of cleaning or maintaining gravesites was also not standard at this time, and so he finds his father's grave (or, at least, its rough vicinity) overgrown with weeds. Prof. Hank Glassman suggests that the advent of the custom of visiting and maintaining gravesites may have been spurred by the adoption into Japan of [[Song Dynasty]] [[Neo-Confucianism]], which emphasizes [[filial piety]] (devotion and loyalty to one's parents).<ref name=glassman>Hank Glassman, "Remembering the Dead in Medieval Japan: On the Origins of Stone Grave Markers," talk given at University of California, Santa Barbara, 7 May 2015.</ref>

The earliest grave markers were likely flat wooden slats, carved at one end into the shape of a ''[[gorinto|gorintô]]'' [[stupa]]. By the 12th century or so, these developed into fully three-dimensional wooden ''gorintô'' (wooden grave markers roughly in the shape of a five-story pagoda), and then later into stone ones. The custom of employing wooden slats survives, however, and it is quite standard today for the family of the deceased to pay Buddhist monks to inscribe Chinese & Sanskrit calligraphy on new wooden slats, called ''sotoba'', every day for the first week after burial, and on an annual basis from then on.

The earliest grave markers were likely flat wooden slats, carved at one end into the shape of a ''[[gorinto|gorintô]]'' [[stupa]]. By the 12th century or so, these developed into fully three-dimensional wooden ''gorintô'' (wooden grave markers roughly in the shape of a five-story pagoda), and then later into stone ones. The custom of employing wooden slats survives, however, and it is quite standard today for the family of the deceased to pay Buddhist monks to inscribe Chinese & Sanskrit calligraphy on new wooden slats, called ''sotoba'', every day for the first week after burial, and on an annual basis from then on.<ref name=glassman/>

This practice of marking graves with wooden, and later stone, markers is believed to have been imported from the Continent, although the ''gorintô'' form is a distinctively Japanese one, and does not generally appear on Chinese graves. The first stone ''gorintô'' grave markers were erected for members of the aristocracy, and elite monks, by Chinese stonecarvers who had been brought over to Japan to aid in the reconstruction of the great temple at [[Todai-ji|Tôdai-ji]], in [[Nara]], which had been destroyed in the [[Genpei War]] ([[1180]]-[[1185]]). Some of the very first such stone ''gorintô'' grave markers may have been erected at [[Mt. Koya|Mt. Kôya]]. The practice quickly spread, however, with stone markers of this type appearing in places as disparate as [[Hiraizumi]] (in the north, modern-day [[Iwate prefecture]]) and parts of Kyushu less than a century later. [[Yi Xingmo]] and a number of the other Chinese stonemasons remained in Japan, with their disciples and descendants developing into the [[Okura school|Ôkura]] and [[I school|I (Yi) schools]] of stoneworking.

This practice of marking graves with wooden, and later stone, markers is believed to have been imported from the Continent, although the ''gorintô'' form is a distinctively Japanese one, and does not generally appear on Chinese graves. The first stone ''gorintô'' grave markers were erected for members of the aristocracy, and elite monks, by Chinese stonecarvers who had been brought over to Japan to aid in the reconstruction of the great temple at [[Todai-ji|Tôdai-ji]], in [[Nara]], which had been destroyed in the [[Genpei War]] ([[1180]]-[[1185]]). Some of the very first such stone ''gorintô'' grave markers may have been erected at [[Mt. Koya|Mt. Kôya]]. The practice quickly spread, however, with stone markers of this type appearing in places as disparate as [[Hiraizumi]] (in the north, modern-day [[Iwate prefecture]]) and parts of Kyushu less than a century later. [[Yi Xingmo]] and a number of the other Chinese stonemasons remained in Japan, with their disciples and descendants developing into the [[Okura school|Ôkura]] and [[I school|I (Yi) schools]] of stoneworking.<ref name=glassman/>

==Edo Period==

==Edo Period==

==Graves in Okinawa==

==Graves in Okinawa==

::''Main article: [[Okinawan graves]]''

::''Main article: [[Okinawan graves]]''

Burial practices in Okinawa developed along a separate lineage from those of mainland Japan; though still closely tied to Buddhism, Okinawan graves and the practices surrounding them bear much more in common with customs from certain parts of southern China.

Burial practices in Okinawa developed along a separate lineage from those of mainland Japan; though still closely tied to Buddhism, Okinawan graves and the practices surrounding them bear much more in common with customs from certain parts of southern China.