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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/>
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/>
Many [[Kamakura period]] graves, as well as some [[Edo period]] ''daimyô'' graves, feature tombstones erected atop stone sculptures in the shape of a turtle. These ''kifu'' ("turtle seated") graves 亀趺墓 take the form of a "spirit turtle" (''reiki'' 霊亀) with hexagonal patterns on its shell and its head held up. It is a form that originated some 1500 years ago in China and continues to be widely used in China. The vast majority of Edo period turtle-shaped gravestones mark the graves of members of ''daimyô'' families; non-daimyô examples are rare. A group of such turtle-shaped gravestones at [[Manshu-ji|Manshû-ji]] temple in the [[Inland Sea]] port town of [[Mitarai]] are said to be among the oldest in Japan outside of ''daimyô'' graves.<ref>Plaques on-site at Manshû-ji, Mitarai.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/36719337742/in/photostream/]</ref>
All Emperors from [[Emperor Shomu|Shômu]] ([[724]]-[[749]]) to [[Emperor Komei|Kômei]] ([[1846]]-[[1867]]) were buried in Buddhist ceremonies; all those from [[Empress Jito|Empress Jitô]] ([[686]]-[[697]]) until the beginning of the [[Edo period]], with a few exceptions, were cremated. Early in that period, from Jitô (686-697) until [[Emperor Junna]] ([[823]]-[[833]]), the bones remaining after cremation were powdered and scattered.<ref name=amino>Amino Yoshihiko. "Deconstructing 'Japan'." ''East Asian History'' 3 (1992), 122.</ref>
All Emperors from [[Emperor Shomu|Shômu]] ([[724]]-[[749]]) to [[Emperor Komei|Kômei]] ([[1846]]-[[1867]]) were buried in Buddhist ceremonies; all those from [[Empress Jito|Empress Jitô]] ([[686]]-[[697]]) until the beginning of the [[Edo period]], with a few exceptions, were cremated. Early in that period, from Jitô (686-697) until [[Emperor Junna]] ([[823]]-[[833]]), the bones remaining after cremation were powdered and scattered.<ref name=amino>Amino Yoshihiko. "Deconstructing 'Japan'." ''East Asian History'' 3 (1992), 122.</ref>
