The Arrangements

• The family is in charge of making arrangements for the deceased. Specifically, the oldest son is responsible for working with the funeral home and hospital to make sure the body arrives and to make preparations for the family. In modern Japan, this often means requesting that the hospital wash the body, although sometimes the family will wash the body. It's common to serve food and give gifts to guests who come to the wake, so the family must plan these aspects. These preparations are made leading up to the funeral, which takes place at different points depending on which school of Japanese Buddhism is practiced.
  
  

The Wake

• The family says prayers and chants for the deceased, which help the person transform into the next life. This can continue for up to 49 days. When it's time for the wake, a Buddhist priest comes to oversee the vigil. The priest is greeted with green tea. Once everyone is inside and seated, either on the floor or in chairs, the priest lights incense and repeats sutras, which are Buddhist texts thought to be written or dictated from Buddha. Throughout the wake, family members and then guests light incense and bow in front of the alter to pay respect to the deceased.
  
  

The Funeral

• Typically, the funeral is held the day after the wake. Although a wake can take place in either a temple or home, the funeral is held in the temple. The priest reads sutras again and guests give offerings of incense. After the ceremony, the casket or coffin is taken to the crematory in a procession. In Buddhist tradition, the body is cremated. Family members are present when the remains come out of the fire. It is tradition for family members to pick up bones of the deceased with chopsticks and place in them in an urn.
  
  

Ongoing Mourning

• In some traditions, mourning and saying prayers for the dead continues for 49 days, at which time another memorial service takes place. Sometimes, the ashes go directly to the cemetery. On the one-year anniversary of the death, a festival is held called Obon. It's a memorial service for the dead where participants say prayers and sutras. Memorial services are also often held for the first, third, fifth, seventh and 13th anniversaries of the death.