ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Cremation in Japan

When someone in Japan dies, their body is sometimes cremated. Cremation means that the body is burned until it turns into ash. This process happens in a special place called a crematorium.

During the cremation process, the body is placed in a special container called a casket. The casket is then moved into a machine that looks like an oven. This machine is very hot and it burns the body until it is only ashes.

After the body has been cremated, the ashes are placed in an urn. An urn is like a special jar that is used to hold the ashes. The urn is then given to the family so that they can keep it as a reminder of their loved one.

In Japan, there is a special ceremony that takes place after a person has been cremated. This ceremony is called a "kotsuage" and it means "collecting bones." During this ceremony, family members use chopsticks to pick up the bones that are left over from the cremation. They then place these bones into the urn along with the ashes.

Although cremation is not the only way to say goodbye to someone who has died, it is a special way that people in Japan choose to honor their loved ones.