Step Into Japan's Coffin Cafe For A Unique Experience On Life And Death
The Coffin Cafe, opened in Japan, is run by a funeral home. Almost 120 years old, it allows visitors to lie in a coffin to understand life and death.
Cafes are a popular place to hang out with friends and loved ones, but a cafe in Japan is capturing attention for its unusual theme. The Coffin Cafe, opened in September, is run by Kajiya Honten, a funeral home that is almost 120 years old. Located in Futtsu, Japan, this unique cafe allows visitors to lie in a coffin and take a moment to understand life and death. The cafe offers three coffin options, gold, green and yellow, decorated with floral designs and creative patterns to make the experience feel more comfortable. Founded in 1902, Kajiya Honten teamed up with a funeral supply company to create this unusual experience.
Visitors are given unlimited time to relax in the coffins and can also take photos. According to The Mainichi reports, the concept was originally designed to boost the local economy by reusing coffins in a creative way. However, Kiyotaka Hirano, the president of Kajiya Honten, had a deeper reason for launching this unique experience. Through his work at the funeral home, he had interacted with people who had lost loved ones due to suicide and felt frustrated after he was not able to offer more support.
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Speaking with the portal, Hirano explained, “While we want people to take pictures and have a lively experience, we also want people who are down or have hit a wall in their lives to enter the coffins. Coming out of them means that you have been reborn and your life has been reset. I want them to feel that they can start their lives anew. People may think about it when they are told they have a limited time to live, but it is hard to think about death in everyday life. In the pitch black darkness of the coffin, one can think about their remaining life and the final days of loved ones."
To stay ahead in the market, Kajiya Honten has prioritised improving customer satisfaction over simply reducing prices. Visitors who want to spend time in the specially designed coffins must make a reservation, which costs around 2200 yen (approximately Rs 2000) per person. In October, the cafe had received around 20 reservations and the majority of enquiries came from younger people, a group that president Kiyotaka Hirano hopes to attract.
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