fune

Fune is a traditional Japanese funeral ritual in which the deceased is placed in a coffin or a cypress wood boat called a fune kurenbo or otama-fune. The use of a boat in fune is rooted in the belief that the soul or spirit of the deceased needs a vessel to carry it to the afterlife. The fune was originally used by samurai and wealthy merchants, but it has since become more widespread in Japanese culture.

The fune is typically made from fine cedar wood and is ornately carved. It is decorated with flowers, incense, and other offerings. The coffin or fune kurenbo is usually placed in a ceremonial boat or invitingly inaugurated on the sea, and then allowed to rest on the water for several weeks or months before being formally buried at sea. Some fune are preserved as examples of Japanese craftsmanship.

Fune have been used in Japan since the Heian period (794-1185 CE), and its cultural significance has been emphasized in many works of Japanese literature. For example, in the oldest surviving collection of Japanese poetry, the Manyoshu (10th century), there are several poems written while the poet was attending a fune on Lake Biwa.

Historically, the choice of a fune kurenbo over a traditional wooden coffin was to demonstrate the social status of the deceased and to provide a dignified treatment for the body of the deceased. Many observe that the ritual of a fune ;refers to the belief in the travels of the deceased soul and its preparation for a good afterlife.