Bus tours for the dead launched in Japan (5 photos)

And for the family of the deceased. Buses for a tour of Japan have been converted into hearses so that families can visit significant sites with the deceased. This is called a "compassionate" funeral service with travel.





Where would you take the deceased for a ride

Fun tours in Hokkaido

Coffins are usually transported in a hearse, and then to a funeral home, crematorium or cemetery, with mourners following in a procession. But in Hokkaido, hearse buses have become popular as a unique funeral option in Sapporo.



Fashionable hearse in Japan

Such a bus costs around 17,780 yen ($100) for 10 km, plus an extra charge for the winter season. There are seven types of such buses, the largest of which can accommodate up to 40 people and one coffin. In large buses, there is a separate compartment for the coffin, and in a 15-seater minibus, relatives can sit next to the coffin. And so on the day of the funeral, family and friends can board the hearse bus to visit places that hold cherished memories of the deceased.





Here are the places for fastening in the middle, and on the sides there are SLEEPING PLACES for long trips

What is the deep meaning

"Many of those who passed away were sick and bedridden for a long time. And I believe that they also want to experience the simple joys of life, for example, to see the cherry blossoms," explained the author of such an original service, Takao Muramoto.

And now their wishes can be fulfilled after death. For an additional fee, families can book a sleeper bus. For 528,000 yen ($3,000), you can get funeral home services and meals along the way with the hearse. The route will definitely include the deceased's hometown, place of work, school, or places he would like to visit.



A big bus with a compartment, because it's a long way to go in the heat...

"Funerals are meant to say goodbye, but they also encourage us to live a more fulfilling life," Muramoto said.

To be honest, it sounds like a ridiculous plot for a road movie. Have you seen the movie "Little Miss Sunshine"? There, relatives were forced to take their grandfather along on the bus to a beauty contest. One client booked a bus to visit his father's favorite baseball team's stadium together, as he was an avid baseball fan. And the final destination was a crematorium.



Here, they carried grandpa in the trunk

Do you think this is part of the healing therapy for grief and loss? Or is it too much to ride around with a coffin?