The Okunoin Cemetery, accessible by an hour’s drive from Osaka, is Japan’s most renowned and prestigious burial ground. I am deeply grateful to my Japanese friends who graciously brought me here.
Spanning several hectares of land, the cemetery is home to 200,000 graves and stone monuments. Ancient stone lanterns line the paths, alongside small statues of Jizo, adorned in red caps and bibs. Every aspect of this place evokes a profound sense of reverence. A tiny plot at Okunoin can cost $1 million, making burial here a great honor indeed.
Corporate graves
Among the moss-covered stone pillars, some ancient beyond a thousand years, one encounters modern granite slabs bearing the names of both well-known and lesser-known Japanese corporations.
It turns out Japanese companies not only pay salaries and offer internships but also bury their employees. Corporate graves share space with the graves of eminent figures and former government officials. Some companies’ names are written in Latin script, while others are solely in Japanese.
The largest belongs to Panasonic Corporation. Here also lies Nissan’s corporate grave, guarded by sculptures resembling either warriors or laborers. The Ueshima Coffee Company (UCC) grave is shaped like a massive marble cup containing the ashes of loyal employees. Then there’s the grave of the aircraft manufacturer Shin Meiwa Industry Co, featuring a 15-meter aluminum replica of the American spacecraft Apollo 11.
There are graves for Sharp, Toyota, Kubota, and most of Japan’s well-known companies, along with dozens of memorials to photographers, tailors, brewers, household chemical manufacturers, and others.
Each company has its criteria for commemorating individuals at the prestigious Okunoin. Some bury only those who’ve served the company for 40-50 years or more, while others extend this honor to nearly all employees or erect memorials for those who died in the line of duty.
In some graves, the remains of employees are indeed human ashes (which may be shared between family burial plots and corporate plots), while others are merely monuments commemorating those who worked for the company.
Panasonic Corporation, the pioneer
Sometimes, corporate graves evolve with the companies. In 1938, Konosuke Matsushita, owner of Matsushita Denki, purchased a plot here to immortalize the memory of his employees. His company was then 20 years old. “Business is about people,” said this management titan, who inspired his staff not only to engage in daily routines but also in creative, inventive work involving every single employee. As a result, his company became a global leader in electronics. In 2008, the company changed its name to Panasonic Corporation, and the name on the granite tombstone changed accordingly.
Sadly, some companies have met a different fate, and now only a monument in the prestigious cemetery reminds us that they were once strong and prosperous.
I took photographs, but then I remembered: before the trip, I read that photography is not allowed in Japanese cemeteries… I looked at my Japanese companions and asked, ‘Can we take pictures here?’ – and received an affirmative answer. Furthermore, a passing Japanese, upon seeing our group, offered to take a photo of all of us together, which we gladly accepted.
The owner of Panasonic Corporation was the first to purchase land in the cemetery.
The corporate grave of Nissan.
A monument to professional pilgrims.
The majestic trees and elaborate tombstones are truly awe-inspiring.
Okunoin is the largest graveyard in Japan – it stretches over two kilometers.
The site isn’t eerie; it is one of the most stunning and serene places in the country.
There are a total of 200,000 burials in the cemetery.
Jizo, found abundantly at numerous Buddhist sites, are believed to safeguard travelers. People adorn them to ensure their warmth and protection.
Okunoin was founded over a thousand years ago.
There are several temples in the cemetery.
We spent several hours exploring Okunoin Cemetery.
