VOICE
Reasons why people choose to have their pets cremated at home
Why are more people choosing to hold pet memorial services at home?
It was painful when they disappeared from sight.
I hadn't yet come to terms with my feelings.
I wanted to keep him close enough to talk to every day.
The grave was far away, so I couldn't visit often.
The environment was not suitable for placing large Buddhist altar items.
I wanted to prioritize feelings over formalities.
Reason 1 | It's painful when they disappear from sight.
"I felt like I would never see her again once we interred her ashes."
"I couldn't stand the feeling of not knowing where I was."
"I haven't come to terms with how I feel yet."
"It's not so much that he disappeared, but rather that he just suddenly vanished from sight..."
That's why I wanted you to be somewhere I could see you.
Just being here makes me feel a little more at ease."
"I felt like if I were buried in a grave, I would truly be going far away. I wasn't ready for that yet..."
I chose a design that could be kept close by because that was my honest feeling."
Reason 2 | I want to talk to them and feel their presence every day
"I naturally find myself talking to them in the morning and evening."
"Just looking at photos is lonely."
"I wanted to feel like I was 'there'."
I unconsciously say "Good morning" in the morning.
Just having it here makes me feel like it's truly by my side. That was my greatest comfort.
Rather than putting our hands together on a special day,
I'm happy when people talk to me in the casual moments of everyday life.
I feel like the time I spent with that girl is still continuing."
Reason 3 | Guilt about wanting to do things properly for them
"I feel like I wasn't able to do enough for them in the end."
"I can't help but think I could have done more."
"I always thought I could have done more in the end. At the very least, I want to create a proper place for them to belong, even now. The fact that I could think that way was my salvation."
"The regret won't disappear."
But having a place to pray every day,
I can now tell myself, "I'm really taking good care of it."
Reason 4 | The grave is far away or I can't visit it often.
"The cemetery is too far away, so I can't go."
"I don't have time because of work and childcare."
"It depends on the weather and my physical condition."
"The cemetery is far away, and I've always been worried that I can't visit often."
Sometimes I blame myself for not being able to go...
I never imagined that being able to pray at home every day would bring me so much comfort.
"Visiting the grave a few times a year was the best I could do."
But the truth is, I wanted to cherish those feelings from even closer.
Just having it in my line of sight eased the loneliness caused by the distance.
Reason 5: You can't place large Buddhist altar items in an apartment or rental property.
"There's no space to put a Buddhist altar."
"I'm worried about what the guests will think."
"It doesn't fit with everyday life."
"Since I live in an apartment, I couldn't have something like a Buddhist altar there."
But it's lonely having nothing...
I felt that this small size would allow me to naturally place it near my pet."
"We were also concerned about what visitors might think, so we couldn't create a large memorial space."
Even so, I wanted a place where I could truly feel.
"I was so relieved to see a design that blended so well with the interior."
Reason 6 | Concerns about moving or future changes
"I don't know what will happen next."
"A portable form provides peace of mind."
"Our family structure might change."
"We might move in the future, and the structure of our family might change."
It's painful to have to worry about the grave every time...
I was truly relieved that I was able to take it with me.
"Precisely because we don't know what the future holds,
I wanted to choose a form of memorial service that wasn't simply a matter of "it's over once it's placed here."
Knowing that you'll be by my side wherever I go made me feel so much lighter.
Reason 7 | I wasn't sure if it was okay to perform a memorial service at home.
"Is this legally okay?"
"Isn't that rude?"
"What will other people think of me?"
"I was really troubled about whether it was okay to keep the cremated remains at home."
I was worried about whether I was being rude or if I was doing it correctly, so I checked it many times.
"Knowing that 'thinking of them while they're nearby is also a form of remembrance' finally brought me peace of mind."
"I wasn't sure if this was correct, so I couldn't consult anyone."
But being encouraged that feelings are more important than formalities gave me confidence in my choice."
Reason 8: I have a strong aversion to things that look too much like an "urn."
"It makes me sad every time I see it."
"I don't like the feeling that it's obviously a memorial service."
"I don't want to feel depressed."
"Things that look obviously like 'urns' are
I feel like the sadness will only intensify each time I see it...
I thought this shape would allow me to place it naturally beside her, in a way that suits her."
"I wanted to perform memorial services, but I didn't want to feel sad every day."
Because the design blends in with the interior,
I've become able to face it with a calmer mind.
Reason 9 | Because pets are "family"
"I want to think like other people."
"I want to prioritize feelings over formalities."
"The word 'pet' doesn't even begin to describe what they were like to me."
They are irreplaceable family members with whom I spent every day.
That's why I wanted to create a proper place for her in the house.
"It felt the same as saying goodbye to a family member."
Rather than sticking to formalities, we want to continue cherishing our feelings in a way that is true to ourselves.
When I realized that, I had no doubts about this choice.
Reason 10 | I want to approach it at my own pace
"I was relieved that there was no need to rush."
"I want to keep you by my side until I can come to terms with my feelings."
"Every time I was told, 'We have to inter the ashes now,' my heart just couldn't keep up."
I wanted you to stay by my side a little longer.
Choosing a way to approach it at my own pace was a real lifesaver.
"Even though I knew that grief has no end date, I was anxious because of the atmosphere around me."
Being able to leave it here made me realize that there's no need to rush.
My feelings gradually started to settle down."