Osaka Memorial Park Sales Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Daito City, Osaka Prefecture, Representative Director: Koichi Higuchi, hereinafter "Our Company") is pleased to announce that the "Takeda-style Kofun Tomb," jointly developed with Zenpokoenfun Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Tsuneyasu Takeda), recorded its highest-ever attendance of 150 participants at the on-site briefing held on May 16, 2026 (Sat).
The event was held in four sessions throughout the day, setting a new record for the number of participants in a single day. The cumulative number of participants across all four sessions reached 150. Following its recent adoption as a hometown tax donation return gift in Daito City and attention from various media outlets, this result has confirmed the growing societal expectation and interest in "kofun" (ancient burial mounds) as a new option for memorialization.
Scenes from the Day: A Lecture Blending Humor and Historical Insight
At the venue, Mr. Tsuneyasu Takeda, Representative Director of Zenpokoenfun Co., Ltd., took the stage. He provided an explanation from a historical perspective on the core of the grave-related issues facing modern Japan.
The lecture, while based on his deep knowledge as a historian, was delivered with Mr. Takeda's characteristic humor. Even those attending with concerns about the serious issue of "boji-mai" (grave closure) occasionally burst into laughter at Mr. Takeda's lighthearted delivery, creating a consistently pleasant and enthusiastic atmosphere. Participants expressed their deep impressions, with comments such as, "I intuitively felt this is the most acceptable way for Japanese people to end their lives," and "The issue of graves has transformed into a positive and proud choice."
Osaka Memorial Park will continue to hold briefings and events to promote the creation of new memorialization cultures that respond to the changing times. We are committed to ensuring that the option of "kofun," which symbolizes Japan's history and culture, leads to peace of mind and pride for more people.
A New Standard for Perpetual Memorialization: Transforming "Boji-mai" Anxiety into "Family Pride"
In recent years, perpetual memorialization, often chosen out of a desire "not to burden one's children," has sometimes been accompanied by negative emotions such as "loneliness" or "feeling sorry." However, the "Takeda-style Kofun Tomb" proposed by our company fundamentally overturns this concept.
Participants at the briefing frequently commented, "It's a perpetual memorial, yet there's no other grave that conveys such dignity and family history," and "With this, my children and grandchildren will eagerly want to visit." By adopting the form of a kofun, which maintains unchanging beauty, we elevate the grave from "a place of ending" to "a part of proud history that the family should inherit." We analyze that this shift in values is the biggest factor behind achieving record attendance.
Why Kofun Now? The "Origin of Prayer" for Japanese People
Amidst the serious social issues of declining birthrates, aging populations, and the resulting lack of grave successors and "boji-mai," many people are seeking a place where they can entrust the dignity of the deceased and their family's history, rather than just a "place to store cremated remains." The "Takeda-style Kofun Tomb" responds to these latent needs by recreating a style unique to Japan that predates the introduction of Buddhism.
- Design and Brass Nameplate Inheriting Japan's Ancient Prayer Culture
Cylindrical haniwa, symbolizing Japan's ancient prayer culture, are placed around the kofun tomb, with a brass nameplate on top to engrave the name of the contract holder. By merging traditional kofun design with modern record-keeping, we realize a new form of memorialization that perpetuates the memory of loved ones and the sentiments of their families for eternity.
- A "Landscape of Prayer" that Resonates with the Japanese Bloodline, Transcending Religion
The presence of a kofun embodies the "original landscape of prayer" that we share as Japanese people, transcending the framework of "religion" based on specific doctrines. According to our latest data, approximately 30% of contract holders are Shinto followers (Shinto shrines, worship groups, etc.) or wish for memorialization in a Shinto style. This figure reflects a trend of cultural return, where people want to reflect their Japanese identity in their form of memorialization.
Future Developments
Information on the purchase process is being sequentially provided through our official website and Zenpokoenfun Co., Ltd.'s "Kofun no Madoguchi" (Window to Kofun). Please look forward to a new place of prayer that fuses history, design, and secure perpetual memorialization in a special space supervised by Tadao Ando Architect & Associates.
▼ Osaka Memorial Park Official HP ▼
https://osaka-memorialpark.co.jp/
▼ Kofun Tomb Special Site ▼
https://osaka-memorialpark.co.jp/kofun/
▼ Kofun no Madoguchi ▼
https://madoguchi.kofun.co.jp/
About Osaka Memorial Park Kofun Tomb
Recreating Kofun as a "Modern Place of Prayer"
Kofun, once the resting places of kings and powerful clans, are magnificent legacies symbolizing Japanese culture. Our company has reconfigured this "kofun" form for modern individuals struggling with the problem of "no one to inherit the grave" due to declining birthrates and an aging population. The "Takeda-style Kofun Tomb," advocated by Tsuneyasu Takeda, is attracting significant attention as a completely new style of prayer that fuses history, design, and perpetual memorialization.
Kansai's Only Sanctuary Combining Views and Design
Osaka Memorial Park boasts a breathtaking panoramic view of the Osaka Plain from its elevated location on the mid-slope of Mt. Ikoma, a proven track record as "Kansai's No. 1 Grave Award" winner, and a dignified design created and supervised by the world-renowned architect Tadao Ando Architect & Associates. In this unique environment, unparalleled in Japan, where views, achievements, and design are integrated, we will protect your precious sentiments.
▼ Kofun Tomb EC Site "Kofun no Madoguchi" Osaka Memorial Park Kofun Tomb ▼
https://madoguchi.kofun.co.jp/products/detail/9
▼ Osaka Memorial Park Takeda-style Zenpokoenfun Drone Footage ▼
https://youtu.be/EwunGJ5uzZg?si=ag6mBWkMsP7NzWoI
[Related Information] On-site Briefing Also Held (July 11)
On July 11 (Sat), a "Takeda-style Kofun Tomb Briefing" will be held at the Osaka Memorial Park site. This is an opportunity to see firsthand the location where history, design, perpetual memorialization, and views come together.
Date and Time: July 11 (Sat) Session 1: 10:30 AM, Session 2: 11:15 AM, Session 3: 1:30 PM, Session 4: 2:15 PM
Location: Osaka Memorial Park (271-8 Ryuma, Daito City, Osaka Prefecture)
Details: https://osaka-memorialpark.co.jp/information/3055/
View Briefing Details
[Company Profile] Osaka Memorial Park Sales Co., Ltd.
Representative Director: Koichi Higuchi
Location: 271-8 Ryuma, Daito City, Osaka Prefecture
Official HP: https://osaka-memorialpark.co.jp/
Kofun Tomb Special Site: https://osaka-memorialpark.co.jp/kofun/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ42K0iY_-AKTYtTlmw5gRw
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fureaitenku/
Zenpokoenfun Co., Ltd.
Representative Director: Tsuneyasu Takeda
Location: 5-13-16 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Date of Establishment: April 1, 2024
Sales Site: "Kofun no Madoguchi"
https://madoguchi.kofun.co.jp
Official HP: Zenpokoenfun Co., Ltd.
https://kofun.co.jp/
Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/@zkf_kofun
https://www.instagram.com/zenpokoenfun_jp/
X
https://x.com/zenpokoenfun_jp/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578719788765
[Contact for Inquiries Regarding This Matter]
Osaka Memorial Park Sales Co., Ltd.
Public Relations: Tanaka
TEL: 072-869-1111
MAIL: [email protected]
*Request for Data Citation/Reprint
When using the survey results and images from this release on your website, please include a link to (https://osaka-memorialpark.co.jp/). When using on social media, etc., please use the hashtag "#大阪メモリアルパーク" (#OsakaMemorialPark).
[Recommended Articles]
What is Perpetual Memorialization? Types of Graves, Costs, Merits, and Demerits
What is Memorialization? Explaining the Meaning, Purpose, and Types of Ways to Remember Individuals
What is Gōshi? Reading, Meaning, Differences from Gōssō, Merits, and Demerits
Difference Between Tree Burial and Perpetual Memorialization? Merits, Demerits, and How to Choose Without Regret
Thorough Guide to Visiting Graves for Tree Burial Without Mistakes: From Basics to Etiquette
What is the Cost of Grave Closure? Total Amount, Breakdown, and How to Cope if You Cannot Pay
Osaka Memorial Park Sales Co., Ltd.
Public Relations: Tanaka TEL: 072-869-1111 MAIL: [email protected]
FACT BOX
- Source: PR TIMES
- Category: Event