Complete Guide to Shinto Funeral Traditions: The Sosai Rites

In the landscape of Japanese mourning, the vast majority of ceremonies are conducted through Buddhist rites. However, the ancient, indigenous roots of Japan offer a different path through Shinto funeral traditions, known as Sosai. While only accounting for roughly 3% to 4% of modern Japanese funerals, these ceremonies are deeply symbolic, focusing not on the departure to a distant afterlife, but on the transformation of a loved one into a protective ancestral spirit, or kami.

Understanding Shinto funeral traditions requires a shift in perspective. Unlike many Western or even Buddhist traditions that view death through the lens of salvation or reincarnation, Shinto views the transition as a return to the natural and spiritual fabric of the family home. In this guide, we will explore the meticulous rituals, the concept of impurity, and the modern trends shaping Shinto rites in 2025 and 2026.

The Core Philosophy: Death as Kegare

The most fundamental concept in a Japanese Shinto death is kegare. Often translated as "impurity" or "pollution," kegare more accurately describes a state of stagnation or the depletion of vitality. Because Shinto shrines are spaces of absolute purity and life-giving energy, death is strictly forbidden within their walls.

This creates a unique logistical requirement: Shinto funerals are never held at a shrine. Instead, they take place at the family home or a dedicated secular funeral hall. The objective of the Sosai is to acknowledge the kegare of death, purify the spirit of the deceased, and elevate them to the status of a guardian deity who will watch over the living descendants.

History of Shinto Funerals

To understand why Shinto funerals are so rare today, it helps to trace their historical context through several pivotal eras of Japanese history.

The Ancient Period and the Danka System

In the earliest periods of Japanese civilization, Shinto rites were the primary way to handle death. Burial mounds (kofun) dating back to the 3rd–7th centuries reflect deeply Shinto-influenced practices. However, as Buddhism spread across Japan from the 6th century onward, a gradual shift began.

The decisive turning point came during the Edo period (1603–1868), when the Tokugawa shogunate established the danka seido (parish system). Under this policy, every household in Japan was required to register with a local Buddhist temple. The original intention was to root out hidden Christians, but the lasting consequence was that Buddhist temples became the default administrators of funerals, death registrations, and ancestral rites. This system effectively sidelined Shinto from the funeral domain for over two centuries.

The Meiji Restoration and the Brief Revival

When the Meiji government came to power in 1868, it attempted to separate Shinto from Buddhism through the shinbutsu bunri (separation of gods and Buddhas) policy. The state promoted Shinto as the national religion and encouraged Shinto-style funerals. For a brief period, Shinto funerals became more widespread among government officials and nationalists.

However, the deeply ingrained Buddhist funeral traditions proved impossible to dislodge from ordinary Japanese households. After World War II, the state disestablished Shinto, and the population largely reverted to Buddhist funeral customs. Today, the 3–4% of Japanese funerals conducted in the Shinto manner tend to involve families with strong shrine connections—particularly hereditary priest families (shinshoku) or those in regions with deep Shinto roots, such as parts of Mie Prefecture near the Grand Shrine of Ise.

The 20 Steps of a Shinto Funeral

A traditional Shinto funeral is a highly choreographed event consisting of 20 distinct ritual commands. While modern ceremonies may condense some of these for brevity, the core structure remains a vital part of the tradition.

1. Matsugo no Mizu (Water of the Last Moment)

As a person passes, family members moisten the lips of the deceased with a small amount of water. This is a closing act of care, ensuring the soul is refreshed for its upcoming transition.

2. Seishaku (Cleaning and Dressing)

The body is purified and dressed. While Buddhist traditions often use a white shroud, Shinto traditions may involve dressing the deceased in formal clothes or a simple white kimono, symbolizing a return to a state of purity.

3. Senrei Sai (Transferring the Spirit)

This is perhaps the most critical moment of the Shinto funeral traditions. The priest performs a ritual to transfer the spirit (tamashii) of the deceased into a wooden tablet called a Reishi. This tablet will eventually be placed on the family's Shinto altar.

4. Tamagushi-haiten (The Offering of Sakaki)

In place of incense, which is strictly a Buddhist practice, mourners offer Sakaki branches. These are evergreen branches decorated with white paper strips (shide). This act represents the connection between the living, the dead, and the divine nature.

5. Ikkyo (Moving the Coffin to the Ritual Hall)

The coffin is carefully transported from the family home to the designated funeral hall. The route may be marked with shimenawa (sacred ropes) to create a purified pathway and ward off impure spirits during the transfer.

6. Reishi-utsushi (Placement of the Spirit Tablet)

Upon arrival at the funeral hall, the Reishi tablet is placed in its formal position on the altar. From this point forward, all prayers and offerings are directed toward the spirit residing within the tablet rather than the physical body.

7. Sogi-sai (The Funeral Ceremony)

The main funeral ceremony begins with the priest chanting norito (ancient Shinto prayers). These prayers ask the ancestral kami to welcome the deceased and guide the spirit through its transformation. The atmosphere is solemn, with only the sound of the priest's voice and the occasional note of gagaku (ancient court music) filling the hall.

8. Sanshi (The Eulogy)

A representative of the bereaved family, often the eldest son, delivers a eulogy. Unlike Western eulogies that may include humor or personal anecdotes, the Shinto eulogy tends to be formal and respectful, emphasizing the deceased's virtues, contributions to the family, and their new role as a guardian spirit.

9. Saishi (Prayers for the Departed)

The priest leads a series of prayers specifically intended to begin the purification of the spirit. These are distinct from the general norito and focus on addressing any lingering kegare so the soul may begin its ascent to ancestral status.

10. Tamagushi-haiten by Chief Mourners

The chief mourners (immediate family) perform their formal Sakaki branch offering. Each person approaches the altar, receives the branch from an attendant, rotates it clockwise 180 degrees so the stem faces the altar, and places it on the offering table with a deep bow.

11. Tamagushi-haiten by Guests

After the family has completed their offerings, other mourners are invited to present their Sakaki branches in order of their relationship to the deceased. Each person performs the silent clap (shinobi-te) before stepping back from the altar.

12. Seitan-sai (Farewell to the Body)

This step marks the formal farewell to the physical form. Family members may place personal items—such as favorite possessions or handwritten letters—inside the coffin before it is sealed.

13. Hakkyu-sai (Departure of the Coffin)

The sealed coffin is carried out of the funeral hall. The priest performs a final purification of the space, and the procession to the crematorium begins. In some traditions, the coffin exits through a different door than the one mourners entered, symbolizing the one-way nature of the journey.

14. Kasou-sai (The Cremation Rite)

At the crematorium, the priest performs a brief ceremony before the cremation takes place. Prayers are offered for the purification of the body through fire, and the family pays their final respects. This ceremony is conducted with solemnity and typically lasts approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

15. Kotsuage (Bone-Picking Ceremony)

See the detailed section below for a full explanation of this significant rite.

16. Kitaku-sai (Return from the Cremation)

After kotsuage, the family returns home carrying the urn of ashes. Upon arrival, they are met with purification salt (kiyome-jio) and water. The urn is placed before a temporary altar in the home where offerings of food and water are made.

17. Jukkon-sai (The Tenth-Day Ceremony)

Held on the tenth day after death, this ceremony marks the beginning of the periodic memorial rites. The priest visits the home to offer prayers and check on the family's wellbeing during the mourning period.

18. Nijukkon-sai and Sanjukkon-sai (20th and 30th Day Ceremonies)

These subsequent 10-day ceremonies follow a similar pattern, with prayers offered at the home altar. Each ceremony is slightly shorter than the last as the spirit is believed to be progressing steadily toward full ancestral status.

19. Yonjukkon-sai (The 40th Day Ceremony)

By the 40th day, the spirit is considered to have shed most of its kegare. This ceremony often involves a more elaborate offering of food and sake, acknowledging the nearness of the spirit's transformation.

20. Go-ju-nichi-sai (The 50th Day Rite)

This final and most important ceremony marks the end of the heavy mourning period. The deceased is no longer considered "impure." The Reishi (spirit tablet) is officially enshrined in the family's Tamaya (spirit altar), and the loved one is now fully recognized as an ancestral kami. The shimenawa and mourning decorations are removed, and normal household worship resumes.

The Wake: Tsuya Sai

Before the formal funeral ceremony takes place, the family holds a tsuya sai—the Shinto equivalent of a wake or vigil. This night-before gathering is one of the most emotionally significant parts of the entire Sosai process.

What Happens During the Tsuya Sai

The tsuya sai typically begins in the early evening and continues through the night. The body of the deceased is laid out in the home or funeral hall, with the Reishi tablet already prepared nearby. A Shinto priest opens the gathering with a recitation of norito, asking the kami to watch over the spirit through the night.

Family members and close friends take turns sitting vigil beside the body. In traditional practice, at least one person must remain awake at all times throughout the night—this is believed to protect the spirit from malevolent influences during its most vulnerable transitional period.

Food and Drink at the Vigil

Unlike the funeral ceremony itself, the tsuya sai has a more informal atmosphere. Light refreshments are served, including rice, pickled vegetables, and tea. In many families, sake is offered both to the mourners and placed before the body as an offering to the departing spirit. The gathering provides an important opportunity for family members to share memories and begin their collective grieving process.

Modern Adaptations

In contemporary Japan, the tsuya sai has become shorter for many families. Rather than an all-night vigil, some families hold a two to three hour gathering in the evening. However, families that follow traditional Shinto practices closely still observe the full overnight vigil, particularly in rural areas with strong shrine communities.

The Bone-Picking Ceremony: Kotsuage

The kotsuage is one of the most distinctive and emotionally intense rituals in all of Japanese funeral culture. Practiced in both Shinto and Buddhist traditions, it holds particular significance within the Shinto framework because of its connection to purity, family bonds, and the physical transformation from body to spirit.

How Kotsuage Is Performed

After the cremation is complete, the family is brought into a room at the crematorium where the cremated remains are laid out on a metal tray. Using long metal or wooden chopsticks, family members pick up individual bone fragments and transfer them into the funeral urn (kotsutsubo).

The process follows a specific order. The bones of the feet are placed in the urn first, followed by the legs, pelvis, ribs, arms, and finally the skull. This ensures that the deceased is "standing upright" within the urn, with the head at the top. The last bone fragment to be placed is the nodobotoke—the second cervical vertebra (the axis bone)—which resembles the shape of a seated Buddha. Even in Shinto funerals, this bone is given special reverence.

The Significance of Chopstick Passing

A hallmark of kotsuage is the practice of two family members jointly picking up a bone fragment using chopsticks, passing it between them. This "hashi-watashi" (chopstick passing) is a collaborative act symbolizing the family's unity in helping the deceased cross from the world of the living to the world of the spirits.

This ritual is also the origin of the strong Japanese taboo against passing food from chopstick to chopstick at a dinner table—the gesture too closely mirrors the funeral rite and is considered deeply inauspicious in everyday life.

Regional Variations

Kotsuage practices differ between eastern and western Japan. In the Kanto region (Tokyo area), the family collects virtually all of the cremated remains, resulting in a larger urn. In the Kansai region (Osaka area), only a small selection of key bones is collected, and the remaining ashes are typically left for the crematorium to dispose of respectfully. For families following Shinto traditions specifically, the Kanto-style full collection is more common, as it reflects the Shinto emphasis on wholeness and the body's connection to the spirit.

The Altar Setup and Offerings

The ritual space at a Shinto funeral is meticulously arranged according to principles of purity and spiritual hospitality. Understanding the altar setup provides insight into the Shinto worldview, where the living and the spiritual realm maintain an active, reciprocal relationship.

The Funeral Altar (Saidan)

The funeral altar is typically draped in white cloth, the color of purity and mourning in Shinto tradition. A shimenawa (sacred rope with zigzag paper streamers) is hung across the front to designate the space as ritually purified. At the center sits a photograph of the deceased, flanked by candles and the Reishi spirit tablet.

Sacred Food Offerings (Shinsen)

Shinto places enormous importance on food offerings to the kami. The following items are traditionally arranged on the altar:

• Rice (kome): Uncooked white rice, symbolizing sustenance and life energy.
• Salt (shio): Placed in a small mound, representing purification.
• Water (mizu): Fresh water in a ritual vessel, signifying cleanliness and the flow of life.
• Sake (nihonshu): Rice wine offered in a special ceramic vessel, representing joy and celebration of the spirit's journey.
• Seasonal fruits: Typically oranges, apples, or persimmons arranged symmetrically, symbolizing the bounty of nature.
• Fish or dried seafood: Often whole sea bream (tai), considered auspicious, or dried bonito strips.
• Vegetables: Fresh root vegetables or seaweed may be included, representing the earth's nourishment.

These offerings are refreshed daily throughout the mourning period. In the Shinto understanding, the spirit consumes the spiritual essence (ke) of the food, while the physical items are later eaten by the family—a beautiful expression of shared sustenance between the living and the departed.

Music: Gagaku at the Funeral

In contrast to the sutra chanting heard at Buddhist funerals, Shinto funerals may feature gagaku—Japan's ancient court music tradition dating back over 1,200 years. Gagaku is performed on traditional instruments including the sho (mouth organ), hichiriki (double-reed flute), and ryuteki (transverse flute). The music is slow, ethereal, and deliberately otherworldly, intended to accompany the spirit on its journey. While not every Shinto funeral includes live gagaku (it requires trained musicians from a shrine), recordings are sometimes used, and the sound is considered appropriate accompaniment for the norito prayers.

Shinto Funeral Costs in Japan

One of the most practical questions families face when considering a Shinto funeral is the cost. While Shinto funerals are sometimes perceived as more modest than their Buddhist counterparts, the reality depends heavily on the scale of the ceremony and regional pricing.

Average Cost Breakdown

As of 2025–2026, a typical Shinto funeral in Japan costs between 1.5 million and 3 million yen (approximately $10,000–$20,000 USD). This range is broadly comparable to mid-tier Buddhist funerals, though Shinto funerals tend to be slightly less expensive because they do not require the payment of a Buddhist posthumous name (kaimyo), which alone can cost 300,000–1,000,000 yen.

Why Costs Vary

Several factors significantly influence the total cost of a Shinto funeral:

• Family funerals (kazoku-so) involving only close relatives can reduce costs to the lower end of the range, sometimes below 1 million yen.
• Regional pricing plays a major role—funerals in Tokyo and Osaka cost substantially more than those in rural prefectures.
• The number of attendees directly impacts catering and return-gift costs, which together can represent 30–40% of the total budget.
• Gagaku musicians, if hired, add approximately ¥50,000–¥150,000 to the total.

For families considering whether a Shinto funeral is affordable compared to other options, our guide on Japanese Funeral Traditions provides broader context on costs across different religious traditions in Japan.

Shinto vs. Buddhist Funerals: Detailed Comparison

The differences between Shinto and Buddhist funerals extend far beyond the surface-level rituals. The following expanded comparison helps clarify the distinctions for those deciding between the two traditions or attending one for the first time.

Essential Etiquette for Mourners

Attending a Shinto service requires specific knowledge of etiquette to avoid causing offense or accidentally performing Buddhist rites.

Attire (Mofuku)

The standard dress code is Mofuku—matte black formal wear.

• Men: A plain black suit, white shirt, and a matte black tie with no patterns.
• Women: A conservative black dress or a black kimono. Jewelry should be kept to a minimum, with pearls being the only widely accepted gemstone.

Condolence Money (Koden)

It is customary to provide a monetary gift to the family. However, the envelope choice is critical. For Shinto funerals, use an envelope that is plain or decorated with black and white (or silver) cords.

• Labeling: Write "Otamagushi-ryo" (For the Sacred Branch) or "Goreizen" (Before the Spirit) on the front.
• Avoid: Never use an envelope with a lotus flower printed on it, as the lotus is a symbol of Buddhism.

The Silent Clap (Shinobi-te)

In a standard Shinto shrine visit, you clap your hands twice to alert the deity to your presence. At a funeral, however, you must perform the Shinobi-te. You bring your hands together as if to clap, but stop just before they touch, making no sound. This "silent clap" shows respect for the stillness of death and the presence of kegare.

Purification and the 50-Day Mourning Period

Shinto funeral traditions do not end with the cremation. Interestingly, the most intense period of ritual occurs in the 50 days following the death.

1. Cremation: Despite historical preferences for Shinto burial, modern Japan's land scarcity means 99.9% of people are cremated. The ashes are then typically placed in a family grave.
2. Kiyome-jio (Purification Salt): Upon returning from a funeral, it is standard practice to sprinkle salt over your shoulders before entering your home. This acts as a barrier to prevent the "impurity" of death from entering the living space.
3. The 10-Day Rites: Ceremonies are held every 10 days (10th, 20th, 30th, 40th).
4. Go-ju-nichi-sai (The 50th Day Rite): This marks the end of the heavy mourning period. At this point, the deceased is no longer considered "impure." The Reishi (spirit tablet) is officially enshrined in the family's Tamaya (spirit altar), and the loved one is now fully an ancestral kami.

Recent Trends (2025–2026)

The landscape of Shinto rites is shifting as Japanese society evolves. Two major trends dominate the 2025–2026 period:

Kazoku Sō (Family Funerals)

There is a significant move away from large, expensive social funerals toward "Family Funerals." These are smaller, intimate gatherings of immediate relatives. This shift allows families to focus more on the spiritual aspect of Shinto funeral traditions rather than the social obligations of hosting hundreds of guests.

Eco-Friendly Shinto Burials

Because Shinto is fundamentally a nature-based religion, "Tree Burials" (jumokuso) are gaining popularity. Instead of a traditional stone monument, the ashes are placed in the earth beneath a tree. This aligns perfectly with the Shinto belief in returning to the natural world.

What matters: Choosing a tree burial can provide a sense of peace for families, knowing their loved one is contributing to the cycle of nature, a core tenet of Shintoism.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Clapping Loudly: As mentioned, always use the silent clap (shinobi-te).
2. Using Buddhist Terms: Avoid referring to the deceased as having "gone to heaven" or becoming a "Buddha." In Shinto, they have become a kami.
3. Incense: Never bring or ask for incense. The scent of the Sakaki and the purity of the space are the focus.
4. Entering a Shrine: If you have recently lost a close family member, you should generally avoid entering a Shinto shrine for the duration of the 50-day mourning period to avoid bringing kegare into the sacred space.

Conclusion

Shinto funeral traditions offer a unique and beautiful perspective on the end of life. Rather than a somber farewell to a soul departing for a distant realm, the Sosai is a transition that keeps the loved one close to home. By transforming into a kami, the deceased remains a vital, protective part of the family's daily life.

As of 2025, these traditions continue to adapt, embracing smaller family circles and eco-friendly options while maintaining the core rituals that have defined Japanese spirituality for millennia. Whether you are planning a service or attending one, respecting the nuances of kegare, the Sakaki offering, and the silent clap ensures a meaningful tribute to the spirit's journey.

For more information on diverse cultural practices, you may find our guides on Buddhist Funeral Traditions or the Complete Guide to Religious Funerals: Tools, Checklists, and Essential Guides helpful. If you are exploring other global traditions, our article on Hindu Funeral Traditions provides further insight into Eastern rites.