- Day 0
- 8 pm: My mother's mother died of cancer, age 85. She had been a farmer. I often visited her house when I was young, and there were many interesting things such as ponds, large stones, etc. which I enjoyed. Last month I went to the hospital and met her. She was conscious and talked with us clearly. She sometimes made haiku and posted it to a newspaper. Once she made a haiku of watching a video of my university graduation.
- 10 pm: My father called me and told grandma's death. I reserved air tickets via the net.
- Day 1
- 10:30 am: I flew from Tokyo to Izumo airport. ~1.5 hour, 1000km trip.
- 1:00 pm: Arrived at grandma's house. Close relatives were gathering. Met grandma's remains face to face, and prayed. Neighbours (women) were gathering at the house's kitchen and preparing tea and suppers.
- 6:00 pm: A staff from funeral service company came. Close kins wiped the remains with a cotton (ritually), and dressed her with clothes for the death journey, then the remains was placed into a coffin.
- 6:30 pm: The funeral schedule was announced via a local broadcast of farmers' association (Nokyo).
- 7:00 pm: Close kins had supper together.
- 7:30 pm: I returned to my old home where my father and mother lives.
- Day 2
- 8:00 am: Close kins gathered again and had breakfast together.
- Neighbours(husbands) were working at reception desk, parking lot, etc.
- 10:00 am: The remains was moved to crematory. Relatives got on a mini bus and went to the crematory.
- 10:30 am: Cremation began. Relatives went to an anteroom and had a lunch. Some were watching a game of NY Yankees on TV.
- 12:00 am: Cremation finished. Bones are placed on a table. Relatives picked them with chopsticks and placed them into a pot.
- 12:30 pm: Relatives returned to the house, with the bone pot.
- 3:00 pm: Main funeral ceremony began. Guests were gathering. Priests came and chanted.
- 3:30 pm: I had to get on a plane 4:30, so I left the ceremony.
