Talk:Nōkanshi

Note:
this article is based on text taken from part of the Wikipedia article Departures (film). It contains information that specifically describes this profession that is not covered in Japanese funeral, and is I believe article-worthy -- and expandable further -- in its own right. -- The Anome (talk) 20:24, 15 August 2015 (UTC)

Not that 'traditional'
As noted on the Japanese wiki page (and other Japanese websites, e.g. http://www.giten.co.jp/index.php?id=12, http://www.47news.jp/CN/200902/CN2009022401000515.html), Nōkanshi as a profession was invented only in 1954, following the Tōya-maru accident off Hakodate, when so many bodies were washed up on the shore that local funeral directors were unable to cope and requested help from the local populace, subsequently realizing that this could be a profession in its own right, starting off as subcontractors to said funeral directors. Hence it is not a traditional profession (Buddhist or otherwise) per se.

Ozaru (talk) 10:57, 26 October 2015 (UTC)