Date: December 11–12, 2023
Venue: Fukuoka International Congress Center, Japan
Theme: Inheritance and Innovation — The Modern Significance of East Asian Funeral Culture
Organizer: Initiated and hosted by Sakura-an, Japan
Overview: Bringing together funeral professionals from Japan, China, and other East Asian countries and regions, focusing on the inheritance and innovation of traditional funeral rites in modern society.

Conference Highlights
Cultural Demonstration: Live recreation of the traditional Japanese “Nobe Matsuri” ceremony; special lecture on Chinese Confucian funeral culture
Panel Discussions: Transformation of funeral services amid declining birthrates and aging populations; the latest developments in cremation technology; training systems for funeral professionals
Field Visits: Visit to Sakura-an Funeral Home in Fukuoka; observation and study of Japanese funeral rituals; Japan’s latest eco-friendly cremation furnace

Participation Scale
More than 15 industry representatives from Japan, China, and other countries/regions attended
More than 10 funeral supply companies participated in the exhibition

Key Outcomes
The Chinese and Japanese funeral industries agreed on the intention to establish a regular exchange mechanism