#Japan #Tokyo #Japanese cemeteries #Tombstone Purchase #Zenyuseki Association

Insights from the Nationwide Tombstone Purchase Survey 2025

The 'Zenyuseki Association,' which comprises around 150 stone shops across Japan, recently released findings from the '2025 Tombstone Purchase Survey.' Conducted between March 1 and May 31, the survey gathered insights from consumers who purchased tombstones during this period.

This year's survey saw an effective response rate from 818 participants, making it one of the largest studies regarding the purchasing behavior of tombstone buyers in Japan. As this marks the 22nd iteration of this annual survey initiated in 2004, it reflects ongoing trends in the industry.

Key Findings:

• - Concurrent Purchase Trends: A combined total of 50.9% of buyers acquired tombstones along with the burial plots, with specific percentages showing 17.8% in temple-owned cemeteries, 13.8% in public cemeteries, and 19.3% in private cemeteries.

• - Styles of Tombstones Purchased: The types of tombstones purchased showed a distinct preference across the nation; 28.5% chose traditional Japanese-style (Wagata), 51.6% opted for simple Western-style (Yogata), and 15.2% went for design tombstones. These figures indicate a steady trend compared to last year.

• - Decade-Long Trends: Analyzing changes over the past decade, traditional Japanese-style tombstones decreased from 38.2% in 2016 to 28.5% in 2025, while simple Western styles increased from 42.2% to 51.6%, and design tombstones rose slightly from 13.3% to 15.2%. Thus, more than half of the tombstones built in Japan today are of the simple Western style.

• - Regional Trends: In the Shikoku region, traditional Japanese-style tombstones dominate at 90.9%, followed by 69.7% in Chugoku and 63.8% in Kinki. Conversely, simple Western-style is prevalent in eastern Japan, with rates of 68.7% in the Tokyo metropolitan area and roughly 66% in Kanto and Tohoku.

• - Design Tombstones: Interestingly, design tombstones are gaining popularity in northern and southern regions, with 33.3% in Hokkaido and 29.0% in Kyushu and Okinawa.

• - Average Purchase Prices: The report indicates that the average purchase price of a tombstone is now 1,695,000 yen, which is a slight decrease from the previous year's 1,710,000 yen. Price fluctuations have typically remained around the 1,700,000 yen mark over the last four years.

• - Regional Price Disparities: The highest price noted was in Kyushu at 2,457,000 yen, with Hokkaido at 1,750,000 yen, and Kanto at 1,669,000 yen. The gap between the most expensive (Kyushu) and the least expensive (Kinki at 1,457,000 yen) is significant, primarily due to construction size and local material usage.

• - Average Prices by Type: Design tombstones led in price at 1,897,000 yen, followed by traditional Japanese-style tombstones at 1,828,000 yen, with simple Western style at 1,603,000 yen being the most affordable.

• - Factors Influencing Tombstone Choices: When asked about the factors considered for choosing tombstones, 51.5% prioritized price, followed by stone color (40.7%), material quality (35.3%), and design aesthetics (27.4%). Furthermore, 77.8% of respondents acknowledged that professional advice from stone shops was crucial in their decision-making process.

• - Reasons for Stone Selection: A large majority, 44.9%, indicated that they selected stone tombstones because they felt they were suitable for heartfelt offerings, while 37.7% stated that they chose them because they wanted to visit the graves. Traditional stone tombstones continue to be valued for their spiritual significance and dignity across generations.

Additionally, when asked whom the tombstone was built for, 37.3% cited their parents, 25.2% for spouses, 17.6% for ancestors, and other family members or themselves made up the remainder.

For more detailed insights and analysis, the full survey is available for viewing and download at Zenyuseki Association’s official site.