#Japan #Tokyo #Delight #Funeral Assistance #Grieving Families

Introduction

Company Delight, based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, has officially launched a new initiative called 'Special Funeral Assistance' on August 12, 2025. This program aims to help alleviate the financial burden that families face when organizing funerals. The initiative focuses on enabling consumers to hold funerals that reflect their unique values and provide closure without regrets.

Understanding the Need for Financial Support

Planning a funeral can be an expensive affair, often costing around 2 million yen. This high cost arises from various factors, including venue arrangements, cremation fees, and manpower from funeral service providers. While funerals are traditional ceremonies that can be conducted lavishly, the rituals involved can sometimes add to the family's stress.

In recent years, there has been an increasing trend towards more budget-friendly options such as direct cremation or family-only funerals. Direct cremation, known as '火葬式' in Japanese, eliminates the need for a wake or farewell ceremony, allowing families to say goodbye at the cremation site instead. Family funerals are smaller in scale, involving only close relatives and friends.

For example, opting for direct cremation removes venue costs and can reduce overall expenses by several tens of thousands of yen. However, there is often a significant difference in the time families spend with their loved ones, leading to instances where they may experience regret.

Research Insights

In October 2024, Delight conducted a survey among individuals aged between 20 and 70 years, including those who have overseen direct cremation services. Out of 512 participants, 26.4% (approximately 130 individuals) expressed regrets regarding their decision. Their primary reasons for such feelings include:

• - Limited time for farewells
• - Unsatisfactory simplicity of the service
• - Lack of clarity regarding the deceased's wishes

While some families choose direct cremation for economically viable reasons or based on their relationship with the deceased, many may feel they had no choice but to opt for the simpler option due to financial constraints.

This regret also manifests when families have to forgo certain aspects of the service, like cancellation of a meal gathering, even if the deceased had wished for a family meal, simply due to budget limitations. Additionally, families often find themselves scaling back on flower arrangements or opting for simple caskets and urns due to budgetary constraints, resulting in a lack of fulfillment in honoring their loved ones.

Underlying Factors of Funeral Costs

There are several factors behind the challenges families face in securing adequate funeral budgets, including:

• - Rising costs for food and labor due to inflation
• - Increased competition resulting in difficulties securing affordable public and municipal venues
• - Annual increases in cremation fees in certain regions

As a result, more families find themselves struggling to create a meaningful send-off that meets their expectations.

Launching 'Special Funeral Assistance'

The 'Special Funeral Assistance' program stemmed from Delight's mission, 'To ensure everyone can experience a lovely farewell.' With our belief that reducing funeral costs shouldn't diminish the quality of the service, we aim to help families achieve the best possible farewells under any circumstance.

By partnering with selected funeral service providers, this program allows for a financial relief mechanism that supports families economically. The program also includes information on partnering funeral homes, identified by the 'Special Funeral Assistance' badge, helping clients choose quality services seamlessly.

When families engage with an eligible funeral provider through '葬儀の口コミ' (Funeral Reviews), they can receive up to 55,000 yen in Amazon gift cards as a rebate to help make their service more memorable and beautiful.

How the Program Works

• - Families are encouraged to contact the designated funeral service providers that are marked with the special badge to inquire directly about their services.
• - Once the details about the funeral specifics—dates, arrangements, and costs—are discussed thoroughly with chosen providers, families can confirm their orders.
• - After the funeral services are completed, Delight verifies with the service provider to ensure everything was carried out as discussed.
• - Families will then receive their gift card sent via SMS, enabling them to utilize it for further purchases.

Making the Most of Your Farewell

Through this program, we genuinely hope that those in mourning will be able to hold beautiful, memorable funerals. The financial assistance aims to lift the weight off families who may otherwise have to settle for less than their wishes due to budgeting woes.

Special Funeral Assistance Details:

• - Launch Date: August 12, 2025
• - Rebate Amount: Up to 55,000 yen in Amazon gift cards
• - Eligibility: Must request services via the 'Funeral Reviews' website to qualify for assistance
• - Exclusions: Previous utilizations with selected funeral homes, referrals from hospitals or care facilities, and those receiving public assistance

We at Delight are committed to enhancing our services in an ever-evolving funeral industry to ensure families receive the best possible experiences. We aspire to continue improving this program so that more individuals can find satisfaction in their farewell rituals.