Research on the Permanent Recycling of Cemeteries

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K18591
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Sociology and related fields
• Research Institution: Meiji University
• Principal Investigator: Kanno Hirotsugu 明治大学, 農学部, 専任准教授 (40328969)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-06-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 墓地の循環利用 / 自然葬墓地 / 多死時代への対応 / 無縁社会への対応

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the current context where the progression of the super-aged society and the increasing number of annual deaths are predicted, the issue of burial grounds is taking on a diverse aspect. This study aimed to investigate and research advanced cases of funeral practices in developed countries, such as the recycling of burial grounds and environmentally friendly natural burials, and to examine the possibilities of introducing burial grounds and burial sites in our country that have low environmental impact and can be recycled, by comparing them with our country's funeral customs. In the fiscal year 2017, advanced cases were collected in Europe, and in 2018, in the Oceania region. In 2019, case collection was conducted within Japan. However, starting from 2020, due to the impact of the novel coronavirus, it was not possible to complete the investigation, and as a result, the research remained unfinished at the end of the grant period.

Free Research Field

ランドスケープ研究

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、墓地の循環利用や環境負荷の少ない自然葬など、葬送形態の先進国の事例を調査、研究するとともに、我が国の葬送慣習に照らし合わせることで、我が国でも導入可能な環境負荷が少なく、循環利用が可能な墓地、埋葬地のあり方について検討することを目的とした。欧州で情報収集した墓地の再利用の仕組みや、オーストラリアの自然葬墓地など、我が国でも導入可能な持続可能性のある葬送形態を調査することができたことについては、社会的意義があったと考える。しかしながら、新型コロナの影響により2020年以降の調査ができなくなったため、それらを学術的視点からまとめることはできなった。