Funeral home - Sougiya

Japanese: 葬儀屋 - そうぎや

A business that sells and rents funeral equipment and handles funerals in general. In the late Edo period, there were people who sold coffins and rented out funeral equipment, and they were called coffin makers or koshiya. In the Meiji period, the organizations and customs of mutual assistance in cities began to crumble, and the need for funeral parlours increased. The Asano Shimbun of January 7, 1886, reported the appearance of a business in Tokyo that stocks all funeral equipment for both Shinto and Buddhist funerals and will perform funeral services upon request. Currently, in addition to renting out funeral equipment, these businesses also undertake all other services, including procuring items and handling procedures.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

葬具の販売，貸出し，および葬儀全般の世話をする業者。江戸後期には棺を売ったり葬具の賃貸をする者があり，棺屋，輿屋（こしや）と呼ばれた。明治になって，都市では共同体的な相互扶助の組織や慣習がくずれ，葬儀屋の必要が高まった。1886年1月7日の《朝野新聞》は，東京に神仏葬ともいっさいの葬具をそなえ，もとめに応じて葬式の用をたす業者の出現を報じている。現在では葬具の貸出し以外に，物品の調達，手続きの代行などをも含めたいっさいを請け負っている。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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