Pillow rice - pillow rice

A mound of rice offered at the bedside of the deceased. Immediately after a person's death, rice is poured into a bowl without being rinsed, a temporary stove is set up in addition to the usual stove, and the rice is cooked in an open pot or kettle, with only the cooked rice served in a rice bowl. The rice bowl used is the one that the deceased regularly used in life, and in some cases one or two chopsticks are stuck into the rice, or one is placed upright and the other is placed horizontally. In some regions, a small ball of rice is made and placed on top, and this is called saba. The reason why it is taboo to eat a single bowl of rice or to stand chopsticks upright in everyday meals is because it is reminiscent of makurameshi (pillow rice). The makurameshi is moved to the altar, and during the funeral procession it is placed on a tray and carried by the wife of the heir. It is common to offer it in front of the grave, and if a mausoleum (tempura) is set up above the burial, it is placed inside it. It is often accompanied by pillow dumplings.

[Shoji Inoguchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

死者の枕元に供える盛り切りの飯。人の死後ただちに、お椀(わん)の蓋(ふた)すり切りの米を、とがずに、日常のかまどとは別に臨時のかまどを設け、鍋(なべ)・釜(かま)に蓋をせずに炊き、炊いただけを茶碗(ちゃわん)に盛るなどの作法がある。茶碗は死者が生前に常用したものを使い、箸(はし)を1本か2本、飯の上に突き立てたり、1本を立て1本を横に挿す例もある。飯の一部を小さな握り飯にして上にのせ、散飯(さば)とよぶ地方もある。日常の食事で、一膳飯(いちぜんめし)や箸を立てることを忌むのは、枕飯を連想するため。枕飯は祭壇に移し、葬列ではお膳にのせて相続人の妻が持つ。墓前に供えるのが一般で、埋葬した上に霊屋(たまや)を設ける場合はその中に入れる。枕団子を伴うことが多い。

［井之口章次］

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