My Grave
Not just mine, of course. This is Sachi’s family grave site (the name is distorted out at Sachi’s request), and Sachi wants us to both be buried there. I’m cool with that–while incredibly out of the way from anywhere most people would ever know about (it’s way up a narrow, steep, and windy little road, far out in the Nagano countryside), it’s a beautiful locale. Being hard to reach doesn’t concern me, and could be seen as an advantage–little chance it will be one day paved over or anything.
There are graves from Sachi’s ancestors reaching back maybe at least a few hundred years, well into the Tokugawa era. The site has permanence, esthetics, and a history. I never really thought or cared much about my eventual burial site before, and this certainly will do just fine.
We visited it because of Shunbun no Hi, or Vernal Equinox, when many Japanese do Ohaka-mairi, or visiting the family gravesite. Sachi’s father set up flowers, left a food offering, and burned incense; he as well as Sachi and I prayed shortly. It was quiet in the snow upon the hillside, almost poetic.
Looks very peaceful.
You can imagine, this is the spot your descendants will come to to venerate you and Sachi – or at least pay you a visit.
The saying “Memento mori” comes to mind. Indeed, I agree, it is very peaceful and personally, seems like quite an honor I think to be buried there along side the rest of her family.
Also kind of reminds me of what the medieval scholars did, they had a human skull on their desk to remind them that one day they will die.
Alex: Indeed. I like it.
Tim: Well, we’d have to have descendants first…
August: It actually is kind of settling, like you have your affairs in order and all that. I could write a will, but Sachi already get everything automatically, so it might be a bit redundant.