A recent survey by Rokugatsu Shobo, a publisher of cemetery guidebooks, indicates that Western-style gravestones are replacing traditional Japanese stones in cemeteries in and around Tokyo.
According to the survey, more than 60% of all gravestones at the cemeteries polled are Western style
The reason given for the shift is the shrinking size of graveyard plots, which has forced survivors to store the ashes of deceased loved ones above ground. For a Japanese-style grave, this requires a stone that is quite tall. A Western-style stone, on the other hand allows ashes to be stored in a more compact configuration, making it more space efficient.
