"It will cut down the time it takes to attend a funeral by around one-fourth or one-fifth"
Drive-thru funeral parlours are now a thing in Japan.
As reported by Japan Times, a funeral home operator will be offering a drive-thru service for those who wish to bid their farewells without leaving their car.
Kankon Sousai Aichi Group, based in Ueda, central Nagano, will introduce the service in December.
Similar to fast-food drive-thrus, funeral drive-thrus will allow attendees to drive up to a window where they sign their name and hand over condolence money.
Attendees can also pay their respects using an electronic incense-burning device.
Masao Ogiwara, head of the company, says the service is aimed at those who are disabled or have limited mobility.
“All in all, it will cut down the time it takes to attend a funeral by around one-fourth or one-fifth,” Ogiwara said.
“I’ve been in this business for a while and have seen how burdensome attending funerals can be for old folks in wheelchairs,” he added. “The new service will allow those who would otherwise stay home go out and bid farewell to friends and family.”
According to Yano Research Institute, the funeral business market in Japan is worth around ¥1.7 trillion.