Japanese Temples Offering Virtual Visits To Graves

Temples offering virtual visits to graves

As the nation grays and people gravitate to big cities and leave their hometowns behind, new services that enable people to see live images of the graves of their loved ones online or access photographs of their loved ones via the Net are gaining in popularity.

Several online services are available to subscribers, such as having photos of relatives who have died put online or providing access to live streamed videos of graves. A 50-year-old magazine editor who lives in Tokyo signed up in 2009 with Cyberstone, a Web site run by Buddhist temple Kudokuin in Toshima Ward.

By entering his user ID and password on his cell phone or home computer, he can access a Web page that displays a photograph of his mother, who died in October, as well as a summary of her life and a message he dedicated to her at the funeral.

Full story: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20100213TDY03305.htm