Hotel for the Dead Opens in Tokyo

A facility to temporarily house bodies until funerals have been arranged has recently opened in Tokyo.

Dubbed a "business hotel for the dead," the facility was established by Tokyo-based nonprofit organization LISS System, which has arranged funerals and estate settlements for 17 years. The building called LISS Center Shin-Kiba is three stories with a floor space of 550 square meters and can hold a maximum of 37 bodies.

Bodies are identified with bar codes to avoid mix-ups, and the room is equipped with anti-bacterial lights. The facility also has Japanese-style rooms so families can discuss the funeral arrangements in relative comfort. The center's staff is available to give advice on choosing a mortician and deciding on funeral details.


Rates at the "business hotel" run 7,350 yen a night, or 3,675 yen for 12 hours. Renting a room for a funeral costs 2,100 yen an hour.

There are not many other NPOs that have built such a well-equipped facility for the dead.

"Bereaved families usually are rushed to decide on a mortician and often have problems later regarding the funeral," Nyokai Matsushima of LISS System said.

"We want the families to have time to think, so they can decide on a satisfactory ceremony while their deceased relatives have a place to rest (temporarily) at our 'business hotel.'"

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