There，throughthegoodofficesofthepolice，IwasenabledtoattendaBuddhistfuneralofamerchantofsomewealth。Itinterestedmeverymuchfromitssolemnityanddecorum，andIto’sexplanationsofwhatwentbeforewereremarkablydistinctlygiven。
IwentinaJapanesewoman’sdress，borrowedatthetea-house，withabluehoodovermyhead，andthusescapedallnotice，butIfoundtherestraintofthescanty“tiedforward“kimonoverytiresome。
ItogavememanyinjunctionsastowhatIwastodoandavoid，whichIcarriedoutfaithfully，beingnervouslyanxioustoavoidjarringonthesensibilitiesofthosewhohadkindlypermittedaforeignertobepresent。
Theillnesswasashortone，andtherehadbeennotimeeitherforprayersorpilgrimagesonthesickman’sbehalf。WhendeathoccursthebodyislaidwithitsheadtothenorthapositionthatthelivingJapanesescrupulouslyavoid，nearafoldingscreen，betweenwhichanditanewzenisplaced，onwhichareasaucerofoilwithalightedrush，cakesofuncookedricedough，andasaucerofincensesticks。Thepriestsdirectlyafterdeathchoosethekaimiyo，orposthumousname，writeitonatabletofwhitewood，andseatthemselvesbythecorpse；hiszen，bowls，cups，etc。，arefilledwithvegetablefoodandareplacedbyhisside，thechopsticksbeingputonthewrong，i。e。theleft，sideofthezen。
Attheendofforty-eighthoursthecorpseisarrangedforthecoffinbybeingwashedwithwarmwater，andthepriest，whilesayingcertainprayers，shavesthehead。Inallcases，richorpoor，thedressisoftheusualmake，butofpurewhitelinenorcotton。