Nokotsu

According to Buddhist tradition, forty-nine days after a soul has departed a ceremony called nokotsu is held. A priest visits the home of the deceased person's relatives where the bones are held in an urn called a kotsutsubo. The priest chants before a small shrine in the house containing, among other items, a photograph of the deceased. After the nokotsu ceremony has been held, the soul of the departed gains entry into Heaven.

We attended the nokotsu for Kazuko's sister at her father's house this morning. We are all convinced that her spirit was present as two very mysterious things occurred during the ceremony. One, a vase of flowers on her altar suddenly fell over; it had been standing there since yesterday, nobody touched it and nothing else moved. Two, when the incense burner was placed before Kazuko, Valerie and Arthur, the smoke unaccountably thickened to a significant degree. Although I am not a religious person, I do not discount the preternatural and I am convinced that her soul lives on in peace somewhere and we will be together again in time.

After nokotsu, a time to recall memories.

The Cold Song - Klaus Nomi

We'll Meet Again - Johnny Cash