Mummies in Japan

Abstract

Although Japan's natural environment is not suitable for mummification process, at least two types of Japanese mummies have been reported so far. The detailed historical facts about the Japanese mummies are available in the literatures or temple traditions of the verse. The mummies of Japan are mostly those of Buddhist monks, the Sokushinbutsu. They were estimated to have been mummified in 1362-1903, and then, having been revered as the religious saints at their respective Buddhist temples that were mainly distributed in the prefectures of East Japan. The Fujiwara family mummies are another type of mummies found in Japan. They were the medieval political leaders ruling the northeast territory of Japan during the twelfth century. The mummies of this family over four generations are housed in the Chuson-ji, the Buddhist temple built by Fujiwara no H. Fujita (*)

The Ōshū Fujiwara—An interdisciplinary study on the history, culture and medical assessment of the oldest known mummified human remains in Japan (late Heian, 12th century AD)

“…The story, referred to as Kūkai nyūtei densetsu 空海入定伝説, was frequently retold during the Heian period in works such as the Eiga monogatari 栄華物語, the Konjaku monogatari 今昔物語 as well as specifically Buddhist texts. During the same time, several instances of monks and noblemen either becoming mummies or failing to decompose for a significant period after death were recorded: for details, refer to the timeline in [ 28 ] or a comprehensive list of Japanese Buddhist monk mummies in [ 29 ]. The religious situation at the time was therefore not unwelcoming to instances of physical preservation after death, at least in the imperial domain.…”

“…Also, most of the practitioners referred to as sokushinbutsu are not from the Heian or even Kamakura period, but from the Edo period 江戸時代 (1603–1868). Most of these practitioners were shugensō 修験僧 (monks) from Dewasanzan 出羽三山, and among the still existing sokushinbutsu , examples from Niigata and the Tohoku region are the most numerous [ 29 , 30 ]. These practitioners often practiced mokujiki 木食, meaning they did not eat certain types of cereals (usually five or ten types) and stopped eating entirely before their deaths, though the details of what they did or did not eat are different in every case.…”