A columbarium was built at Keifuen in 1939 to house the cremated remains of residents who passed away. Staff would enter the structure through the steel door in the back and safely store urns inside. Since the sanatorium’s opening, whenever a resident passed away, their body was cremated, and a funeral was held. Following that, staff would contact authorities from the deceased’s hometown and take other measures to determine if there was anyone willing to collect the ashes. If the resident’s family or relatives could not be found, or if they were located but did not wish to take the ashes, then the ashes were kept at the sanatorium. Over time, this columbarium began deteriorating to the point where rainwater began leaking into the structure, so in 1976, it passed on its role to the current columbarium.
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National Sanatorium Kikuchi Keifuen History museum
Since the sanatorium’s opening, whenever a resident passed away, their body was cremated, and a funeral was held. Following that, staff would contact authorities from the deceased’s hometown and take other measures to determine if there was anyone willing to collect the ashes. If the resident’s family or relatives could not be found, or if they were located but did not wish to take the ashes, then the ashes were kept at the sanatorium.
Over time, this columbarium began deteriorating to the point where rainwater began leaking into the structure, so in 1976, it passed on its role to the current columbarium.