Japan’s newest meditation trend puts people into coffins

The facility, named Meiso Kukan Kanoke-in, recently opened in the Takadanobaba district. Its operators describe the practice as “a meditative experience where you can look at life through the awareness of death.”

The concept is straightforward: visitors lie inside wooden coffins styled after those used in Japanese funerals. A 30-minute session invites participants to reflect on their thoughts while calming music and visual projections play above them. 

Although intended purely for meditation, the coffins are nearly identical to real ones, including a glass viewing panel normally used in traditional services.

The company insists it is not attempting to shock or sensationalise but to provide an unusual place for contemplation. 

Staff say the environment is carefully controlled and that participants must be in good physical and mental health. Those suffering from claustrophobia are strongly advised to avoid the experience.

There are also practical limitations: customers must be at least 18 years old, under 185 centimetres in height and weigh less than 90 kilograms.

Sessions cost around $13 (2,000 yen) and run four times a day.

While the idea may appear extreme, it fits into a broader Japanese culture of seeking quiet spaces — whether in cafes, hot springs or parks — where people can pause and detach from daily pressures.