Funeral and cremation costs in Japan
And the funeral benefits families can claim
Most people in Japan are cremated. Cremation at a public crematorium costs much less for residents of the city than for others. Health insurance pays a funeral benefit to the family, and part of the funeral costs can be deducted from the estate for inheritance tax.
Checked against official pages of cities, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Kyokai Kenpo, and the National Tax Agency in October 2026
Key points
- National Health Insurance funeral benefit: ¥10,000 to ¥60,000 by city (¥70,000 in Tokyo's 23 wards)
- Employees' health insurance: a burial allowance of ¥50,000
- Claim within 2 years
This site is mainly in Japanese. English pages: When a family member dies in Japan ・ Heirs living outside Japan ・ Japanese inheritance tax for foreign nationals ・ Survivors' pension ・ Registering inherited real estate ・ Bank accounts after a death ・ Funeral and cremation costs ・ Renouncing an inheritance. Easy Japanese: やさしい日本語
Other languages: Tiếng Việt ・ 简体中文
Benefits you can claim
| Health insurance of the person who died | Benefit | Who receives it, and the deadline |
|---|---|---|
| National Health Insurance (国民健康保険) | Funeral expense benefit (葬祭費): ¥10,000 to ¥60,000, depending on the city (¥70,000 in Tokyo's 23 wards) | The person who held the funeral. Within 2 years from the day after the funeral, at the city office |
| Medical care for people aged 75 or older (後期高齢者医療) | Funeral expense benefit: ¥20,000 to ¥50,000, depending on the prefecture | The person who held the funeral. Within 2 years from the day after the funeral, at the city office |
| Employees' health insurance (Kyokai Kenpo and others) | Burial allowance (埋葬料): ¥50,000. Some health insurance societies pay more | A family member who was supported by the person. Within 2 years from the day after the death |
In Tokyo's 23 wards, the benefit for people aged 75 or older is 50,000 yen from the Tokyo-wide association plus 20,000 yen from the ward (except Nakano Ward). Amounts by city are on our Japanese page 葬祭費の地域差; Kyokai Kenpo: burial allowance, in Japanese.
Cremation fees at public crematoria
Fee for one adult, October 2026. Children's fees and age limits differ by city.
| City | Resident | Non-resident |
|---|---|---|
| Sapporo | ¥16,000 | ¥54,000 |
| Sendai | ¥9,000 | ¥27,200 |
| Saitama | ¥7,000 | ¥56,000 |
| Chiba | ¥7,000 | ¥110,000 |
| Yokohama | ¥12,000 | ¥50,000 |
| Kawasaki | ¥6,750 | ¥60,000 |
| Sagamihara | ¥6,000 | ¥54,000 |
| Niigata | Free | ¥28,000 |
| Shizuoka | ¥10,000 | ¥44,000 |
| Hamamatsu | Free | ¥42,000 |
| Nagoya | ¥5,000 | ¥70,000 |
| Kyoto | ¥20,000 | ¥100,000 |
| Osaka | ¥10,000 | ¥60,000 |
| Sakai | ¥20,000 | ¥100,000 |
| Kobe | ¥12,000 | ¥42,000 |
| Okayama | ¥10,000 | ¥45,000 |
| Hiroshima | ¥8,200 | ¥59,000 |
| Kitakyushu | ¥15,000 | ¥55,000 |
| Fukuoka | ¥20,000 | ¥70,000 |
| Kumamoto | ¥6,000 | ¥36,000 |
| Tokyo (Mizue, run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government) | ¥59,600 | ¥71,520 |
| Tokyo, 5 wards (Rinkai) | ¥44,000 | ¥88,000 |
In most cities, the resident fee applies when the person who died lived in the city. Tokyo's 23 wards have only two public crematoria; the others are private. Fees and conditions for each city are on our Japanese page 公営斎場の火葬料金.
Funeral costs and inheritance tax
If the estate is large enough for inheritance tax, the heir who paid can deduct funeral costs from the estate (National Tax Agency No.4129, in Japanese).
- Deductible: cremation, burial, and placing the ashes; transporting the body or ashes; the wake and other costs needed for the funeral; payments to the temple for sutra chanting at the funeral
- Not deductible: return gifts for condolence money, buying a grave or gravestone, and memorial services such as the 7th and 49th days
Keep receipts. If there is no receipt, for example for payments to the temple, write down the date, the recipient, and the amount.
Paying from the deceased's account
Before the estate is divided, each heir can withdraw up to ¥1,500,000 from one bank for costs such as the funeral. See bank accounts after a death.
FAQ
Who receives the funeral expense benefit?
The person who held and paid for the funeral, usually the chief mourner. The city may ask for a receipt or another document showing who held the funeral. You claim from the health insurance the person who died was covered by.
Is condolence money (koden) taxed?
Condolence money of a socially reasonable amount is not taxed. It belongs to the person who received it, usually the chief mourner, and is not part of the estate (National Tax Agency No.4405, in Japanese).
Why is cremation more expensive for non-residents?
Public crematoria are run by cities for their residents. In most cities, the resident fee applies if the person who died lived in the city, regardless of where the family lives.
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