<<Print>>

Trying out a coffin while you�re still alive can be a rather unnerving experience. But the Japanese seem to love it! They even have a creepy �try-before-you-die� festival where people can lay down in coffins, try out funeral garments and even get a morbid makeover. Called �Shukatsu Festa�, the unique event has become very popular in recent years. In fact the whole �shukatsu� trend, which translates as preparing for one�s end, has become really big in Japan. Apparently, people no longer think it�s bad luck to prepare for their death. Participants can choose their funeral outfit, put it on, slip into the flower-filled casket they like and have a picture taken. That way, they get to know exactly what they�ll look like on the day of their funeral. They can even have funeral make-up applied on their faces for a deathly pallor. They can also choose to be covered with white blankets have have the attendants softly close the lid.