Unusual Love for Corrugated Cardboard Extending to Beds and Desks
Recently, there has been a heated debate among netizens regarding the trend of cardboard coffins in Japan.
On the 19th, a post titled "Cardboard Coffins Trending in Japan" was uploaded on an online community. The author, Mr. A, explained, "Homeless people or those whose identities cannot be confirmed are placed in body bags and then put into cardboard coffins for immediate cremation," adding, "Not only in Japan but also in many countries, cardboard coffins are used for handling unclaimed bodies."
Cardboard coffins used in Japan for the disposal of unclaimed bodies. [Photo by Online Community Archive]
In the photos posted by Mr. A, a light brown paper box resembling a delivery package is seen being pushed into a crematorium machine. Mr. A added, "Among ordinary people without economic means, there is a strong perception that there is no need to use expensive coffins if they will just be burned away immediately," and "Perhaps because of this, the proportion of people choosing cardboard coffins has increased."
As Mr. A claimed, cardboard coffins are indeed used in several countries for handling bodies. In 2020, Ecuador distributed cardboard coffins to citizens as the number of deaths surged due to the spread of COVID-19.
Netizens' reactions to the photos were sharply divided. Most netizens responded with comments such as, "Since it will be burned anyway, what does it matter?", "Seems like a good idea," "It's used for unclaimed bodies, so what's the problem?", "Even if you put the body in another coffin, it would be burned in seconds anyway, so it seems like a reasonable choice," "I will choose a cardboard coffin when my time comes," and "It looks affordable and of good quality."
On the other hand, some netizens expressed opinions like, "It's disrespectful to the deceased," "Would you lay your parents in a cardboard coffin if they passed away?", and "No matter how unclaimed the body is, putting them in a cardboard box for their final journey is too cruel."
Cardboard Coffins and Beds... Japan's Unique Love for Cardboard
Japan's affection for cardboard is not new. During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, 'cardboard beds' made of cardboard were used in the athletes' village, sparking controversy. At that time, the American New York Post (NYP) dubbed the cardboard beds as "anti-sex" beds, mocking that athletes could not have sexual relations for fear the beds would collapse. These beds are scheduled to be reused at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Paul Chelimo, a U.S. national long-distance runner, expressed his dissatisfaction on his social media, saying, "If someone urinates, the box will get wet and the bed will collapse," and added, "I need to practice sleeping on the floor in case my bed collapses."
Another piece of cardboard furniture is the 'desk.' In 2022, a Japanese assembly furniture manufacturer attracted attention by introducing an eco-friendly cardboard desk. At that time, the company’s representative explained, "Although it may look weak externally, it is made of reinforced cardboard with about ten times the compression strength of regular cardboard," and "It also has the advantage of being more water-resistant compared to other papers."
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