Updated by "Forest Circular Economy" Editorial Board on May 14, 2025, 10:41 AM JST
Editorial Board, Forest Circular Economy
Forestcircularity-editor
We aim to realize "Vision 2050: Japan Shines, Forest Circular Economy" promoted by the Platinum Forest Industry Initiative. We will disseminate ideas and initiatives to promote biomass chemistry, realize wooden cities, and encourage innovation in the forestry industry in order to fully utilize forest resources to decarbonize, strengthen economic security, and create local communities.
Amidst growing interest in the cyclical use of forest resources and the creation of a society in harmony with nature, at FOREST, which supervises "Circular Funeral (R)," will hold "WITH PET WEEKEND," a nature symbiosis event to enjoy with pets, on May 25 at Nose Myokenzan in Osaka Prefecture. This event will be held jointly with Animal Refuge Kansai (ARC), a certified nonprofit organization that conducts activities to protect dogs and cats. The event was planned as a place where a recycling-oriented burial culture in harmony with nature and animal protection activities that emphasize the sanctity of life intersect.
Under the slogan of "Live with the Forest, Return to the Forest, Create the Forest," Circulation Funeral is a burial service based on the premise that the remains will be returned to nature. The remains are buried in the forest under the supervision of soil science experts, without grave markers. The company also offers a plan that allows the remains of pets, "members of the family," to be interred together. This plan is attracting attention as a new option to address the shortage of cemeteries in urban areas and the problem of succession. This event will provide an opportunity to reconsider these views of nature and life and death, and how to relate to the forest in the context of the relationship with pets.
ARC is an organization with over 30 years of experience in animal sheltering and transfer activities, mainly in the Kansai area. The "connection between nature and life" advocated by Circular Funeral and ARC's philosophy of improving animal welfare share a common foundation.
This year's event will feature a variety of programs that will allow visitors to experience the connection between life and death through all five senses, including a petting corner with shelter dogs and cats by ARC, a pet dog photo session amid fresh greenery, and sweets and drinks.
Nose Myokenzan, where the event will be held, has long been known as a sacred place of worship to the North Star, and is also a temple that owns a beech forest. at FOREST, a forest that has been restored from neglect, is the primary location for the cyclical burial program. The serene environment away from the hustle and bustle of the city is an appropriate place to reconsider how to deal with life. The experience of spending time with pets in a forest rich in nature is appealing to city dwellers and can serve as a catalyst for increased interest in forests.
This event is not a one-time event, but a practical example of rethinking how to respect life and use natural resources in a recycling-oriented society. For those involved in the forest industry, these developments may provide hints for finding new values for forest use. In addition to its traditional role of timber production, this event suggests the potential of forests as spaces that meet people's needs for spiritual fulfillment and a return to nature.
