Updated: 2026-07-19

Nuigurumi kuyō — Japan's farewell ceremony for stuffed animals

Rooted in the idea that dolls house a spirit, Japan has a tradition of holding memorial services (kuyō) for dolls and stuffed animals at shrines and temples before letting them go. Ritually mourning objects this way is a practice almost unique to Japan.

Chōfukuju-ji temple in Chiba has roughly 400 years of doll-memorial history, performing sutra readings before a dedicated cremation. Meiji Shrine's annual Doll Appreciation Festival, held since 1989, drew about 7,000 visitors and 42,000 dolls in 2019. Many shrines and temples accept items by mail.

Repair and keep, clean and pass on, or hold a farewell ceremony — a stuffed animal's journey has more than one ending. Our site's business is comparing repair and cleaning, but kuyō deserves a factual mention as the third option.

Sources

• 長福寿寺 — ぬいぐるみの人形供養
• お焚き上げ神社 — 東京の人形供養

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