Okuribito Page #2

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Your business cards

are done. No misprints.

They're just coffins.

They're the first I've seen.

The first?

My grandparents died

before I can remember.

I was abroad when my mom

died, so I missed her funeral.

And your dad?

He left us when I was six.

That must have been hard for your mom.

Can someone who's never seen a corpse

actually do this job?

You'll get used to it.

To corpses?

It's slow now in the summer,

but when the seasons change...

I'll help.

...it's one job after another.

Who hires us?

Undertakers.

Undertakers?

It used to be that families

prepared the bodies.

Then undertakers took it on...

and places like ours started up.

It's a niche market.

They're heavy.

There's different types.

50,000.

100,000.

300,000.

They're that different?

That's plywood, this one has

gold fittings and carved sides.

And this one's pure hinoki cypress.

So it's the wood and the fittings...

Yep. They burn the same

way, into the same ashes.

Your last purchase, and

someone else chooses it.

It's ironic.

NK Agent...

Yes, he's here.

The Minatoza? He'll be right there.

The boss?

A job.

A job?

(Minatoza Theater)

NK Agent?

Yes.

He's here.

Oh, good.

This is my new assistant, uh...

'Kobayashi'.

Kobayashi. He'll be our model today.

Model?

We'll start shooting as

soon as you get changed.

Costume and make-up's over here.

Make-up?

Sir...

It's fine.

Let's start.

(Casketing Procedure)

The model's ready!

Good.

Where will this be shown?

It's fine.

It's just for the

trade. No one'll see it.

The first step in casketing

is washing of the body.

This washes away the weariness,

pain, and cares of this world...

and represents the first bath

for one newborn in the next.

In olden times, a

wash-cloth was used for this,

but now, for reasons of hygiene,

a sterilized cloth is used

to wipe...

the body.

To preserve dignity, take great care

that family members do not see

the bare skin of the deceased.

Once the body is dressed,

the face is shaved

before make-up is applied.

Especially with men, facial

hair will be more apparent

due to tissue contraction

and drying of the skin

so great care must be taken.

Necrotic skin is extremely fragile.

Even the pressure of

a finger can break it.

For this reason, we must proceed...

with very great care...

Ow! Ow!

Ow!

He's bleeding!

Ow!

It's fine.

It's just a scratch.

Hi.

What?

Your face...

The boss wanted me shaved.

You shaved at work?

But you only ever use an electric razor.

The boss said to.

It's just a scratch.

That's weird.

Yeah, it's a weird place.

Suddenly, my first case.

What should I do?

Today...

just watch.

All right.

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