M.J. Rose

Was there a time traveler on the set of Chaplin’s 1928 film? Some things are quite unusual and defy explanation. See for yourself:

A playground in the middle of a cemetery. At first glance it would seem out of sorts, morbid and creepy, right? But if you think about it, the idea of having a playground in a cemetery is a celebration of life – a connection between life and death that is so often missing in our culture.

Enjoy this thoughtful piece by Uwe Hook:

The constant battle to think outside of accepted norms

I went to the Yanaka Cemetery this morning to explore the resting place of the last shogun. The cemetery is in the middle of a lovely neighborhood, almost untouched by World War II. While wandering around I discovered this.

A playground in the middle of a cemetery. I had look twice to believe my eyes: Indeed, a playground smack-dab in the middle of a cemetery. I don’t know the Japanese culture well enough to understand the reason behind this placement but it hit me immediately: What a great idea. What a brilliant way to connect life and death. What an easy way to make your pilgrimage to visit your dead loved ones an enjoyable experience for your kids. What an innovative way to make grieving part of our human experience, not something we want to box up nicely and put away…

For the complete piece please click here.