Japan’s futuristic columbaria are a practical response to an ageing population, shrinking families, and a shortage of space. (AI-generated pic) TOKYO: It sounds like something out of a science-fiction film. You arrive at a temple, tap a card, and a screen lights up with the face of the person you came to see. A panel slides open, revealing a niche containing their ashes. You bow, place flowers, and speak quietly – before everything retreats back into storage, ready for the next visitor. In Japan’s major cities, this is no futuristic fantasy – it’s a practical response to an ageing population, shrinking families, and a severe shortage of space. Often referred to as “virtual cemeteries”, these facilities are better described as “high-tech indoor columbaria”. They store cremated remains in compact, multi-storey buildings and use automation and digital displays to make visits efficient, private, and emotionally focused. For visitors from countries like Malaysia, where burial practices are shaped by religion, tradition and family land, the concept may seem alien – yet the pressures driving this shift are increasingly recognisable across urban Asia. In Japan, graves are traditionally family-owned and passed down generations, with relatives responsible for regular maintenance. Today, however, many people live far from ancestral homes, have no children, or simply cannot afford city burial plots. The result has been a move towards indoor, technology-assisted memorial spaces. The vibrant spectacle of 2,000 small Buddha statues at Ruriden, an indoor cemetery attached to Koukoku-ji Temple. (Anne Jones / Atlas Obscura pic) At Tokyo’s Shinjuku Rurikoin Byakurengedo, visitors use an electronic card to summon a private altar. A digital screen displays photographs of the deceased, while a robotic system retrieves the urn from storage behind the scenes. After a short visit, everything is returned – quietly and efficiently. Another well-known location is Ruriden, an indoor cemetery attached to Koukoku-ji temple. Inside, over 2,000 small Buddha statues glow softly in different colours. Each represents a person whose ashes are stored behind the wall, illuminated when a visitor taps their card. Convenience, not coldness For many users, the appeal is less about novelty and more about relief. Older Japanese residents often cite practicality as a deciding factor. Yumiko Nakajima, then in her 70s, told VICE in 2016 that she chose such a facility because she did not want to burden her relatives with grave upkeep. “It’s much more convenient,” she said. Indeed, this convenience is carefully designed: these indoor cemeteries are sheltered from the weather, close to train stations, and open daily, allowing visits to fit into modern routines. This stylish but functional setup at Shinkyoji Temple allows visitors to carry out traditional rituals associated with paying respects to the dead. (Daifuku pic) These facilities operate at the intersection of religion, technology and business – a delicate balance. And despite being labelled “high-tech indoor columbaria”, there is nothing particularly high-tech on the surface. There are no virtual-reality headsets or holograms. The technology is deliberately unobtrusive, to preserve some semblance of tradition. At Shinkyoji Temple, visitors enter a small, quiet booth. After tapping their card, a portrait appears on screen, followed moments later by the urn, delivered by an automated system. The rituals – bowing, lighting incense, silent reflection – remain intact. Shakuhousen, the temple’s 17th-generation chief priest, sees it as adaptation rather than disruption. “We also have a traditional outdoor graveyard here,” he said, “but there are benefits to this indoor type.” It may be tempting to frame Japan’s virtual cemeteries as technology changing the way people grieve; but those who run them argue that grief itself remains unchanged – only its logistics have evolved. “In this era of digitisation,” added Shakuhousen, “I want temples to continue in their role as places where we can remember people from the past.” For Malaysians watching from afar, Japan’s approach may not be a model to adopt wholesale. But it offers a glimpse of how mourning practices might adapt in dense, ageing cities – not through spectacle, but through quiet, thoughtful design that makes space for memory… even when space itself is scarce.

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We all know toy fairs aren’t just for kids — kidults and toy collectors turn up in droves at toy fairs around the world. But rather than the latest Labubu-type toy, something else took centrestage at the Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair. And, boy, was it creepy. In an Instagram video posted by @redballoonhk, crowds of men were seen gathering around several women. Look closer and you'll realise they weren't real women but hyper-realistic life-sized AI silicon dolls. Some attendees are seen touching the dolls to test how life-like the material feels (we think), while others interacted with their built-in AI features. Now, we don’t know about all of that, but the scene of these men fiddling with the dolls in public, as if allowing their unbridled thoughts to run awry is creepy, to say the least. The dolls were showcased in a newly introduced zone called ‘Pop & Play’, an area open to the public and marketed as a space for designer toys and AI-powered companion figures. According to manufacturers, these AI-powered dolls are programmed to hold conversations and respond with emotional cues, such as appearing shy or playful. They are also designed to remember past interactions and adapt their responses over time, with creators claiming they can help users cope with anxiety or loneliness. No, this is not an episode of Black Mirror — this is real life. While such realistic dolls have previously appeared at niche, closed-door exhibitions, what unsettled many netizens was how accessible this display was.  Unlike adult-only expos, anyone could walk into the ‘Pop & Play’ zone. “I’m not sure how I feel about kids having such easy access to this area,” one netizen commented. Others said the sight of grown men openly handling the dolls in public was uncomfortable to watch, even if no rules were technically broken. Still, some felt the moment was inevitable. “Sci-fi movies already painted our future, right?” read a comment.   Crowds of men were seen gathering around a booth of hyper-realistic silicon figures...   And fiddling with the dolls as if allowing their unbridled thoughts to run awry     https://www.instagram.com/reels/DTadEdIkjtU/

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