October 3, 2022
On Thursday, September 29, 2022, a graveside ceremony and a memorial service for the souls of anatomical donors, hosted by the School of Medicine, were held at Tama Cemetery and Zojoji Temple.
Every year during the autumn equinox, the School of Medicine holds a memorial service for the souls of anatomical donors, inviting the bereaved families and attended by faculty, staff, and medical students. The purpose of the service is to pray for the souls of those who have graciously donated their bodies for the advancement of medical education and academic research. This service has been held at Zojoji Temple in Shiba Park, Minato Ward, since 1928 and is positioned as one of the most important events for the School of Medicine. This year, due to the spread of COVID-19, the service was held with careful consideration for infection prevention measures, attended only by representatives of Keio University and School of Medicine students.
This year, prior to the main service, a graveside ceremony was held in front of the School of Medicine's charnel house at Tama Cemetery. Along with the chanting of sutras by monks from Zojoji Temple, Dean Takanori Kanai and other representatives of the School of Medicine offered incense.
Following this, the memorial service for the souls of anatomical donors was held in the main hall of Zojoji Temple. During the service, the Dean of the School of Medicine read a memorial address, and prayers were offered for the repose of the souls through the chanting of sutras by many monks, led by the 89th Head Priest, Archbishop Kenju Ozawa. Finally, on behalf of the faculty and staff, Professor Kazunori Nakajima of the Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, gave an address. He expressed sincere respect and gratitude to the souls of the donors and their bereaved families, acknowledging the profound contribution of their body donations to the advancement of the medical sciences. He stated that in order to maintain and further develop the current high standards of the medical sciences, it is essential to actively apply the new knowledge gained from anatomical dissection to daily clinical practice, research, and education, and that he considers this his mission. He concluded his speech by pledging that all faculty, staff, and students, aware of the noble intentions of the donors and the great, ongoing expectations and hopes of the bereaved families and many others, will continue to devote themselves to the future development of the medical sciences, bringing the ceremony to a close.