Since our inception, we have provided assistance for assistance following a major natural disaster or accident, including indigent and other special funerals as prescribed by the government. Examples of events where we provided this support include the 1985 Japan Air Lines crash, the 1991 Shigaraki Kohgen Railway accident and the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake.
The SAN HOLDINGS Group is celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2022. Our operations are still firmly rooted in our long history of providing services that reflect the public service nature of the funeral business and the social mission and dedication to serving others that is demanded of funeral companies.
One part of our social responsibility programs is the Hidamari Club, which we started in 2003 to assist families following a funeral, including support concerning the grieving process.
KOEKISHA, a SAN HOLDINGS Group funeral company, started the Hidamari Club in December 2003 in the Osaka region to support families following a funeral. Activities for members include workshops, grief support meetings and other programs for helping people deal with a death and look forward to leading a fulfilling life. The club attracted much attention as the first grief care service operated by a funeral company.
The club holds a meeting on the third Saturday of every month where an experienced grief counselor oversees small groups where people who have lost a loved one can share their thoughts. There are also grief workshops and discussions of personal experiences by club members. Members can also attend concerts and other events. The Hidamari magazine, published four times every year, and other measures are used to provide various information. There are currently more than 1,000 members.
The Hidamari Club led to the establishment of a non-profit organization called the Izokusasaeai Net. With the assistance of KOEKISHA, this organization offers seminars, concerts, short trips, community activities and other activities to help people cope with a death and move on with their lives.
The Hidamari Club started operating in the Tokyo area in December 2020.
The staff of the Hidamari Club secretariat are always using the suggestions and other input of members to seek ways to further improve services. Everyone has a strong commitment to the club’s goal of helping people deal with grief and return to a fulfilling and active life.
For the safety of people attending funerals and other events, KOEKISHA and TARUI, which are SAN-HOLDINGS Group funeral companies, have AEDs in all their funeral halls. These devices can be used by the public as well during funeral hall operating hours.
