On a recent gray day, the earth next to the Islamic Garden at National Memorial Park near Falls Church was upturned for expansion. There, deceased Muslims are often propped on one shoulder inside ...

At the beginning of the funeral, a Japanese bell rang and incense sticks were lighted. The sound of an oversized mallet striking a bowl-shaped bell and the distinctive smell of burning sandalwood were ...

In the past, Japanese funerals were deeply rooted in Buddhist and Shinto traditions. They were often held at home or in temples. Cremation became widespread during the Edo period. Funerals were ...

Buddhist monk Taigen Yokoyama demonstrates his karate technique by breaking tiles at the Life Ending Industry Expo in Tokyo, on December 9, 2015 Buddhist monk Taigen Yokoyama demonstrates his karate ...

Japanese Buddhist monks strutted their stuff Wednesday in a contest highlighting sutra chanting skills, giving funeral sermons and, surprisingly, loud karate chops. The contest, held on the sidelines ...