When we think of funerals, we usually picture human mourners, black attire, and solemn hymns. Yet the ritual of saying goodbye transcends species and even inanimate objects. Below are ten remarkable funeral ceremonies that prove the sentiment of farewell can be applied to anything that once served a purpose, sparked joy, or simply existed. These 10 funeral ceremonies show how cultures worldwide find closure for the departed, whether they be machines, vessels, birds, or even a glacier.
10 Funeral For Departed Gaming Machines
Pachinko, the wildly popular Japanese arcade hybrid of slot and pinball, propels tiny metallic balls into a maze of pins. On rare occasions, a ball lands in a special slot that triggers a jackpot‑style randomizer, rewarding the player with a cascade of balls that serve as a redeemable currency for prizes. Some clever players even skirt local gambling laws by swapping those prizes for cash at nearby counters.
Because of its massive popularity, a single manufacturer must retire and replace roughly half a million units each year due to wear and tear. In 2001, Heiwa, a leading pachinko maker, organized a grand farewell for those thousands of machines. The ceremony took place in a well‑known Buddhist temple, complete with incense, mourners in black suits, chanting monks, and floral offerings. At the altar, a golden pachinko machine stood in place of the usual portrait, symbolizing the collective spirit of the retired devices.
Company representative Takayuki Uchiyama explained, “As a manufacturer of pachinko machines, we want to offer our thanks to machines that have completed their work.” He added that the rites honored not only the machines but also everyone who used, repaired, or manufactured them, stating, “It’s a way of praying for all the people who are dead who were involved in pachinko.”
9 Decommissioned Navy Vessels
Since the founding of the United States Navy in 1775, more than 15,000 ships have outlived their operational lives and been formally retired. Decommissioning a warship is far from the casual act of discarding an old appliance; these vessels have been comrades in battle, floating homes, and stages for daring exploits. When a ship is retired, a solemn ceremony—mirroring a funeral—acknowledges its service.
One such rite occurred in 2015 for the USS Rodney M. Davis, named after a sergeant who sacrificed his life during the Vietnam War. The event gathered the ship’s final crew, former sailors, Sergeant Davis’s family, and Marines who had served alongside him. The crew, dressed in dress uniforms, lowered the ship’s colors—an American flag and a long commissioning pendant—with the help of the sergeant’s daughters. Afterwards, the Davis family toured the vessel, reflecting on its legacy.
Commander Todd Whalen, the ship’s last commanding officer, summed up the occasion: “By valor and arms, USS Rodney M. Davis and her crew have answered the call for 28 years. We honored Sgt. Davis by working together to boldly execute the mission, and we’ll carry his Bold Runner spirit with us for the rest of our lives.”
8 Crows Hold ‘Funerals’ For Their Dead Brethren
When a crow collapses, its companions gather around the corpse, forming a solemn circle. They vocalize to one another, give the body extra attention, and seem to perform a ritual that resembles a funeral. This behavior is observed not only in crows but also in jays, magpies, and ravens. Yet the purpose behind these gatherings leans more toward practical warning than grief.
Researchers have shown that crows possess impressive memory for threats. In a study led by Kaeli Swift at the University of Washington, feeding stations attracted crows, after which a masked human presented a dead crow. The birds emitted a harsh “scolding” call that warned other crows of danger. Even when the masked individual returned without a dead crow, the crows continued to scold and avoid the area. This suggests the birds associate the mask with the death of one of their own, treating the location as hazardous.
When a murder of crows assembles for a “funeral,” it appears they are broadcasting a warning to living members and scanning the surroundings for threats. Notably, when the same experiment used dead pigeons instead of crows, the birds showed little reaction, indicating their concern is specific to their own species.
7 A Farewell For The Departing Souls Of Dolls
Japanese Shinto and Buddhist traditions share a belief that all objects possess a spirit. Consequently, when an item is slated for destruction, its soul is honored. In 2017, a group of twenty individuals and a Buddhist monk performed a funeral for the spirits of dolls and stuffed animals, including Hello Kitty and various Disney figures, that were destined for the trash.
The ceremony featured chants from former owners alongside monk Shingyo Goto, accompanied by thick incense smoke. Goto explained, “We believe a soul lives inside dolls, so I perform a service to take the spirits out of them and express the feeling of gratitude to them.” He emphasized that every object—from a needle to a pair of scissors, even an egg—contains a soul, and that gratitude should be shown toward all things.
6 A Fittingly Green Ceremony For A Tree
On April 1, 2019, a tree in New York met an untimely end. While the loss of a single tree may seem insignificant amid the billions of trees felled each year, this particular oak—affectionately named Will O. Baum—served as a symbol for all fallen trees. An obituary chronicling his life was published, noting his birth on Arbor Day in 1919, his role as a community pillar, his love for feeding birds, photosynthesizing, and sunbathing with his best friend Marvin.
The funeral took place at Judson Memorial Church and featured a 25‑part choir, poetic readings, and a New Orleans brass band. Attendees were encouraged to bring reusable bottles, as the event emphasized zero waste: no single‑use plastics or paper products were allowed. The invitation even suggested, “Wear green if you want to be festive.”
This gathering aimed to raise awareness about deforestation and the broader environmental crisis, honoring Will O. Baum’s lifelong advocacy for trees and the planet.
5 Hari Kuyo, The Needle Memorial Ceremony
Originating in Japan’s Heian period, Hari Kuyo is an annual ceremony held at the imperial household to honor the service of needles that have been used and broken throughout the year. The event draws seamstresses, housewives, and other craftspersons to Shinto and Buddhist temples, embodying Japan’s deep respect for proper disposal of objects.
During the ceremony, four women dressed in traditional Nara‑period garments perform a dance dedicated to Orihime, the celestial weaver. Attendees receive lucky paper amulets, and many participants place a needle upright into a block of konyaku jelly while offering a prayer, symbolically thanking the tool that enabled their work.
4 Goodbyes To Man’s Best Friend
The pet funeral industry in the United States generates roughly $100 million annually, with over 700 pet cemeteries nationwide. As Ed Martin III, vice president of Hartsdale Pet Cemetery and Crematory, notes, many owners feel profound grief when a beloved animal passes, sometimes even more intense than losing a human family member.
One notable ceremony honored Kye, a three‑year‑old police K9 who was fatally stabbed during a burglary in 2014. Over a thousand mourners, including dozens of other service dogs, attended the funeral, underscoring the deep bond between humans and their canine companions.
3 A Goodbye To Man’s Robotic Best Friend
In 1999, Sony introduced AIBO, an artificial‑intelligence robot dog that could wag its tail, dance, and eventually speak. Priced around $3,000, the first batch of 3,000 units sold out within 20 minutes. Production ceased in 2006 after modest sales, but roughly 150,000 units had found homes worldwide.
By 2014, Sony announced it would no longer support AIBO, meaning owners could no longer repair or replace parts. A small repair business emerged, salvaging components from other AIBOs to keep units alive. To honor the sacrificed machines—viewed as “organ donors”—founder Nobuyuki Norimatsu arranged a Buddhist‑temple funeral for 17 AIBOs. As the practice grew, larger ceremonies were held, including one for 800 units in 2018. Temple priest Bungen Oi explained that, “Even though AIBO is a machine and doesn’t have feelings, it acts as a mirror for human emotions.”
2 A Funeral For A Fictional Character
Walter White, the chemistry teacher‑turned‑meth‑kingpin portrayed by Bryan Cranston in the TV series Breaking Bad, met his presumed death in the show’s finale. Fans, moved by his tragic arc, funded a real‑world gravesite, an empty coffin, and a gravestone in Albuquerque, New Mexico—the series’ setting.
Beyond honoring the character, the fan‑raised $17,000 was donated to healthcare services for Albuquerque’s homeless population. However, some local residents objected, citing increased foot traffic to the cemetery where loved ones of real people are interred.
1 A Memorial For A Glacier
A glacier forms when years of snow accumulation exceed melting, eventually reaching a thickness of about 30 meters (100 ft) and flowing under its own weight. Iceland, home to 269 named glaciers, has roughly 11 percent of its land covered by these massive ice bodies.
Climate change is causing many glaciers to shrink as melt rates outpace snowfall. In 2014, Iceland declared its first dead glacier—Okjokull, affectionately called “Ok.” In August 2019, dozens of citizens, including the prime minister, trekked to the glacier’s former site to install a copper plaque memorial. The inscription reads, in both Icelandic and English, “Ok is the first Icelandic glacier to lose its status as a glacier. In the next 200 years all our glaciers are expected to follow the same path. This monument is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and know what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it.”