Background info: am half Japanese and unfortunately a little alienated from my culture because of my non-Japanese parent but still visit Japan often with a close relationship with family over there even without being able to speak Japanese. My grandparents have a butsudan at theirs for their parents and since the recent passing of my Jiji I want to have the same thing to be able to still keep a relationship with him at home (Canada). I understand that butsudans are religious altars and do have specific rules to keeping them and I don’t want to violate anything or upset my ancestors by not taking care of it properly or setting something up incorrectly/offensively.
In theory I could just place a photo and place daily offerings of rice/water/his fav alcohol/treats but I kind of want something more formal and caring because he was a hard working man and spoiled me, I should give him the respect he deserves. Unfortunately, I live in an apartment and in Canada and I feel like getting a properly blessed butsudan is going to be hard. I was thinking a small cabinet on the wall that I can place his photo, incense and offerings and be able to close it so my cat doesn’t get in it and mess up his offerings. If anyone has any idea on what I can do to set up an unofficial alter for him until I can get something from Japan/set up permanently residence in Japan in a few years, please share.
by AllidiaTabata