Hello Kitty heaven?

The Japanese may well live for an unbelievably long time, but when they do finally meet their maker, they rest in rather grand surroundings. Emperors perhaps not surprisingly securing the most spacious spots.

But even less regal members of society often manage to bag spaces bigger than many apartments.

In fact, so much care is taken with such post-cremation accommodation, that there is even a prize for the best design. This year’s winner of the 13th Grave Photo Contest being a stone bearing the character for ‘sky’, with the heart-shaped offering below taking the new design prize.

Surely meaning that it’s only a matter of time before the emergence of Hello Kitty headstones…