Conversation so far:
What was the Cultural background for the Departures (2008) film?
Japanese funerals are highly ritualized affairs which are generally--though not always--conducted in accordance with Buddhist rites.
How do the Japanese funerals go against the grains of Buddhist rites?
CANNOTANSWER.

Question: What else can you tell me about the cultural background for the film?
Self-contained rewrite: Besides the ritualized funerals, what else can you tell me about the cultural background for the 2008 film Departures?