The book was based on his diaries during a period in which he worked as a mortician in the 1970s, a profession which is traditionally regarded as a taboo in Japan due to their perception of death.
Buku tersebut berdasarkan pada buku hariannya pada masa ia bekerja sebagai pengurus pemakaman pada 1970an, sebuah pekerjaan yang biasanya dianggap tabu di Jepang karena persepsi kematian mereka.