Packed among houses and small factories in a semi-industrial area of Kawasaki, Sou Sou resembles a regular hotel. How it differs is that it serves the dead.

Dubbed an itai hoteru (corpse hotel), Sou Sou is a storage venue for bodies before they are taken to be cremated. It offers a private place for family members and other mourners to pay their respects.

In rapidly aging Japan, where most bodies are cremated, there are sometimes waiting lists at crematoriums. It can take a week or more before a slot is available, especially in urban areas.