 Reviewer <unk> Yamaguchi gave the film an 85 % rating , and found the treatment of its subject charming . He praised its quiet emotional impact and humour , the interweaving of northern Japan scenery with Hisaishi 's cello score , and the film 's Japanese spirit . Media critic Sadao Yamane found a moving beauty in the dextrous hand movements Sasaki teaches Daigo for preparing bodies , and believed that a prior reading of the original script would deepen the viewer 's understanding of the action . Mark Schilling of The Japan Times gave the film four stars out of five , praising the acting though criticizing the apparent idealization of the encoffiners . He concluded that the film " makes a good case for the Japanese way of death . " 
