Short answers, pulled from the story.
Over 60% of Japanese households possess a butsudan according to Reader's 1995 research. This shrine serves as the spiritual center for many families who practice Buddhism in Japan.
A typical butsudan contains subsidiary religious accessories known collectively as butsugu including candlesticks, incense burners, bells, and platforms for offerings like fruit, tea, or rice. The defined space inside the cabinet is called the Butsma where the honzon resides during worship.
Jodo Shinshu Buddhism traditions typically do not use ihai tablets found in other schools. Instead they may place pictures of the deceased near the altar rather than enshrining name tablets.
More than 90% of households in many rural villages possess a butsudan according to Nakamaki's 2003 research while urban and suburban areas often see ownership rates fall below 60%. This stratification reflects changing social patterns and housing structures across different regions of Japan.
When a family replaces or repairs a butsudan a re-enshrinement ceremony follows according to some Buddhist sects. These rituals mark the transition from an old shrine to a new sacred space within the home involving preparation of the cabinet and placement of the gohonzon.