The aim of this study was to examine the potential contribution of Death Cafés to the creation of a society that is inclusive of death, which is necessary for ACP, through an analysis of the motivations and orientations of Death Cafés hosts to run Death Cafés.

Interviews were conducted with 16 host of Death Cafés. Interview transcripts were segmented, coded and categorized, focusing on motivations and orientations for running Death Cafés.

Motivation for running Death Cafés were categorized into four categories: “The bereavement experience of the host”, “The identity crisis of the host”, “Dissatisfaction with a society in which death is taboo”, and “Unlocking new possibilities for Buddhist temples”

The orientation of Death Cafés was categorized into two categories. Namely, “Personal growth” and “Community development”.

Attitudes towards the attendees with grief were categorized in two categories. “Not mentioned” and ” Welcome participation/refer to more appropriate projects “.

The characteristics of the host and venue were categorized as “Buddhist monk and/or Buddhist temple” and “Other”.

The relationship between these four factors was examined. When the host's bereavement experience was the motivation for starting the Death Cafés, they tended to regard death as an overwhelming experience and to run an individually oriented Death Cafés with the intention of personal growth. When the motivation for starting the Death Cafés was dissatisfaction with a society that considered death a taboo subject, attitudes towards death tended to be neutral and the café tended to be socially oriented with the intention of community development. Where the motivation for starting the Death Cafés was to expand the possibilities of the Buddhist temple, which was one of the subcategories of “Community development”, attitudes towards death were neutral and café tended to be both individual and socially oriented.

Death Cafés held in Buddhist temples may have the potential to contribute to the creation of a death-inclusive society in Japan and could be an ACP implementation strategy.