TEAR Tajimi North to open on 21 November as existing franchisee’s fifth funeral venue

On 12 November 2026, TEAR announced that it would open TEAR Tajimi North, a venue for small, family-focused funerals, in Tajimi, Gifu Prefecture, on 21 November. The venue will be run by franchisee Hokuei Enterprise. It will be the operator’s fifth funeral venue, marking further local expansion by an existing franchisee.

Existing franchisee to open its second venue in Tajimi

The new venue will be Hokuei Enterprise’s second in Tajimi. The key feature of this announcement is that an established operator is adding another location, rather than a new franchisee opening its first. The opening will bring the franchisee’s portfolio to five funeral venues.

For those following the franchise sector, the news offers insight into how an individual franchisee is expanding its operations, alongside the overall size of the brand’s network. The ‘fifth venue’ refers to the operator’s portfolio, while the ‘second in the city’ describes its presence within Tajimi.

With a strong presence in Nagoya, TEAR operates funeral services and a franchise business across Hokkaido, Kanto, Chubu and Kansai. As of November 2026, its network comprises 233 funeral venues. This announcement sets out plans for a new franchisee-operated venue specialising in family funerals within that network.

Two ceremony halls within approximately 296 square metres

TEAR Tajimi North will occupy a single-storey timber-frame building with a total floor area of 296.27 square metres. It will have two ceremony halls of different sizes and a room where the deceased can rest before the funeral. Its stated capacity is approximately 30 people, with 19 on-site parking spaces.

The main facility specifications announced are:

• Building: single-storey timber-frame construction
• Total floor area: 296.27 square metres
• Ceremony spaces: two halls of different sizes
• Capacity: approximately 30 people
• Care of the deceased: a dedicated room for resting before the funeral
• Parking: 19 on-site spaces
• Family waiting rooms: two Japanese-style rooms
• Interior design: step-free, accessible design throughout

The plans cover not only the ceremony halls but also a room for the deceased and waiting rooms for relatives. Beyond describing the facility as a family funeral venue, the announcement provides specific details on its floor area, capacity and room layout, helping clarify the nature of this opening.

The advertised capacity is ‘approximately 30 people’. This should be read alongside the provision of two differently sized halls as an indication of the venue’s scale.

Japanese-style family rooms and accessible design throughout

Two Japanese-style rooms will serve as waiting rooms for relatives, separate from the ceremony spaces. The interior is designed to be accessible throughout. Together with the single-storey timber-frame structure, these details outline the spaces available to visitors.

When assessing a funeral venue, considerations extend beyond ceremony hall capacity to the availability of family rooms, facilities for the deceased and ease of movement around the building. For TEAR Tajimi North, the announcement also confirms the number of on-site parking spaces.

However, these building specifications should be assessed separately from staffing arrangements and the services that will be provided. What the opening announcement establishes is the concrete plan for the building and facilities intended to support family funerals.

Responding to demand for family funerals while expanding the franchise network

TEAR positions the new venue as a response to growing demand in recent years for small, family-focused funerals. With two ceremony halls of different sizes, a room for the deceased and Japanese-style waiting rooms for relatives, it is scheduled to open on 21 November.

The announcement does not provide figures for the size or growth rate of the family funeral market. Rather, it describes an individual opening through which the company is developing its provision in this segment. The specific milestones are an existing franchisee taking on its fifth venue and opening its second location in the same city.

From a franchise-sector perspective, it is important to consider both the national network and the franchisees operating locally. Looking beyond TEAR’s overall total of 233 venues to identify the operator and location helps place the new venue in context.

The practical takeaway is to distinguish between the brand’s total network and the scale of each franchisee’s operations. Those considering joining the franchise or running multiple locations can use openings such as this as a starting point for examining facility specifications and the respective roles of the franchisor and franchisee.