The Japanese title "Okuribito" means "the sending [away/off] people" (as in: people who send) - but this word is not normally used in Japanese.
Yôjirô Takita attended funeral ceremonies to understand the feelings of bereaved families, while Tsutomu Yamazaki never participated in the encoffinment training.
Although the character of Mika was initially planned as being the same age as Daigo, the role went to pop singer Ryôko Hirosue, who had previously acted in Takita's Himitsu (Secret) in 1999. Takita explained that a younger actress would better represent the lead couple's growth out of naivety. In a 2009 interview, Takita stated that he had cast "everyone who was on my wish list".
Japan's contender for the 2009 foreign language Oscar, which it won.