The authors examine the process of mourning in a culture whose religions sanction the implied presence of the deceased through ancestor worship, as compared to a culture where this is not acceptable or encouraged. Most of 20 Japanese widows interviewed during the acute grief phase of mourning adhered to the cultural beliefs and were less depressed and anxious and had less difficulty accepting the loss than those who did not. The authors suggest that the almost universal Japanese custom of ancestor worship serves an important adaptive function in the work of mourning.Abstract Teaser