In December 2000 and most of January 2001, my family and I visited Japan for six weeks. It was truly an inexpressible experience. But in the best way I can, I will tell you about Japan and the work that our church members are doing there. . . .
It takes almost 14 hours to fly from Washington, DC, to Tokyo, Japan. For those of you who have not had the privilege of flying from America to Japan, it is a very beautiful flight, especially if it is on a sunny day. We were flying west toward the international date line, and it never got dark because of our constant movement in that direction. Upon reaching the “Land of the Rising Sun,” we could already see it was vast. Formed by four larger islands and numerous smaller ones, it is a very large country with 47 prefectures (what we in America or Canada would call states or provinces).
During the week we were in mainland Japan, we were able to visit many places of interest. One such place is Saitama-ken [prefecture], where there are many mountains and winding roads. It is truly beautiful. We experienced “living” in Saitama-ken for one week. We stayed with our minister working in Japan, Brother Chang, and his family. It was a blessing to be able to see them and also to visit our church on Sabbath and worship with our brethren. On Sabbath, I was “tickled” by the idea of taking my shoes off to go upstairs to the sanctuary. This is the traditional way of the Japanese. So, we removed our shoes. We also sat with our knees bent on cushions with small tables in front of us. The floor was covered with “tatami” mats which are made of straw.
Although I am limited in my ability to speak Japanese, I was able to enjoy the church service very much. My dad gave the study which was translated by Brother Chang. The brethren in our church in Japan are working very faithfully in the Lord’s vineyard and have a deep interest in sharing the truth with others. They are working very hard in their missionary efforts. They pass out large numbers of pamphlets and tracts about our faith. This should be an encouragement for us all. Though Japan is a land where there are many different kinds of religions, their main traditional religion is Buddhism. It is challenging to witness to someone of the Buddhist faith, who believes in good principles (such as kindness to others, cleanliness, purity) but doesn’t believe in God.
At this point in time, our members in Japan are renting a place in which to worship. But a few miles away from that site, they are building their own chapel. It is located on a large tract of mountainous-wooded-land, in a very beautiful spot. The project has been started a few years ago and, with God’s help, it is coming along well. The members in Japan are of good cheer and continue to work to build the chapel.
Besides visiting our church and meeting many of our members in Japan, we also had a chance to visit Tokyo. This is a very extensive city, with over 8,000,000 people residing there. There are numerous subways and taxis, as well as mini-cars. Traveling by train was quite interesting, but quite tiring after sitting for hours with many stops along the way. After arriving in Tokyo by train, we had to get on the subway to get where we needed to go. We visited Ginza, one of the most famous shopping areas in the world. We saw many tourists there. We were also able to visit Shibuya, another section of Tokyo that attracts many young people. What was most strange for us to visit was Akasaka, an area where there is a large temple and many statues and small monuments. It was sad to see how many people are so devoted to their religion—a religion that can not bring them hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Instead, they pray to a god who is dead, and cannot hear them. The Bible says we worship a risen Saviour, Jesus, who paid the price for our sins and is now alive, pleading on our behalf to His Father. Truly, we have been entrusted with great light that needs to shine to the rest of the world.
Some Buddhists are very devoted to their religion. They attend services at the temple every day, and pray nearly all the time. They also believe in a fountain of “holy” water in which they dip small ladles and wash their hands or even drink of it. After drinking, they place the ladle back in its place and another person comes along and drinks. They believe that it is sacred. Imagine how much they would love God and be willing to serve Him if only they would believe in the truth! They are a people which God has not forgotten, and whom we must reach with His love.
After staying a week in mainland Japan, we were able to fly south to its 47th prefecture, Okinawa. Okinawa is a small island located about 900 miles south of mainland Japan and about 400 miles east from China. This 47th prefecture includes some 160 tiny islands under and around Okinawa. Many of the people of Okinawa are a mix of Chinese, Taiwanese, or other cultures as well as Japanese. Before being owned by Japan, Okinawa was the “Kingdom of the Ryukyus” (which is reflected in the name of this distinct 47th prefecture of Japan, “The Ryukyu Islands”). They have their own singular culture which is different from that of mainland Japan. It is highly influenced by China. Although Okinawans speak Japanese, they have their own dialect which is mainly used in the traditional singing and dancing, and by older folks.
It takes about 4 hours to drive from the southernmost tip of Okinawa to the northernmost tip. On one side of the island is the beautiful East China Sea, and on the other side is the lovely Pacific Ocean. Located in the southern part of the island is its capital city, Naha. With over 300,000 residents, it is certainly a very crowded city.
Okinawa’s landscape is beautiful. As you travel north, there are more beach areas and resorts. The water is clear, turquoise, and it sparkles. The many resorts attract a large number of tourists from mainland Japan. The weather is usually mild and sunny in the winter. In the summer it is very hot and tropical.
There are many Adventist churches in Okinawa. In fact, Okinawa has more Adventists than mainland Japan does. However, there is no SDA Reform Church in Okinawa yet. The Adventists in Okinawa are very sincere and are working hard in their missionary efforts also. Some of them are even open to the Reform message. We believe that someday there will be an SDA Reform Church in Okinawa!
I have only given you a brief summary of mainland Japan and Okinawa, and I will leave the rest for you to find out for yourselves, if someday you decide to go there.
It was indeed a wonderful trip and a great experience for me and my family. We were encouraged by the church members in Japan, and were also glad to have an opportunity to share the truth with friends and family. It is my hope that you all keep this special country in your prayers, because God has a great work for us to do there. Sayonara!