Japan Reach! - Handbook of Japanese Missions Copyright © 2019 by Japan Reach Inc. Author: John Criswell All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Printed in the United States of America First Printing, 2019 Japan Reach Publishing Columbia, MO 1 Japan Reach! - Handbook of Japanese Missions Japan Reach Japan Reach is a ministry headquartered in the United States that focuses on outreach to the Japanese people both in Japan and the USA. About 1% of the Japanese people are Christian, making them some of the most unreached people groups in the world. Through the use of cultural outreach, English language programs, and technology we reach out and build relationships with the purpose of sharing our lives and the love of God to his children in Japanese. 2 Japan Reach! - Handbook of Japanese Missions Preface So God has called you to Japan! How exciting! Jesus commanded that we “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:18), so you are on the right track. But before we start let's talk about what we are really undertaking. The purpose of missions is first and foremost to introduce unbelievers to God. To tell them about His love and mercy and why each and every man, woman, and child matter to Him. To be there to support them in their journey as they mature in their faith, and then to send them into the world to do the same. This handbook is designed to help you get to, and navigate, the beautiful country of Japan in order to reach God’s children there. Although the tips you will receive in this handbook are reliable, they are also very general in nature so there is a lot that isn’t documented here. Additionally, some of what you read will also apply to missions work anywhere.. As you travel, always be on the lookout for additional information from locals, officials, and ministry partners. There are many different ways to do missions work. You may be in a medical missions team, a drama team, a feeding program, english language outreach, etc… The purpose of this handbook isn’t to tell you how to carry out a particular type of missions work or who the audience is for your missions, but to provide information that will smooth your journey along the way. Remember, in Japan they have very different religious traditions than anything you have encountered before. Approach their beliefs respectfully. Also, don’t try to change their culture into a slice of America in Japan, the Japanese culture is a beautiful thing and one can he fully Japanese and fully Christian at the same time. Strive to introduce Jesus Christ into their lives, and trust the Holy Spirit to make any necessary changes. Above all, remember as you go overseas that you there to represent Christ. Ask God for wisdom because you will need it. As you travel you will meet people who want to talk about many topics, not just religion. Allow God to use these conversations to open the doors to talk about the love of God and how it can impact their lives. You have a job to do. You are an ambassador for Christ! 3 Japan Reach! - Handbook of Japanese Missions Some go and Some Send An important note. There is a tendency in the church to think that those who physically go are missionaries, and those that don’t are somehow less. This is as incomprehensibly far from the truth as can be stated. All of us are missionaries; all of us go forth in some manner. Even if you can’t physically go yourself you are as vital to the work of Missions as those who do because without your help, no one will go. Also, those who physically go need prayers for their travel and their time away from home, the dangers of a strange land, their relationship-building with each other and with those who would hear the message of Christ. Pray for them daily as prayer is the fuel of missions work. Thank you for your support! 4 Japan Reach! - Handbook of Japanese Missions Table of Contents Chapter 1: So God has called you to Japan! 6 Chapter 2: A Super Brief History of Japan 8 Chapter 3: Religion in Japan 11 Chapter 4: Preparing for the Journey 16 Chapter 5: Learn Japanese 24 Chapter 6: The Big Day 27 Chapter 7: You have arrived! 28 Chapter 8: On the Move 30 Chapter 9: Interacting with People 39 Chapter 10 - Food and Drink 44 Chapter 11 - Cultural Norms 49 Chapter 12: Sights and Sounds 56 Chapter 13: Returning Home 59 Chapter 14: Prayer Notebook 63 Appendix A - Sample Packing List 65 Appendix B - Ministry Resources 67 Appendix C: Frequently Asked Questions 68 Appendix D: Mission ideas 69 Thank you and God bless 71 5 Japan Reach! - Handbook of Japanese Missions Chapter 1: So God has called you to Japan! Let's be up front about Japanese missions. God has called you and your supporters to a place where the Christian message is not well known. Unlike the United States where our culture is rich in the Christian historical context, Japan’s culture is not. In fact, much of the culture in Japan is a result of a long relationship with Shinto and Buddhist ideologies (we will cover this more fully later). But before we get ahead of ourselves, let's look at where you are headed, and cover a little bit of history. A little about Japan Japan is a country located in East Asia. It is an Island nation separated from the Asian mainland by the Sea of Japan to the west, and the Pacific Ocean on the east. There are more than 6,800 islands that make up the country of Japan and ten percent of all of the world's active volcanoes can be found there. ​As many as 1,500 earthquakes are recorded yearly where magnitudes of 4 (small) to 6 (large) are fairly common. Don’t be surprised if you feel a little bit of shaking when you go there. Map of Japan 6 Japan Reach! - Handbook of Japanese Missions The current government, which was established in the 1950s, is a constitutional monarchy (somewhat like the United Kingdom). The Emperor in Japan is a figurehead with no real political authority, but is constitutionally recognized as ​"the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people". On the whole, political authority comes from the people in the form of their elected officials. Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako The population of Japan is 127 million and dropping. In part this is a result couples putting off marriage until later in life, and when they do marry they have few children. As a result, the population is aging significantly. Additionally, the 7 Japan Reach! - Handbook of Japanese Missions population is centered around large Urban cities like Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka. Some rural areas, especially in the north, can be very sparsely populated. the national language of Japan is Japanese although many people speak some English as it is required in all schools starting in the fifth grade. Additionally, many words in Japanese are borrowed from English such as restaurant, ticket, taxi, radio, etc… Don’t count on any real fluency on the part of the Japanese people. Especially if you are visiting rural areas. The main religions in Japan are Shinto and Buddhism, and there is a lot of overlap between them. Christianity has been present in Japan since the 1,500s, but there are only about 1.2 million Christians (about 1%). Chapter 2: A Super Brief History of Japan The origin of the modern state of Japan can be traced back to ​660 BC when Emperor Jimmu ascended the throne. Jimmu was the first in ​an unbroken line of rulers that has been in place for 2,675 years and counting. The religion of Japan at that time was primarily indigenous (shinto). ​Buddhism was introduced into Japan from Korean and Chinese influences sporadically until it took a firm hold around 600 AD. We will talk more about this later. Emperor Jimmu 8 Japan Reach! - Handbook of Japanese Missions Japan remained isolated from the western world until the 1500’s then missionaries and traders started to arrive from Europe. At that time, Japan was ruled by the shogun ​(a hereditary commander-in-chief in feudal Japan) who were supposed to respect the Emperor. The most famous ​shogun​ was Tokugawa Ieyasu, who united most of the country and clarified the social classes of its people. He further established his reign in Edo (modern Tokyo), purposefully away from the Emperor in Kyoto. As a response to the spread of Christianity in the Nagasaki area, the Tokugawa shogun, who viewed Christianity as a threat, evicted all foreigners who refused to conduct trade without a religious influence. This meant everyone but the Dutch left. Additionally, Japanese people were not allowed to travel abroad. During this period of isolation, Japanese art expanded and the daimyo (lords) were trained not only in martial arts, but also literature, philosophy and arts. Social status developed such that the samurai were at the top, followed by the peasants, artisans and merchants. Additionally, there were two more classes that existed, the eta and the hinin, which means “sub-human”. These were the butchers and tanners, who delt not only with death but also handling animal skin.