Japan in January!

A seven minute tour of Japan, without jet lag.


http://vimeo.com/87008050

Old Technology, Older Theology

Years ago, on a trip to Nagasaki we passed this derelict plane, and it was interesting to read a blog post about it. It was even more interesting to read why the plane has been kept all these years. 

In Praise of the Airplane to Heaven

Press Release

Our best wishes to the fishermen of Watari-cho, Miyagi, Japan! Survivors of the 2011 tsunami are reaining their livelihood thanks to partnership with Food for the Hungry (japan and Canada) and the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada. 

These fishermen/women lost everything because of the tsunami- homes, boats, nets, equipment- and to make things worse, readiation from the collapsed Fukushima Dai ichi nucleawr power plant has forced restrictions on almost all types of private and commercial fishing. But, they are allowed to fish sardines. 

Helping them make the switch to sardine fishing, these families have been provided new, specialized nets, floats, ballasts and more to get them back on the water and proud to be providing for their families once again. 

サマー・トリップ Summer Trip

 "Summer Trip" is what our retreat this year was called, and it was held in the mountains northwest of Tokyo

 As we were grilling I wondered aloud how many times Don and I have stood side by side at the barbecues cooking for people related to Harumi ministries.

\Yes, that's a fire engine in the background, but not because of our grilling. It's something for the children to enjoy. 

We discussed the command to "love on another" in our times together. 

Breakfast on Sunday morning

...followed by a baptism! A great day to celebrate. 

It was good to have two of the girls here. Even though Laura's just south of us, near Mount Fuji, it takes four hours to get to this place, and she wasn't up to that. 

No, that's not Japanese. The retreat centre is run by the Liebenzeller mission of Germany. 

Why Japan?

This is a short, but great video.
http://vimeo.com/92343293

Bridges Are Part of Life Here

We cross three bridges (and three islands) on the way to Harumi, so we're used to pedaling over bridges here in Tokyo. The interesting thing about bridges is that some of the larger ones just appear instantaneously! The video and photographs on this Asahi News web page shows how that is possible.

http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASG4Z624HG4ZUTIL02Y.html

Old Shiohama

Shiohama, or "salt beach" is the island on which we live, just east of Harumi. If you know where to look, you can still see some decades old neighbourhoods of early postwar Japan. This is not an alley. This is the front street for these homes. 

As you can imagine, the quality of housing has improved drastically over the decades since the end of the war. The gas meter has been removed here, so this place is uninhabited. There are many properties like this, where Gramma and Grampa are gone and the family is holding it as a savings account, to be cashed in at some time in the future. 

This one is still inhabited. Classic old style Japanese construction materials, techniques and architecture. The unpainted wood is cedar, so it stands the test of time. 

I'm pleased to announce that this is not our apartment building. There are many older apartments like this in Tokyo, and surprisingly, the rent isn't necessarily cheaper than the more modern apartments. Unsurprisingly, they are gradually being demolished for new apartment buildings to take their place. 

Tokyo Story

I've been attempting to improve my Japanese listening skills by watching various Japanese programs and movies online. When there's translation it makes it much easier to confirm that I heard what I thought I heard. When the speaking is rapid fire, I have to stop, go back, listen again, and gradually discern what was said.

Tokyo Monogatari (Tokyo Story) ranks consistently in the top 10 or so films in the history of cinema. It has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and Yasujiro Ozu, the director, was born and raised in our neighbourhood in Tokyo, and is considered by film industry insiders to be one of the greatest directors ever. The youtube copy has English subtitles, (click on the box at the bottom right) so you can follow along. The depiction of early postwar life in Japan is amazing.

You'll see the theme of intergenerational differences in postwar Japan, the decline of a sense of connectedness and neighbourhood as affluence begins to take hold, and the contrast of contentment with ambition. In 1953, when this movie was released, Japan left its postwar reconstruction phase and began its dramatic economic climb. Electric rice cookers, washing machines and televisions became three sought after items and the list lengthened as time went on. 1953 is also the time that the postwar widespread openness to the Gospel in Japan began to decline.

孤立された！

While we had record snow in Tokyo, people in the mountains had impossible levels of snow in a country that usually doesn't have to deal with heavy snow that lasts for weeks. The Japanese Self Defense Force has been mobilized because of earthquake and of course the massive 2011 tsunami, but this year they were mobilized because of snow.

In watching the news reports we saw the Japanese word in the title, which is "koritsu", meaning "Isolation" Every night there would be a listing of the thousands, and then hundreds and tens of households completely cut off from the outside world by heavy snow. Dialysis patients were hoisted up by hovering helicopters, and food was dropped down to these isolated people. 

There's an ongoing isolation in Japan. In a modern affluent society, many people have no close associations with others, and in some cases shun them in a condition known as "hikikomori" 

Then there's the spiritual isolation people feel in this land, one we're trying to break through without the help of the Self Defense Force or a fleet of helicopters. 

Snow In Tokyo

With the "Polar Vortex" making headlines all over North America, it's hard to talk about snow in Tokyo, but we managed to get in on the worst snowfall in decades. Because snow seldom falls in Tokyo, there's very little equipment for snow clearing, and it's usually dedicated to the elevated expressways.

 But that's not a problem when everyone has snow chains! In fact, you can't proceed on national highways at some times without having snow chains installed on your car. We heard the distinctive "ching-ching-ching" of snow chains as vehicles passed. Buses, trucks, cars all had snow chains, or they didn't move.

But I was flabbergasted to hear that familiar sound when a postal motorcycle went by. All residential mail in Japan is delivered by motorcycle, so of course Japan Post would have chains for their bikes! What else could they do? Imagine driving a motorcycle in the snow, even with chains on the tires!