Christians in Japan

[Naal]

Why are there so little Christians in Japan? Back in 2005 I spent a couple weeks between Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and Osaka and I only ran into one Christian church.

I know it possibly stems from the killings of Christians by the Shogunate and Tokugawa. Anyone else know why?

 

[Sophrosyne]

Christianity in Japan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Naal]

Thanks, but I've read that already. I was hoping for someone who has lived/lives in Japan to tell me why from a social stand point.

 

[Maverick3000]

Alot of religions got swept away during the rise of State Shinto during the Meiji Period. Christianity specifically was devastated.

 

[Azureknight 773]

I understand that even in some events in WW 2, Japanese Christians gets killed during that time... However thank goodness that today, no matter how few they are still managed to make this:

YouTube - Shu Wa Subarashii ~~ Jesus is Wonderful

主は素晴しい
Shu wa Subarashii
(The Lord is Wonderful)

EDIT:

I've found this! WAHOO!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RjRqdD-7_Q

 

[HolyWarrior77]

Talked with my friends from Church here in Tokyo, it's because a lot of Japanese people don't put an importance in God. A vast majority of Japanese people attend a Temple on New Years or other various special occasions but purely out of 'good luck' instead of faith.

There are about 5 or 6 Christian Churches here in Fussa-shi Tokyo though

 

[Azureknight 773]

Good News! These dudes in this video are Christians

YouTube - One Way in japanese

*Quotes from my siggy*

"RIDING FOR GOD ALMIGHTY!!!"

YEEHAW TO YAHWEH!!!

 

[HolyWarrior77]

Haha excellent video! ^

Oh and there are 7 christian churches, 4 of which are Baptist here in my area

 

[Accune]

I have attended service at Tokyo Baptist Church while I was there.There were people of many nationalities there a well.It is near Shibuya.

 

[Breetai]

Why are there so little Christians in Japan? Back in 2005 I spent a couple weeks between Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and Osaka and I only ran into one Christian church.

I know it possibly stems from the killings of Christians by the Shogunate and Tokugawa. Anyone else know why?

You forgot Toyatomi Hideyoshi. A much large influence on the obliteration of Christianity in Japan than Ieyasu was.

Why so few Christian in Japan? They are too nationalistic overall. Christianity gets in the way of their "culture". They're fine with Christian weddings, but that's about it. It's mainly a culture clash.

 

[Stephen Kendall]

Why are there so little Christians in Japan? Back in 2005 I spent a couple weeks between Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and Osaka and I only ran into one Christian church.

I know it possibly stems from the killings of Christians by the Shogunate and Tokugawa. Anyone else know why?

I have a friend from Japan, Sadafumi Uchiyama. I can't remember what he told me about Christianity. We were good friends back in 1986-7, while studying in college at the University of NC in Charlotte. From what he told me, it seemed like Christianity came to Korea through the elite (upper class), yet came to Japan through its farmers (lowest class). My Japanese friends are very wonderful & kind people, so I believe that the Japanese in Japan must be that way also. I think this is so because of how Christianity entered into Japan, through farmers (low class people, Japan's roots). If Japanese could be reached it would be through the intellectuals, then its society might be able to hear Christ. I believe that Japanese are as ripe for Christ as the Greeks were in the time of the early Church. The Japanese have a cultural deposition that should allow reception of the Gospel. Christians should go to Japan to help them understand Christ. Go to the young and old. It won't be easy to do, for Apostle Paul and all of his influence had to work very hard at it. Some cities in his day would not accept him. Maybe there are areas in Japan to break through for Christ.

I could be wrong, but Japanese society use to thrive upon tradition (in every aspect of life), hard work and respectfulness & honor. Its young aren't so influenced by tradition today (talking to a young Japanese girl). It could be that reaching the farmers is still the way to enter into its society, however, also through the college students and young adults. Could you reach Japanese through the hard core traditionalists? I really doubt it, Sadafumi was such and I was no match for his gracefulness and self-confidence. Japanese self-confidence and grace is very intimadating towards average Christians, yet "they can be reach through much prayer and fasting".

This gets me to think that Christianity thrives on a soil of less than perfect people, who don't have over-confidence and really do a reality check over all of life. I think Japan would be an excellent mission field, yet the results might be very hard at first. Let's just hope that any Christians made there are made truly Christian, with the zeal for Christ and God as of the earliest Christians and like those of China today.

Is America becoming an excellent mission field, for it is starting to persecute Christians, like some places of the world today? Our intellectuals seem to fall from Christ and secularism is on the rise. Let us live Christ and share our love and the Gospel, (our deep love of God).

 

[Breetai]

The Japanese have a cultural deposition that should allow reception of the Gospel.

Where did you ever get this idea? After going on 4 years here, I find the exact opposite to be true in most cases.

Christians should go to Japan to help them understand Christ. Go to the young and old. It won't be easy to do, for Apostle Paul and all of his influence had to work very hard at it. Some cities in his day would not accept him. Maybe there are areas in Japan to break through for Christ.

Believe me, they(we) have tried and are indeed trying. A few places in the far south-west of Japan have accepted Christ to a greater degree than other parts, and even some of the elite have, but the very culture here is a strong barricade for Christianity to break through.

I could be wrong, but Japanese society use to thrive upon tradition (in every aspect of life), hard work and respectfulness & honor.

It is, but please do not confuse the terms "hard work, respectfulness and honour" with their American counterparts. The Japanese idea of these things is not at all the same as Americans or any western person would define them as.

Its young aren't so influenced by tradition today (talking to a young Japanese girl).

They don't think they are, but the definitely are whether they actively realise it or not.

It could be that reaching the farmers is still the way to enter into its society, however, also through the college students and young adults.

This is probably the way, but even now Japan is a very closed society. They put on a facade of openness, but in reality their doors are closed.

Could you reach Japanese through the hard core traditionalists? I really doubt it, Sadafumi was such and I was no match for his gracefulness and self-confidence. Japanese self-confidence and grace is very intimadating towards average Christians, yet "they can be reach through much prayer and fasting".

I think that's just the point. It is the Holy Spirit that does the work, and we are just the ones that this work is done through. Japanese society is extremely closed and racist at its heart. In my opinion, the Japanese themselves will have to be the ones to bring Christianity to Japan.

This gets me to think that Christianity thrives on a soil of less than perfect people, who don't have over-confidence and really do a reality check over all of life. I think Japan would be an excellent mission field, yet the results might be very hard at first. Let's just hope that any Christians made there are made truly Christian, with the zeal for Christ and God as of the earliest Christians and like those of China today.

Don't forget the zeal that many Koreans also have, and to a greater ratio than the Chinese! Actually, one of my best friends here is Chinese. He has a great love for Christ.

Is America becoming an excellent mission field, for it is starting to persecute Christians, like some places of the world today? Our intellectuals seem to fall from Christ and secularism is on the rise. Let us live Christ and share our love and the Gospel, (our deep love of God).

I'm not American, but I've actually heard that America is one of the largest mission fields for people from different countries in Africa and east Asia. The American empire has become just like the Roman empire.

 

[Stephen Kendall]

I'm not American, but I've actually heard that America is one of the largest mission fields for people from different countries in Africa and east Asia. The American empire has become just like the Roman empire.

One of the largest? A lot of Americans don't want to hear about Christ. They seem to know a lot about Christianity already, yet in a negative way.

It seems to be that countries are lands of hearts. There are those nations & peoples who's hearts are able to receive the Gospel, and they do. Maybe there is a heart that is able to reach people of a similar heart, though they be of different races and nations (and languages). Maybe a successful mission is just a heart match. I seemed to easily make friends with people of different religions and nationalities. I didn't even try. I just was me and the doors opened, yet back in college, I wasn't a strong Christian. When I was a strong Christian in 2003, the same was true in Mexico on a mission trip. I keep changing over the years, but I am wondering if there is something about my heart that opens doors? I don't seem to try, but I bond.

One of the reasons why I got interested in understanding and searching out my faith in 2003 till recently was the questions by new converts in Mexico. I didn't know what I really believed in (now I do). I couldn't really answer their questions about particulars like Trinity. Have I changed to the bad that I now know my own convictions and beliefs of my faith? Or am I better able to be a big brother to souls lost and seeking God & Christ? Does my heart bond like it has in the past with others (despite religions, races, or any barrier). I hope that it does and that God will use me. I don't know that I have any bias or prejudice view. Students from many different nations told me that they liked me, but didn't like the other Americans at the college. I seemed to them to be a good American. I liked them, because they seemed genuine and thoughtful. Is there a barrier around Americans that they are born with? I am not a crowd pleaser or crowd follower. I think a lot and follow no one, except Jesus Christ. I really don't do a very good job of either. I just try. I value honesty and courage, yet I fail sometimes at each. I feel that if I went on a mission trip that I would enjoy it and that it would be wonderful. I am use to hardships and suffering (I am a farmer). I trust God.

I don't know if I helped you or anyone, but I hope that I did. I expect to do my best if ever I do another mission trip, yet honestly it is much more about God than any of our efforts. I am honored to have Him at work within a mission trip.

 

[Breetai]

One of the largest? A lot of Americans don't want to hear about Christ. They seem to know a lot about Christianity already, yet in a negative way.

To be honest, I think the key work here is "seem". A lot of people in a traditionally Christian country like America have a lot of misconceptions about Christianity and really don't understand it. They don't realize that a lot of the problems people have with Christianity are easily resolved with just a little research. Unfortunately, they prefer to keep to their preconceived notions instead of actually taking a bit of time to find the answers. Even worse, a lot of Christians don't know very much about what their own faith teaches and are completely unable to answer the critics.

 

[Stephen Kendall]

To be honest, I think the key work here is "seem". A lot of people in a traditionally Christian country like America have a lot of misconceptions about Christianity and really don't understand it. They don't realize that a lot of the problems people have with Christianity are easily resolved with just a little research. Unfortunately, they prefer to keep to their preconceived notions instead of actually taking a bit of time to find the answers. Even worse, a lot of Christians don't know very much about what their own faith teaches and are completely unable to answer the critics.

To sum it up: they are all not that interested, too busy, never really cared or they never had a need to be concerned with faith. People seemed programed to march on with their lives. I hit bottom at least twice in my life, and lived in a darkness of sins much of my life. Yet I was believing in God before all this happened that had me concerned about things. I believed God before even going to school. Miracles didn't shock me, they embarrassed me of my own shamefulness before God. I needed God. I was not so confident and poised to be a model person (in control). I was instead with darkness and wrongful indulgences. I needed a way out of my habitual sins and answers to questions that many dared not to ask. For questions that take a God to answer, all I can say is the answer is coming, don't worry, he will answer, if you knock. He has all of mine. I find that Christians are on the lower tiers of society in the secularists' thinking, yet they are forging these bad conceptions of Christians on an absence of their own experience, concerns or interests (having their supposed knowledge and conjectures through their own biasness and indifference). Socrates did some amazing examinations on the natural man of his day. He found that people easily showed their ignorance on things that they hadn't mastered, yet they did have skill in the things that they had. They had an ego and indifference problem. I would say that is a dangerous combination. For Socrates to exposed that, cost him his life.

Those of God's will hear your voice when you give the Gospel. All that can be done is to try. Somehow, I believe that they all should hear and all should change. Somehow, they can. That may be why I believe that a greater harvest is possible. Christianity is only recent to grow in China (last 50 years from 50,000 to over 130,000,000). Who knows of another country and people. All we can do is try and give the word. Maybe God is preparing the right hearts out there to make his harvest a reality. Ours is to just be thankful and have a God given job.

 

[Jemila]

I have lived in Japan for then most part of the last 15 years. Where I am, there are Christians everywhere! There are Japanese Christian churches, Filipino Christian churches, Korean, American... I know there is a huge one about an hour out of Tokyo.

When I first came to Japan, there was less than 1% of Christians in this Nation. The last I heard there is about 12%. Christianity is growing. Japan is in the 10/40 window, which is where the most people who need to hear the Gospel are concentrated.

I hope during your time here you didn't just focus on the fact that there were so few Christian churches where you were located, but also focused on being Spirit led to help spread the message of Jesus Christ. What an amazing opportunity we have to be a part of the Harvest here for God's Kingdom!!

There is a stronghold of Buddhism and Shintoism over this Nation.

 

[Jemila]

I have a friend from Japan, Sadafumi Uchiyama. I can't remember what he told me about Christianity. We were good friends back in 1986-7, while studying in college at the University of NC in Charlotte. From what he told me, it seemed like Christianity came to Korea through the elite (upper class), yet came to Japan through its farmers (lowest class). My Japanese friends are very wonderful & kind people, so I believe that the Japanese in Japan must be that way also. I think this is so because of how Christianity entered into Japan, through farmers (low class people, Japan's roots). If Japanese could be reached it would be through the intellectuals, then its society might be able to hear Christ. I believe that Japanese are as ripe for Christ as the Greeks were in the time of the early Church. The Japanese have a cultural deposition that should allow reception of the Gospel. Christians should go to Japan to help them understand Christ. Go to the young and old. It won't be easy to do, for Apostle Paul and all of his influence had to work very hard at it. Some cities in his day would not accept him. Maybe there are areas in Japan to break through for Christ.

I could be wrong, but Japanese society use to thrive upon tradition (in every aspect of life), hard work and respectfulness & honor. Its young aren't so influenced by tradition today (talking to a young Japanese girl). It could be that reaching the farmers is still the way to enter into its society, however, also through the college students and young adults. Could you reach Japanese through the hard core traditionalists? I really doubt it, Sadafumi was such and I was no match for his gracefulness and self-confidence. Japanese self-confidence and grace is very intimadating towards average Christians, yet "they can be reach through much prayer and fasting".

This gets me to think that Christianity thrives on a soil of less than perfect people, who don't have over-confidence and really do a reality check over all of life. I think Japan would be an excellent mission field, yet the results might be very hard at first. Let's just hope that any Christians made there are made truly Christian, with the zeal for Christ and God as of the earliest Christians and like those of China today.

Is America becoming an excellent mission field, for it is starting to persecute Christians, like some places of the world today? Our intellectuals seem to fall from Christ and secularism is on the rise. Let us live Christ and share our love and the Gospel, (our deep love of God).

The first missionary here to Okinawa, to my recollection, was a Catholic priest/monk, who got drunk all the time and made a mockery out of Christianity. American Christians were invited to come here at one point, and none would lay down their lives and come here to evangelize and share the Gospel, so instead Buddhist priests (and I think also Shinto Priests, but I'm not for sure on that one) were invited to share their religion, and they eagerly came.

American's dropped the ball.

 

[Mankin]

The same question could be applied to America. You could ask why there are so few Muslims in America. It most certainly has a great deal to do with culture.

Japanese culture in general tends to be apathetic towards religion. There is a mixture of Buhdist and Shinto elements in their culture and a small amount of Christian elements as well. Also like others have said, their culture tends to be more close knitted and closed off than other cultures thus reaching them with the Gospel can be difficult.

 

[Breetai]

When I first came to Japan, there was less than 1% of Christians in this Nation. The last I heard there is about 12%.

Source?

The CIA website, as of 2 weeks ago, says 2%. The US Department of State website says just over 2% (c. 3 million/128 million).

 

[Azureknight 773]

Hey guys during my leave for some time, I checked this blog:
Catholic in Japan

Mmm... Nice.