TOKYO
Tokyo is a huge (13.5 million), modern city, bustling with activity and style. The wealth here in the city is apparent in its skyscrapers, very fashionable population, and sticker shock! Who can afford to live here?? Surely Japan has many poor, but in Tokyo, it's the wealthy that walk the streets.
downtown building |
the one with the gold flame? foam? is the Asahi beer headquarters |
We were in Tokyo for 2 days visiting our good friend, Katsuki Hirano. Katsuki lived with us in Durham, NC for 3 months last fall while on sabbatical at Duke. Katsuki is a mega-chuch pastor in Japan - a country where the Christian population is less than 1%. So his 250 member church qualifies as MEGA! He is also the principal of his church's elementary school, chair of a preaching school, editor of a Christian magazine, frequent speaker, writer and translator - and all-around good (very busy) guy. He is also the lead organizer for the Duke/MCC Forum for Reconciliation meeting being held in Nagasaki next April.
Katsuki met us the first morning and informed us that we would be lunching with VIPs, but that in spite of all the business suits in Tokyo, we could wear jeans...
Our VIP lunch was with the children in his kindergarten where, as visiting "dignitaries" and after eating lunch at pint-sized chairs and tables, we answered lots of important questions such as "what's your favorite color?" and "what's your favorite animal?" - delightful!!
We also did the requisite touring, complete with traditional (?) Japanese boat and Ninja warrior. Yikes.
TEMPLES
Japan is a primarily Buddhist and Shinto country. It is often at great cost that a person becomes a Christian, as Buddhism and Shintoism are deeply ingrained in the family relationships (Buddhism) and societal structure (Shintoism). Every community has its Shinto shrine. People make frequent, quick, stops at the shrine as they pass by on their daily errands.
small neighborhood Buddhist temple |
oft photo-ed entrance gate to the famous Senso-Ji Buddhist temple |
Fujin, Shinto god of the wind - the stuff of nightmares (nice abs, though) |
Japan apparently loves twinkle lights (and neon). The streets are beautiful at night!
Christmas appeared while we were here! And it disappears on Dec. 26, when Japan begins preps for New Year, the really BIG celebration. |
Oh the food of Japan! It's beautiful as well as nutritious. I'm not a huge fan of raw fish - which there is lots of here - but even that tastes better when it is so artfully presented! And there were so many good foods to choose from. Allow me...
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Sushi - wrapped in wood and settled on ice chips |
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cooked fish and veggies |
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the sushi chef - many restaurants let you watch the preparation |
Preparing our ramen.... |
the finished product - steamy hot and delicious! |
another sushi restaurant with a moving conveyor belt of delicacies |
still sushi, but no raw fish - this California girl's fav |
dessert - choc mousse, coffee ice cream, raspberry, mint and pear slice wow! |
That's a quick overview of some of the delights of Japan and our first 2 days in Tokyo. Next entry will be about Nagasaki and MCC's work in Japan. We really were working!