Perhaps the single most difficult adjustment we've had to make in moving to Japan has been learning to read, write and understand kanji, the written Japanese character system. Up to this point we had been struggling to learn 6-10 kanji each week, but all of this changed today when our collective research finally paid off. The way we'd been learning is similar to how a Japanese student learns growing up (vain repetition with no systematic correlation of meaning and strokes). It's like trying to learn an alphabet with 80,000 (literally) different letters where each character has a different meaning. To complicate things further, most kanji have more than one pronunciation depending on context, so things were looking quite grim to ever grasp this form of communication. I'd been wondering how Chinese people could learn Japanese kanji so fast. I came to discover that it is because they already know the "meaning" of the characters because kanji is just Chinese characters with Japanese pronunciation. Chinese students learning Japanese need only worry about learning the pronunciation. Our initial goal should be to learn the meaning of each kanji and then pronunciation. As Westerners, we tend to think linearly and group related things in order to remember them. James W. Heisig developed an optimized system for quickly learning and retaining kanji back in 1977 and published "Remembering The Kanji". His first book contains 2,042 common kanji characters, but what makes it unique is that they are grouped based on 'primitive elements', the various types of strokes that make up each character. By applying meaning to each primitive element, it becomes easier to build a story around each kanji that makes use of the primitives. This in turn makes it possible to build a mnemonic for easier recollection of more complex characters. 目, for example, means eyeball. So any time we see that primitive being used in a compound kanji, we can assume it has something to do with seeing. Japanese people do not learn kanji this way, so it is a radical departure for us to incorporate this style learning into our regimen. Nevertheless, In under two hours, I was able to absorb and correctly recall both the meaning and proper stroke order of seventy kanji. Compared to the fifty or so kanji we had studied and not mastered in the four months we'd been in class, I'd say that is a breakthrough. We've looked at dozens of books, programs, websites, flashcard sets, and methods of learning kanji, and we think we've finally found what works well for us. A copy of Heisig's Remembering the Kanji is prerequisite. Next is setting up a free account for Reviewing The Kanji. Here you can quiz yourself based on the kanji you've studied so far and practice any that are harder to remember. It has a clean interface and lets you automatically add and remove cards to practice as needed. You can also type in your own stories to help you remember the kanji if Heisig's stories don't sink in. We also use Anki, a free flashcard program designed specifically for mastering kanji. Similar to Reviewing the Kanji website, not only does it already have Heisig's method available as a set for download, but you can also access its online functions allowing you to sync your progress with your computer or iPhone. Learning the meanings of 2,042 kanji will allow us to read almost any newspaper article and understand what it's about. What we don't have yet is the pronunciation. That is the second step. A free set of Heisig's Remembering the Kanji flashcards to print out is readily available that includes the kanji character on one side, and meaning(s) and pronunciations on the back. Once we've got the meanings memorized, we work on memorizing the various ways of saying each kanji. This has proven invaluable as an offline solution for study. Combined with our kanji classroom study where we can practice reading and speaking, our prayer is that this enhanced learning method will give our education the boost we've been looking for. Let us know if it helps you.
Today was Coming of Age Day here in Japan, the day when all people turning 20 years of age are recognized as entering adulthood. It was also the end of the New Year festivities in which the decorations that were on display are collected and burned ceremonially. But we rejoice in even greater news that a close friend of the mission community, Katsumi-san, is one step closer to becoming a Christian! After 60+ years of being apart from God's Word which she had been exposed to as a child at a local church, she decided today would be the day that she would burn all of the idols she had in her house. This comes after much prayer on behalf of Christian friends, missionaries, and pastors whom she's interacted with, in particular Jodi Davis at SYME who led an English Bible study with her as well as Keiko-san, our dear friend and language helper. What's most encouraging is that Katsumi's non-believing husband was a major proponent of her decision!
Please join us in covering this family in prayer that their decision for salvation would come soon. There was talk about baptism in her near future.
We invite you to watch this short video that documents this rare step of faith in burning of their idols:
I am a god that you will not see, yet I demand you still worship me. For protection, health and good fortune, Just clap and ring the bell. But if you forget to pay me coin, Your soul you just might have to sell. Mite imasu ka? Neither can I. This video is a collection of photos I took at the local Shinto shrine at the top of the mountain near our neighborhood. Pray for the nation of Japan
Kuroiwa sensei invited our family to help with the rice harvest. There is definitely an art to doing it properly and we're glad that the kids had fun with it. We look forward to being a part of next year's harvest as well. [link to video on YouTube]
Hikikomori is a term that has become something of a silent epidemic in Japan. Meaning outcast or shut-in, we've briefly mentioned it here before, but thanks to Jon Junker for his excellent presentation on how to bridge the cultural gap using the gospel, we would like to share some of that insight with you. On the surface, it appears that institutions are blaming poor parenting skills as the source of the problem, while frustrated parents put the blame on bullying and poor school environment. If we dig deeper, the true source of the problem stems from a cultural glitch that is rooted in several hundred years of "self" deprecating attitudes. It is not merely one million people in Japan that suffer from hikikomori tendencies as the media would have us believe. It is more likely 60-90% of the population that experience side effects of the post modern Japanese society. Here are links to two videos produced by HarvestTime TV, one of the foremost producers of Christian material in Japan. They invited noted Japanese behaviorist Yuichi Hattori to speak on the subject. Hikikomori & Social Collapse Bringing Christ to Social Collapse To believers and pre-Christians alike, those that have seen this presentation agree for the most part on the real cause of the state Japan is in today. Please pray that we are further equipped to build strong relationships with Japanese people who may suffer or have family affected by this social disease.
It is said that many foreigner lose stomach to natto (fermented soybeans). I decided to take the challenge at the local sushiya. The best way I can describe is like sticky cottage cheese. Maybe your experience is different? We went with our neighbors the Taylors who treated us to an all-you-can-eat sushi experience as well as Katie Folden who is manning the camera. Will I eat sushi again? Probably. Natto? Only if challenged. I'm praising God that I managed to swallow it all and keep it down. [link to video on Vimeo]
Japan's Prime Minister Taro Aso on his first stop for his G8 meeting presented Pope Benedict XVI with a bit of Japanese tradition. This gesture strengthens Aso's ties to the church as he is a professing Catholic believer. No word on whether Aso's low public confidence numbers have affected Japan's interest in the Christian faith.
Shizo Kanakuri disappeared while running the marathon in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm. He was listed as a missing person in Sweden for 50 years — until a journalist found him living placidly in southern Japan. Overcome with heat during the race, he had stopped at a garden party to drink orange juice, stayed for an hour, then took a train to a hotel and sailed home the next day, too ashamed to tell anyone he was leaving. There's a happy ending: In 1966 Kanakuri accepted an invitation to return to Stockholm and complete his run. His final time was 54 years, 8 months, 6 days, 8 hours, 32 minutes and 20.3 seconds — surely a record that will never be broken. [source:wikipedia] What does Scripture remind us about our race? Acts 20:24 - However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. Galatians 5:7 - You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? 2 Timothy 4:7 - I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Economic woes triggered a rise in suicides among young Japanese last year, with the number of people in their 30s taking their own lives hitting a record high, a police report said on Thursday.
The overall number of suicides fell by 2.6 percent to 32,249, the 11th year in a row the figure has remained above 30,000, according to the National Police Agency.
Those in their 50s were most likely to become victims -- making up almost 20 percent of the total.
But suicides among people in their 30s have been on the rise since 1991. One expert blames Japanese industry's increasing reliance on casual labor.
"The reason many men in their 50s commit suicide is to leave insurance money for their families," Chuo University professor Masahiro Yamada told the Mainichi newspaper. "But those in their 30s have difficulty seeing any prospects for the future. The lay-offs of casual workers are a symbol of this."
Hundreds of thousands of casual workers have been made redundant over the past half year, as Japan's export-dependent economy staggered amid the global slowdown.
The police report showed 4,850 people aged between 30-39 took their own lives in 2008, up 1.7 percent on 2007 and about double the 1991 figure, the report showed.
Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the developed world, at 24 for every 100,000 people. By comparison the rate in the United States stands at 11.1.
Although depression was the most common cause, there were sharp rises in the number of people in the 30-39 age group thought to have committed suicide because they had failed to find a job, were unemployed, or were having difficulty making a living, the Mainichi said, citing the police.
Suicides by people in their teens and 20s are also on the rise, the police said. More than half those who died were unemployed and another 28 percent were casual workers.[source:Reuters]
Beggars beware, technology wants your job. It's fascinating to consider that nearly every aspect of humanity may one day be replaced by a robot. While I'm sure this experiment had a humble beginning, I can see how this can be exploited all in the name of charity without any of the proceeds going to the intended recipients. Nevertheless, this video does show some interesting cultural differences between Japan and other nations.
America and Japan are both time-oriented cultures in that we value time greatly. The faster, the better. But the Japanese have perfected the morning routine to make every last second count. Be sure to watch this insightful video to the end and you'll learn several masterful techniques that refine 'morning rush'.
As I'm working on my MA degree in missions, one of my recent assignments was to interview a Japanese person and develop a ministry strategy based on their worldview. My respondent's favorite choice of reading material includes Saint Young Men. This gives you an idea of what we are facing when we move to Tokyo.
"What if Jesus and Buddha were living on Earth in modern times? What if they shared an apartment in Japan? Saint Young Men is a humorous manga about the daily lives of Jesus and Buddha, with each chapter focusing on some element of modern life, such as Disneyland, rush hour on the train, Christmas, the public pool, carnivals, and more."[source:onemanga]
It is with some hesitancy that I post the link to the English translation of it, nevertheless, I think we're all mature enough to handle it with care. Speaking of manga, several manga translations of the Holy Bible are gaining popularity in Japan. We'll post more details once we get a peek at it.
With only 15 speakers left, the Ainu language is "critically endangered" while seven other languages in Japan are also at risk of disappearing, according to a UNESCO report. The seven other endangered languages in Japan are Yaeyama, Yonaguni, Okinawa, Kunigami, Miyako in Okinawa Prefecture, Amami in Kagoshima Prefecture, and Hachijo in Tokyo. The first six languages are spoken on the Nansei island chain, which stretches from north of Taiwan and south of Kyushu, and Hachijo in Tokyo's Hachijojima island and nearby islets. "People tend to think that one language is spoken in Japan. But I want people to know there is quite a diversity," says Osamu Sakiyama, professor emeritus of linguistics at the National Museum of Ethnology. [source:Asahi.com]
Buddhism is one of Japan's major religions, but its continual association with funeral rites has earned it a dubious nickname and endangered its own survival in the modern community.
One of the perks to working in Japan during a recession is the pro-creative ways companies are dealing with it. Take Canon for example. To combat the growing trend of a dwindling population, twice a week they are setting aside a 12-hour work day and encouraging staff to go home early and make babies. I have to give the Japanese credit for being aware of the situation and selling the solution in an unorthodox way. CNN has the bedtime story.
As we've been discovering, Japan is a shame-based society. The implications of that, compared with guilt-based countries in the West, is the recipe for fruitful evangelism must be carefully kneaded before consumption.
Since the 1940s, anthropologists have distinguished between shame-cultures and guilt-cultures. People who belong to the latter suffer from an inner sense that they have transgressed some immutable law, and the hiddenness of that transgression can intensify the pain: thus the feeling of relief that can accompany confession in such cultures. But in shame-cultures, exposure is the great evil: not to transgress, but to have one’s transgressions revealed.
Luke 13:6-7 "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'"
Among other superstitions the Japanese have embraced, one of the most peculiar is blood types. Quoted from informationism.org
Blood type theory is widely popular in women's magazines as a way to gauge relationship compatibility with a potential or current partner. Morning television shows feature blood type horoscopes, and similar horoscopes are published daily in newspapers. Though there is not a proven correlation between blood type and personality, it has still remained in the many matchmaking services that cater to blood type. In this way, it is similar to the use of astrological signs in the west, which is also popular in Japan.
What's Your Type? As of this writing, I have no idea what my blood type is. Most foreigners don't. Nevertheless, some businesses go so far as to screen potential employees based on unscientific data. Type A Reserved and prone to worry, sensitive perfectionists such as Britney Spears and Adolf Hitler. Type O Decisive, self-confident, curious, and ideal for sport, including Elvis Presley and the Queen. Type B Cheerful caring, flamboyant free-thinkers such as Jack Nicholson. Type AB High-maintenance, distant, suited to arts, such as Mao Zedong.
Regardless of the hearsay, knowing that the Japanese have an interest in blood may prove useful in effective witnessing. Hebrews 9:14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
Japan aficionado Peter Machat used his creative talent to produce a website appropriately titled 51JapaneseCharacters.com. It is an insightful collection of figurines showcasing several typical members and cultural phenomena of Japanese society - an easy and playful approach to Japan.
We're likely to encounter many of these characters in our endeavors there. Please pray for us!
We can learn a lot about culture by simply looking at the world around us. This HD video is a recent compilation done by a French visitor to Japan. It's easy to understand how one can become disconnected from society in an area with over 10 million people. What East and West have in common are questions about humanity's purpose, the existence of a creative, knowable God, and the ultimate destiny we each face as a result of choices we make. I look forward to being immersed in that culture and working together to seek life-changing answers to those questions.
If you've ever wanted to know what percentage of stay-at-home Japanese women spend their time watching tv between the hours of 2:15pm-3:45pm on Tuesdays, we have just the site for you [java player required]. Oct 18th was national statistics day as promoted by this poster. Several thousand respondents reported in on precisely how they spend their time over the course of a week. Data can be filtered any number of ways including by gender, activity, and more. Like any culture, this data tells a story - particularly when you drill down far enough to look at the amount of time spent in religious activities.
Mainichi Daily reports that cigarette vending machines outfitted with face recognition designed to thwart under-aged smoking can be hacked using a simple frown. Does a frown make one look older? Perhaps in Japan, but other reports have shown that using a photo from a magazine also works to trick the system. Unlike here in Florida where smoking is banned in all dining establishments, many places in Japan don't even have a non-smoking section. Nothing beats breakfast at McDonald's, but if I don't want it to taste like cigarettes, I best order it To Go.
Here's an interesting site with general stats on people's belief in God broken down by country. I don't know how accurate this is, but it's still thought provoking nevertheless. Our prayer would be that you might give others a reason for the hope that you have.
Wired Magazine has an insightful article on the differences between the way Americans look at things compared to how Japanese may interpret the same images. In the US, we quickly filter anything that isn't the main thing (at least from our cultural perspective) whereas an Asian person would linger on areas less prominent in a scene. Understanding how they "see" the world is important for how we present the Gospel. Perhaps the biggest hurdle to effective evangelism in Japan is they typically need more detail and time to get the big picture. How can we share the Gospel in a succinct way that gives them the bigger picture they need to make the right decision?
This video clip is from a movie entitled Tokyo Story which we just watched via Netflix. This movie was released in 1953, yet it's still relevant today. This is one of my favorite scenes where drunken friends are contemplating life. It's their drinking-induced clarity of thought that was so profound. As relevant as the dialog sounds, the truth is the post-war working class is what skyrocketed Japan out of oblivion. Thanks to their work ethic during the 50s to present, Japan enjoys its position as the third wealthiest economy. But their means to that success (apart from God) adds to their own demise - especially the 30,000+ who commit suicide each year.
I love Japanese nostalgia and this movie deals with some tough issues, so I encourage anyone with a couple hours to spare to watch this relaxed-paced film.
A trip to your local Chinese take-out wouldn't be complete without the traditional fortune cookie. But just how 'traditional' is that cookie? The modern day fortune cookie was introduced by Japanese immigrants in San Francisco in the early 1900's.
This year's World Yo-Yo contest took place in Orlando, FL where dozens of competitors from around the world showed off their best tricks. Not surprisingly, a number of Japanese teens dominated the scene with their mad skillz. Sugoi desu ne?
With escalating costs of funerals and burying their dead, one Japanese company has come up with a unique approach to putting things to rest in style. Now you can have your ancestor's remains readily available for display by NichiRyoku's automated system. Swipe your RFID card and in just a few moments, your loved one's urn will be retrieved. It even comes complete with special prayer areas and an interactive digital audio messaging program.
Japan aficionado Peter Machat used his creative talent to produce a website appropriately titled 
