It's unfortunate Christianity has historically faced significant barriers in Japan

[Deus vult]

I've never been to Japan, but I really dig Japanese culture and Japanese cuisine is my favorite. Apparently 'harmony' is so central to Japanese culture...so much so that Christianity's exclusivity created a disturbance historically. Just 1% of Japan is Christian. There's a Japanese saying that the nail that sticks out the most is the one that gets hammered. Christianity sticks out because it is fundamentally concerned with Absolute Truth. There were rulers like Toyotomi Hideyoshi and later the Tokugawa Shogunate who grew suspicious of foreign political control and cultural disruption. They launched public executions and banned Christianity.

The only major religions in Japan are Shinto and Buddhism, but they're mostly nominal, ingrained in their tradition. There's a saying that you're born Shinto, marry a Christian/atheist, and die a Buddhist. You're born a Shinto because infants are brought to a local Shinto shrine where they are introduced to the 'kami' (spirits). They die a Buddhist because 90% of funerals are conducted in Buddhist temples, but it's mostly just tradition. The funny thing is that the Japanese love Christian aesthetics, many of them like to have Christian-style weddings.

Anyone got anything to add?

 

[Debp]

Years ago I visited Japan for a week...Tokyo, Kyoto and Nikko. Tokyo is a bustling city. Kyoto has about a thousand temples, each with it's own lovely gardens. Nikko also very scenic.

I know a former missionary to Japan (she's now in a nursing home in New York State). She spent her adult life doing evangelism in the mountains of Japan. Toyama Ken area. She would drive around to the mountain villages and then do door to door evangelism.

 

[Debp]

Found this interesting summary.

 

[Riven]

Barriers illustrated...

 

[Pathfinder789]

Interesting topic..
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I was in Tokyo, Japan..in 2010.
- Global Mission Consultation.
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I met some Christian leaders..
- They face tough challenges.

 

[pwg_jonathan]

It's wild how much "harmony" shapes that culture, because a lot of people I know honestly struggle with faith for a similar reason: not wanting to be the nail that sticks out. I think the answer is usually patient friendship and showing what a changed life looks like, not pushing hard. Romans 10:14 asks how they will hear without someone telling them, and I think that starts with being a good neighbor first.

 

[Lanochka]

That saying about the nail getting hammered really explains so much. True faith in Jesus requires putting Him above cultural tradition, which isn't easy there. It breaks my heart, but it’s a good reminder for us to keep praying for the believers and missionaries in Japan! ️

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

Barriers illustrated...

They don't feel the need for God ... because they have Godzilla. Is that a Temple he's destroying? Let him just try destroying a Christian Church - when he sees the Cross, he'll flee.

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

On the serious side, Japanese have learned self control, to be peaceful and in harmony. That is a good thing. They are capitalists, have a good work ethic, honor their parents ... successful. Like Taiwanese, Japanese are workaholics. For what? Money ... that is the primary goal; they worship money and since they are very successful, peaceful, honorable, law abiding citizens, they might believe that they have all the bases covered - horizontally. But their still remains a void within.
With only 1% Christians, an apparent block remains. Maybe deep embedded scars are left over and passed down from the nukes went sent? "IF a Christian nation can do this ... we don't want anything to do with that religion!" ??

 

[Wrangler]

I've never been to Japan, but I really dig Japanese culture and Japanese cuisine is my favorite.

Apparently 'harmony' is so central to Japanese culture...so much so that Christianity's exclusivity created a disturbance historically. Just 1% of Japan is Christian.

Interesting topic..
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I was in Tokyo, Japan..in 2010.

I first arrived in Japan September 10, 2001. 3 trips 7 weeks total.

It‘s not harmony that drives Japan culture, it’s an honor based culture. Culture is something that I’ve studied a lot over the last 15 years. Like a fish not knowing it is in water, we don’t realize the culture we’re in until we’re out of it.

America is an individual rights based culture, Very selfish, self-centered and abhor responsibilities. Japan is different. Christianity clashes with honor based cultures because our creed starts in dishonor, the sinners prayer.

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and there is nothing that I can do to save myself. I confess my complete helplessness to forgive my own sin or to work my way to heaven. At this moment I trust Christ alone as the One who bore my sin when He died on the cross. I believe that He did all that will ever be necessary for me to stand in your holy presence. I thank you that Christ was raised from the dead as a guarantee of my own resurrection. As best as I can, I now transfer my trust to Him. I am grateful that He has promised to receive me despite my many sins and failures. Father, I take you at your word. I thank you that I can face death now that you are my Savior. Thank you for the assurance that you will walk with me through the deep valley. Thank you for hearing this prayer. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.​

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To confess one is a sinner in an honor based culture is worse than death; it’s admitting you are without honor. I believe this explains why Christianity is only 1% of the Japanese population.

 

[Wrangler]

I worked for a Japanese company and became close to 2 Japanese coworkers. This despite their superficial humility while simultaneously holding onto their inherent racial superiority, that the lowest ranking Japanese outranks the highest ranking non-Japanese. Because of this racism, they wait to be approached by their lower ranking co-workers.

This is ineffective in their synergizing with American culture of having to sell yourself. And in American culture, the boss takes the initiative. While one of them was a board member, he still waited to be approached as a sign that he is trusted. I approached and know it gave him great satisfaction. I openly deferred to his judgment in a presentation I was giving to the Japanese board, which delighted him. (So easy to please, the Japanese people are, who I love) The Japanese coworkers were thought to be spies for the parent company.

While playing pickleball during the Holiday season one of them rightfully presumed that I was a Christian. He broached the subject in a cultural context, referring to the holidays, days off from work, Christmas ornaments, etc, which he found grotesquely gregarious. He didn’t broach the subject in a positive light. He was going to have time off so planned to travel to see Yellowstone National Forest and asked if I ever went there.

I didn’t sense the opportunity to evangelize, so projected grace and love.