Martin Family Mission to Japan

08/03/2025

Excellent article on the church in Japan

https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/03/japan-christian-church-survival-faithful-remnant/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2EvONKdSog6VlFjl4qo3e1moNYjC8XHM5viOH19t3rr7-zFlTKH1bbw08_aem___EFJwzKXPMjfH3qoK34zQ

Japan’s Christians still pray for revival. But endurance is its own reward.

29/11/2024

As people in the United States today conclude their celebration of Thanksgiving Day, Japan has a similar holiday this time of year on November 23 called Labor Thanksgiving Day (勤労感謝の日). This is a public holiday to “celebrate labor, production, and give thanks to one another among the people.” How could the day be celebrated nowadays? Schools may have school children create a craft to give to their parents or local police as a way to show appreciation for people laboring in society.

The holiday has an ancient heritage as the New Rice Festival “Niinamesai” (新嘗祭), when the Japanese emperor gave thanks to Shinto gods for the year’s harvest and partook of the grain offerings. The first written record of Niinamesai is in volume 3 of the Nihon Shoki (dating from the 8th century A.D.) regarding a celebration before the legendary Emperor Jimmu ascended to the throne in 600 BC.

The date of the festival was originally set according to the lunar calendar on the second rabbit day of the month (varying between the 13th and 24th of November in the Gregorian calendar). In 1873 as Japan transitioned to the Gregorian calendar, the festival and public holiday were fixed on November 23.

In 1947, the Japanese national legislature comprehensively reviewed all the public holidays that had been celebrated and removed State Shinto from the celebrations. As they considered names for this harvest holiday, “Thanksgiving Day” was the most popular name but a bit vague to some Japanese people. Many didn’t know to whom to direct their thanks on this day. So, the legislators approved “Labor Thanksgiving Day” as the new name for the holiday.

Currently, Japan does not have any public holidays in the year after November 23, so this post is the last in this series on public holidays in Japan.

06/11/2024

Be a part of God’s redeeming story

04/11/2024

November 3 is Culture Day (文化の日), observed this year on Monday, November 4. Every year on Culture Day, the Japanese emperor confers the Order of Culture award at the Imperial Palace. During November 1 and 7, designated as “Education and Culture Week,” various events are held all over the country, including experience-based activities, public lectures, and free admission to art galleries and museums.

November 3 was the birthday of Emperor Meiji. After he died, Japan continued to celebrate November 3 as Meiji Day until 1948 when the holiday was adapted to become Culture Day to promote peace and culture.

This year's recipients of the Order of Culture are manga artist Tetsuya Chiba, 85, poet Mutsuo Takahashi, 86, environmental risk management expert Junko Nakanishi, 86, Japanese painting artist Toshio Tabuchi, 83, cellist Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, 82, molecular cell biology researcher Nobutaka Hirokawa, 78, and commercial code expert Kenjiro Egashira, 78.

Our family celebrated Culture Day this year a little early by viewing Hokusai’s print temporarily on exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago.
https://www.artic.edu/articles/1139/10-things-to-know-about-the-great-wave

14/10/2024

The second Monday in October is Sports Day (スポーツの日), a public holiday to “enjoy sports, cultivate a spirit of respect for others, and pray for the realization of a healthy and vibrant society.”

Formerly known as “Health and Sports Day" (体育の日), the national holiday was established in the hope that people would become familiar with sports, cultivate healthy minds and bodies through the spirit of sports, and build a bright and livable society. The date was originally set as October 10th in honor of the fact that the first Saturday of October was designated "Sports Day" under the Sports Promotion Act of 1961, and also to commemorate the Tokyo Olympics in 1964. October 10th was the date of the opening ceremony.

Photo credits:
Boys footrace: https://saijilab.com/sportsday/
Yoshinori Sakai at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo: Wikipedia

08/10/2024

These are good qualities to look for in missionary candidates!

Many pastors around the world desire to work with American missionaries, but they’re looking for those with the skills to add value and the grit to stay long-term.

26/09/2024

City to City Japan provides excellent training for church planters by first focusing them on their heart motives and how the gospel applies to their particular heart idols. After more than half the training time has focused on this from a variety of perspectives, the proper foundation has been laid for some training on methods of ministry.

Tim was an observer for the 2020 intensive training. This year the 2024 intensive training in Kyoto will host 11 church planters from 9 cities across Japan from September 29 to October 11.

Please pray for the Holy Spirit to work in them and ignite a fresh gospel movement in their cities and bring lasting transformation.

23/09/2024

21/09/2024

Autumnal Equinox Day (秋分の日) is a day that Japan has designated to honor ancestors and remember the dead. Many people visit graves on the day, and some Buddhist sects hold ceremonies for the equinox.

Ohagi, a Japanese sweet of pounded rice wrapped in sweet bean paste, is similar to the botamochi eaten at the spring equinox. Ohagi is used as offerings to Buddhist altars and graves, and as tea snacks for relatives. The sweet is called “ohagi” because it looks like the bush clover flower that blooms in the fall.

Because the holiday this year falls on Sunday, September 22, it will officially be observed on Monday, the 23rd. The day usually falls on the 23rd or 22nd of September and is determined by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.

Photo credit for the ohagi: ウェザーニューズ

14/09/2024

Respect for the Aged Day (敬老の日) is the third Monday in September. It’s a public holiday to express gratitude to Japan's elderly citizens, celebrate their long lives, pray for their peace of mind, and commemorate how they have contributed to society.

Each year since 1963 the Prime Minister of Japan has given an honorary certificate and silver cup to each citizen who reaches the age of 100 that year.

Photo credit for the certificate and the silver cup: City of Otaru 小樽市 in Hokkaido.

13/09/2024

TEAM | The Evangelical Alliance Mission has served in Japan since 1891 when its first 15 missionaries landed at Yokohama. History shows that Japanese Christians have blessed their nation with a positive impact disproportionately large for their small numbers. Pray for Japan to turn to Christ.

26/08/2024

May the Lord bless this new volume of Japanese songs so that truths about eternity, salvation, and prayer soak deep into and transform hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Album · 2024 · 12 Songs