Wow! What a fantastic first day we had touring Tokyo! No time was left for napping or resting which was exactly what we needed to get on the Japan time zone. It has been an incredible first few days, and as for me, I have fallen in love with a people and culture I knew little about. From the time we stepped foot onto the Japanese airline, I have been blown away with their kindness and respect!
Our day began as we walked to a small cafe for breakfast and enjoyed sandwiches and coffee! Then we took the subway, following our trusted leader Nathan, to a Buddhist temple/large outdoor market. There we got to meet up with our beloved missionaries, Josiah, Noel, Shinzo, and meet their new little one, Reina (Queen Esther). After seeing the beautiful architecture, we tried our best to find the perfect gifts to bring home to our loved ones in less than an hour.
The team at a Senso-Ji, a popular Buddhist Shine
The next site was the Tokyo Skytree and it also blew away any expectations! 350 meters above Tokyo, we could see for miles and miles, house upon house. I’m sure the picture doesn’t even begin to capture this incredible site.
A view of Tokyo from the Tokyo Skytree, a massive broadcast and lookout tower
From there, we did more walking/subway/trains to the Meiji Jingu which is one of the Shinto (the other major religions in Japan) shrines. To get there we walked ¾ mile down a wide gravel road bordered by full, towering trees. This was quite a site! Amongst the hustle and bustle of megacity Tokyo, we found ourselves surrounded by thick forest and in a traditional Japanese scene.
Meiji Jingu, a Shinto shine
Our last stop was to Shibiyu Scramble Crossing, the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing, with as many as 3000 people crossing at a time. Vehicles stop in all directions to allow pedestrians to inundate the entire intersection. There is also a famous statue of a dog, called Hachiko if you want to read about more.
The team, with Josiah and Noeru Henderson at the SHibuya Scramble Crossing
In all, we were on our feet for 14 hours and walked just under 12 miles, the perfect first day in Japan.
Please pray for us today as we finish up sightseeing in Tokyo by noonish and then take the train to Takasaki where we will meet our host families and settle in. Some host families speak little English and some are not believers. Some families and some single folks. Please be praying that we would be a testimony for Christ and blessing to them as they open up their home to us.
Please also be praying for our preparation for VBS… That God would be glorified, the gospel proclaimed, and the work God is doing in Takasaki expanded! Thank you all for partnering with us in this incredible opportunity!
Love you all, Shari