• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Tokyo Times

Photographs from a small group of islands

  • Photowalks
  • Book and Prints
  • Portfolio
  • About/Contact
  • Support
  • Follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • RSS

Feb 01 2013 15 Comments

Christian worship, Tokyo style

Definitely no spire. No stained glass windows either. In fact there aren’t even any bells. Well, apart from the one connected to the door that is. But, this tiny church in room 303 does follow one custom — services every Sunday.

Tokyo church

Categorized: Photography, Religion

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Taki says

    2/1/2013 at 1:11 pm

    I’ve always enjoyed the Japanese approach to religion. Shinto in the morning, Buddha in the evening and Christ on Sundays :).

    Reply
    • Lee says

      2/1/2013 at 11:59 pm

      Yes, a generally carefree, far from reverential approach. Very refreshing in this day and age.

      Reply
  2. GenjiG says

    2/1/2013 at 3:08 pm

    “No windows too…”

    Reply
    • Lee says

      2/2/2013 at 12:00 am

      There’s one, but it seems they have the curtains closed on Sundays. Perhaps as well considering the view…

      Reply
  3. Hans ter Horst says

    2/1/2013 at 3:34 pm

    Looks cute πŸ™‚
    Last year when I was staying in Kawagoe at the house of a friend and busy cleaning out the weeds from the garden, several times I was approached by different, sweet Japanese ladies bringing me the happy message of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. I can only assume that, being NJ, they thought I must be Christian. Too bad for them I’m not πŸ™‚
    Anyhow, I got the impression at the time that Christianity is very busy finally trying to get a foothold in Japan.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      2/2/2013 at 12:08 am

      When I first came here, I was visited numerous times by the Jehovah’s. Often found their literature in my post box too. But after leaving that particular place, I’ve never had the dubious pleasure of their company since. Not sure if that’s anything to do with their numbers, or the area(s) in which they target. Perhaps a bit of both?

      Reply
  4. winnie says

    2/1/2013 at 9:18 pm

    Amazing.

    No offence to any religion but I will feel stress and panic if I have to come here.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      2/2/2013 at 12:10 am

      Yeah, it doesn’t exactly look very comfortable Γ’β‚¬β€œ almost claustrophobic.

      Reply
  5. Willy says

    2/1/2013 at 9:42 pm

    I was under the impression that a major part, or driving force of the religious experience was the acoustic reverb of the great cathedrals… I suppose they have a karaoke-esque version of that in their little apartment -come-church…

    Reply
    • Lee says

      2/2/2013 at 12:14 am

      Quite possibly, although not sure what the neighbours would think about hymns being heartily banged out on a Sunday morning!

      Reply
  6. Hans ter Horst says

    2/2/2013 at 1:03 am

    Just to add that I really like the fact that you document all aspects of life in Japan: I often say that the more I know about the Japan, the less I feel I understand; and you are really documenting this in great photography! πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Lee says

      2/2/2013 at 11:46 am

      Thank you very much, that’s very kind of you.

      And I completely agree. Some days I think I’m finally getting a grip on the country, but then it very quickly becomes apparent that I’m simply deluding myself.

      Reply
  7. John says

    2/2/2013 at 9:46 am

    That looks like an out of hours coin operated confessional with a warning light? It has a rather open mouthed expression too!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      2/2/2013 at 11:48 am

      Haha, I suppose it does. Confessions on the go. That could catch on!

      Reply
  8. Jesse Logister says

    2/7/2013 at 10:13 pm

    Haha I like the confessions on the go idea. I wonder how the Japanese call it.

    Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Footer

Copyright © 2025 · Tokyo Times