Kanda Catholic Church

http://www.catholickandachurch.org/html_data/english-version/index-e.htm

St Joseph’s Church Tsukiji

Tsukiji is a huge fish market and hugely popular with tourists. As much as I like fish though I have never been there. If you are a tourist, however, it would be easy for you to fit in a mass with a an early morning visit to the market since that is the popular time to go. Popular for one because I guess people want to see the tuna auction.

Here is their website

http://tsukijicatholic.jp/Tsukiji-church-e-index.htm

A page of photos from the Japanese site

http://tsukijicatholic.jp/pg-item/photogallery.htm

More Church Interiors

I think I was a little hard on Japanese churches yesterday, why, well I came across this page http://homepage2.nifty.com/Kirameki/kyoukaidou/katonisi/katonisi.htm

The page is in Japanese or gibberish if you don’t have J fonts installed but the photos speak for themselves. The seventh photo from the top with the all tatami floor I would love to go to someday. I’m not sure where it is exactly but somewhere in Kyoto I think. Further down observant readers will notice a photo from Kobe Central Church with the flying not crucified Jesus on the wall. Just below that is another church with a tatami floor I would love to go to but again I don’t know where it is as of now.

Church Interiors

After having the opportunity to visit a few churches in Europe, the U.S, Canada, and Japan I have come to conclude I like the traditional style rather than the modern style. The reasons would be similar to those in my post bongo drum mass about why I prefer organ music to a band. Basically the traditional style conveys more reverence, more respect, makes a more suitable home for the Blessed Eucharist, draws ones thoughts to heaven and so on.

In the tabernacle of a Catholic church is Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords thus his house should be reflective of that in the music and interior. When I see churches on a blog like CathCon http://cathcon.blogspot.com/ I am not surprised Catholics lapse and new converts are not drawn to the faith when some churches look like the interior of a spaceship or ugly modern “art.”

Unfortunately many churches in Japan were built after WWII and to put it nicely aren’t that nice to look at. Of course things weren’t really built to last in Japan especially in the rush to rebuild, then in the economic boom in the late 80s. For example a house that was built 25 years ago is not an asset it is only worth the ground it’s on as no one in their right mind would want to live in it due to outdated shoddy construction and design. The recently rebuilt ones like the church in Kobe I posted photos of seem to be of a modern, minimalist style so I dont know what the future holds.

Atsugi Church

I have not been there but just came across the website while on Google. For anyone interested in attending mass there though click here then on the word below home (mokuji) on the left hand menu, scroll to the bottom on the page and click on for foreigner.

http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~atsugi-ch/

For anyone interested in church interiors the page is also worth a click for the photo on the main page.

If you are ever in Kyoto

A stop at the church near the place where the 26 martyrs started their long trip to Nagasaki may be of interest. Here is their website. http://www.eonet.ne.jp/~nishijin/e-index.html I have only been to Kyoto once and unfortunately did not have enough time to go there but would definitely make a stop as it is not out of the way next time I have a chance.

St Marys Cathedral Tokyo

I also have not been here and don’t really want to since I’m not a fan of plain old concrete, however, looking around their website shows that that even the baptismal font is horrible especially when compared to the one in Kamakura. Click on layout in the upper right of the page then on the various items to see photos.

http://www.tokyo.catholic.jp/eng_frame.html

Their cross does not have a crucified Christ on it either

And their altar don’t get me started I will just let you read their description for yourself.

The altar as the symbol of Christ, the center of unity for all humanity, recalls the table of the Last
Supper.
This alter is made from Italian marble. In the elevated part of the sanctuary we find the altar itself, the lectern and the seat for the presiding priest. All this shows the presence of Christ during the services in the Word of God and in the presiding priest.

A Small Church

Came across this small church while going for a walk one day. A Japanese friend commented that the style of the building looks very similar to the way schools were built many years ago.

Yokohama Christ Church

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20071105p2a00m0na028000c.html

This is an Anglican church that I have walked past but never entered because it was closed! On a Sunday afternoon at that. Being Catholic Im used to churches being open at least 9-5 so it came as a great surprise to me while sightseeing in that area of Yokohama to find that this chuch was closed. I was also surprised to read that the church had been attacked by arsonists in 2005. Heres a link to their website if interested

http://www2.gol.com/users/stuart/christch.html

26 Martyrs Museum & Ugly Church

Since I have not been to Nagasaki the closest I will get for now is the museum website here.  http://www.26martyrs.com/  Very interesting to look around but am disappointed by the ugly church built in 1962.