Notes from Tokyo: How It’s Going…
So…. we made it to Japan. Now what?
Our first couple of months have been equal parts joyful and exhausting.
God has been really gracious - reminding us why we fell in love with this city and this culture in the first place. We took some time in the first week to recover given it was a sprint to get here. We caught up with friends, enjoyed some of our favorite eateries, and I had an opportunity to visit my first onsen.
From there, we hit the ground running. Living in a completely foreign environment is taxing to say the least. Our brains are constantly trying to learn new things - from basic conversations in Japanese to how to successfully run a load of laundry when all of the buttons are in Kanji (one of THREE character sets in the Japanese language).
Our days mainly consist of studying Japanese, attending meetings and working for Soma Tokyo and Plant Japan, ramping up with our own fundraising, and sorting out all of the practical details of living here full time.
Serving in full time ministry means our Sundays are packed! James has had an opportunity to lead worship a few times in Japanese and we are enjoying the opportunity to deepen our relationships with our church community. Given people’s busy schedules during the week, we try to pack in as much time together during and after church. Often, we’ll grab lunch with friends after service at the local konbini and then walk through a park or grab dessert at a nearby train station.
Luckily, springtime in Japan means we get to enjoy sakura season. The city is buzzing with festivals, hanami gatherings and plenty of tourists (not our favorite part). There have been several Sundays where we've been out and about for eight or nine hours, enjoying time with our church family.
Here are a few photos of our neighborhood and adventures lately…
Springtime is also an opportunity to get caught in a sudden rainstorm or nearly get knocked over by a gust of wind. Even though we spent several years in New York City where trains and walking were our main mode of transportation, it’s been a few years, and we’ve had to re-learn the quirks of big city living (i.e. always carry an umbrella). This spring in particular has had some major weather swings. From days in the low 70’s and sunny, to a surprise snowfall in mid-March, Tokyo has kept us on our toes.
We’re told springtime is nothing when compared to the typhoon season in the summer, though. So, I guess what I’m saying is: please pray for us. 🙂
Speaking of prayer, here are a few specific milestones (and prayer requests!) on our radar for the next few months…
We need to find a long-term apartment! We have a specific area in mind where most of our friends and ministry work is located, so please pray for favor. It can be a challenge to rent an apartment in Tokyo as a foreigner.
We have a number of logistics to sort out over the next few months. Everything from deciding on health insurance to opening a bank account, and everything in between (and all in another language). We have friends to help us, but it’s no easy feat.
We need energy and endurance for language study. Understanding Japanese is a crucial aspect of being successful here. Not only as it relates to day-to-day life but also as we seek to grow in our relationships with people at our church and outside of our church.
We are returning to Seattle soon to wrap up a few loose ends. We will pick up our visa at the embassy and pack up a few remaining items to bring back with us. We are looking forward to being back for a bit, but it’s going to be busy! We need wisdom to efficiently and effectively tie up a few loose ends in the U.S.
