Last
week, I was able to travel to Tokyo on a 50 hour-trip! It was an even
more productive time than I expected! I was able to almost fully
devote my time with our team and new friends in Toyosu (豊洲).
This
is the area where we will live and focus our church-planting ministry
with the Grace Harbor Project team. Two families (Aoyagis and
Pfiels) and a Japanese intern (Atsushi) already have started there.
Toyosu
is a well-known man-made island in the Tokyo Bay waterfront area. When visiting downtown Tokyo, you can get to Toyosu Station by the Yurikamome and by the Yurakucho Subway Line. It’s 75 years young and was built atop the 1923 Kanto earthquake rubble. Upon completion in 1937, the land was used as a shipping port. That shipping port has now been transformed into beautiful living space, and is populated by thousands of young families.
As we prepare to move there, here are some things we look forward to enjoying about our new neighborhood home of Toyosu as we learn it and its residents. So, what is there to love about Toyosu?
- As I walked around last week, I was struck by all the anchors (almost literally) positioned around the streets. They reminded me of the hope of Christ (Hebrews 6:19). The anchor is an ancient Christian symbol - used three hundred years before the cross was adopted by ancient Christians.
- It is convenient for the professionals who commute downtown to get to work.
- Toyosu residents love this island simply for the wide sidewalks! This is not common in the world’s biggest city of Tokyo (37 million), making it family-friendly.
- If you went to Toyosu, you will see a lot of strollers, young moms, parks, and schools (my favorite school name is Buddy Sport, an athletics-focused private kindergarten chain).
- The doctor’s office and pharmacy are very close, as is Viva Home (think: Japanese Home Depot).
- The main attraction there is five minutes from the Toyosu station. It is one of the largest shopping malls in central Tokyo called LaLaPort (“Happy Port”).
- You can take a sight-seeing boat tour from the peer
- You can relax promenade by the water,
- You can eat at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company (Can you sing, “Sweet home Alabama” with me?)
- Get a familiar U.S. treat at the first Ben and Jerry’s ice cream shop in Japan
- Hit Kidzania, an indoor theme park. "Its entrance is interestingly designed like an airport boarding gate, giving kids the impression of entering into a different world upon passing through it.”
- There are some up-in-the-air plans that you would also hear about. Discussions are underway to move the largest fish market in the world (Tsukiji) to Toyosu.
- If Tokyo gets the Olympics in 2020, sports stadiums are planned for Toyosu.
Ultimately, however, we love Toyosu because Japanese people are the image of God. Their lives and community matter to Him and to us!
It has been said that, "In cities you have more image of God per square inch than anywhere else in the world." (Tim Keller) Tokyo has 37 million images of God in one city, the biggest on earth! They are made to live for his glory and to live by his grace. God's passion and his mission is to reclaim the "reclaimed island" of Toyosu through Jesus, the true image of God! In an area of 126,000 where there are no churches, we are called to serve through church-planting. We are made to "smell like Jesus" so we can be a blessing to the nations, and specifically, this community and city.
Toyosu was literally built on brokenness (earthquake rubble). It was literally transformed into a place of beauty where families seek to flourish. We have an incredible opportunity to be a small part of brokenness being changed into beautiful, restored images of God in Jesus. We would love for you to partner with us!
Our team and friends in Toyosu, Feb. 22, 2013
"we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. 19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul..." - Hebrews 6:18-19 (esv)
