From 0.7% Christian Japan, "MERRY CHRISTMAS" To All (It Is Said & Seen EVERYWHERE Here)

AmericanInTokyo ^ | 3 December 2009 | AmericanInTokyo

[AmericanInTokyo]

Like I said (or wanted to say), Christ’s richest blessings to you and yours’ at this time, and thank you so much for your input! ;-)

[Jet Jaguar]

Bump! Merry Christmas!

[alfa6]

they are predicting snow tomorrow in Houston no less

Crikey mate, is the Goron in Houston?

It looks like the snow might make it to Kansas City on Sunday, or not.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[AmericanInTokyo]

A cute little "retro" bus from the 1950s that the Tokyo Bay Hilton Hotel has set up to shuttle guests back and forth this year:

The HILTON HOTEL.

[Jet Jaguar]

Great pic!

[AmericanInTokyo]

How "Merry Christmas" is said in some various countries:

French: Joyeux Noel

Italian: Buon Natale

Japan: Kurisumasu Omedeto

Spanish: Feliz Navidad

Swedish: God Jul och Gott Nytt r

Albanian: Gzuar Krishlindjet

Palauan: Ungil Kurismas

American English: Happy Holidays

/sarc

[Jet Jaguar]

I hear ya...

[stevio]

Great.

[Zetman]

There you have it. You asked me a simple question about Christmas and gift giving here. I wrote a book in reply. Sorry for rambling. Hope that puts it in perspective.

Omoshiroi. Good summation of a lot of Christmas history in Japan in a few succinct sentences!!

I spent Christmas of 1996 (and New Years a week later) in the Osaka/Kansai area - proposing to the future Mrs. Zetman. It felt a bit depressing having December 25 be just another regular business day, but the thrill and novelty of being in a foreign country (other than Canada or Mexico) for the first time helped make up for it. Plus, Kyoto on New Years Eve is a very happenin' place to be!!

I do what is called by some in the Catholic Church "The Old Latin Mass", and attend a Parish run by an Apostlate devoted exclusively to that Rite (The Institiute of Christ the King). This year, they ordained their first Japanese seminarian - Raphael Ueda. He is also from the Kansai area, although the Institute has posted him in Rome, Italy. It would be nice if they would send him to start a Parish in Japan someday. Perhaps he could help increase that 1% a bit more!! Either way, we hope to meet him in person sometime this year, if they have him visit the USA.

[AmericanInTokyo]

As someone once said, if, after nearly 400 years, you only have abou 1% market share, your business development, advertising and marketing plans are somehow in need of a tweaking.

[Zetman]

As someone once said, if, after nearly 400 years, you only have about 1% market share, your business development, advertising and marketing plans are somehow in need of a tweaking.

Well, it sounds like there was "illegal restraint of trade" for much of those past 400 years. Hard to "market your brand" under such conditions. However, there has also been adequate time between repressions to make greater inroads. So, who knows why Christianity remains a persistent member of The One Percent Club?? You probably have a much better idea than I do.

Personally, I have heard the 1% figure bandied about, without change, for so many years that I am not sure I believe it anymore. One would expect that figure to fluctuate up and/or down a bit over time. I suspect that there may now be more than 1% of the Japanese population that is Christian, but the secular left-wing news media has no interest in reporting such things (or is too lazy to conduct the research necessary to update their demographic data).

Either way, at this point, the way things are continuing to go downhill here in the West, we are increasingly in need of Missionaries of our own back here (and even more so in Europe)!! So, I am not sure we can spare as many for Japan.