Japan Tourists
On our last Saturday in Japan we were out and about to see some of the sites.
We rode the train to Asakusa Temple, a busy tourist trap with countless souvenir stands, but also a regular stop for the Japanese. It is a Buddhist shrine, which allowed us to learn a bit about Buddhism. "Buddhism is an impersonal religion of self-perfection, the end of which is death (extinction)--not life" (The Complete Evangelism Guidebook, Scott Dawson, ed., Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2006). They must accomplish this by overcoming suffering but must deny that suffering is real. They also must convince themselves that they have no personal significance. Their only hope is death and extinction. It sounds like an ongoing exercise of emptiness.
A woman stopped to pray at two different Buddha statues. We need to pray for more Christian workers to share the good news of Jesus with the Japanese people. Less than 2% of the people are Christians.
We rode the train to Asakusa Temple, a busy tourist trap with countless souvenir stands, but also a regular stop for the Japanese. It is a Buddhist shrine, which allowed us to learn a bit about Buddhism. "Buddhism is an impersonal religion of self-perfection, the end of which is death (extinction)--not life" (The Complete Evangelism Guidebook, Scott Dawson, ed., Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2006). They must accomplish this by overcoming suffering but must deny that suffering is real. They also must convince themselves that they have no personal significance. Their only hope is death and extinction. It sounds like an ongoing exercise of emptiness.
In this picture people rub their hands over the part of the statue where they need healing in their own body. Subsequently they brush over that part of their body and hope for the best.
Fanning incense on themselves is part of the ritual purifying in the Buddhist religion.
Our missionary friend John told us that people also touch and drink the water to purify themselves before entering the main temple.
Marisol and the kids took a break for some snacks while I played photographer.
A woman stopped to pray at two different Buddha statues. We need to pray for more Christian workers to share the good news of Jesus with the Japanese people. Less than 2% of the people are Christians.
We walked a long way to get this picture of the bridge and moat outside the Imperial Palace.
Here is a view of Tokyo through some trees near the Imperial Palace. We enjoyed our "self-guided tour" of Tokyo and the good night's sleep, well-deserved, afterwards.
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