My Home

“My Father’s house has many rooms…I am going there to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2

My Home

We opened the door of our first home in Japan with great anticipation and curiosity. Upon entering, we immediately encountered the first of many differences between American and Japanese housing. We stood in the tiny cubicle known as the genkan (entry way), where we were promptly instructed to take off our shoes, place them in the nearby getabako (shoe cupboard) and step into the provided slippers. From there we proceeded to explore our new domicile. The overall dimensions underwhelmed us since all the rooms, particularly the kitchen, seemed tiny compared to the American apartment we had recently vacated. There was no sink in the apartment, except for the one in the kitchen, and the single toilet was located far from the bathing area in the coldest corner of the house. The placement of the toy-like washing machine seemed to be an afterthought and the total closet space in the apartment was minimal. Fortunately, we had few possessions at the time and only one child. Going upstairs, we were surprised to discover that the standard tatami (straw) mats we expected to find had been replaced with hard flooring to accommodate the growing Japanese trend of using western furniture.

As the years slipped by, our first apartment in Japan was eventually demolished along with several other places where we previously lived. Understandably, those rather dated edifices gave way to newer, better built, better equipped and better insulated housing alternatives that are presently more common in Japan. This progression explained why older buildings in our neighborhood were routinely torn down and the remaining rubble was then expeditiously hauled away to accommodate a younger generation with different expectations. Ever increasing property prices facilitated the pace of these changes as the land was considered to be far more valuable than the structures previously built upon them.

Current Japanese housing reflects a blend of past patterns with modern conveniences, advanced building materials and newer styles. One indicator of this transition is the usage of the Japanese terms washitsu (和室Japanese style room) and yōshitsu (洋室western style room) to help identify the composition of a particular Japanese home. Likewise, the size or nature of all housing units are usually indicated by placing a numeral in front of the acronyms LDK or DK, which stand for Living/Dining/Kitchen areas or the more space restricted Dining/Kitchen version. The numeral juxtaposed in front of the acronym specifies the number of additional rooms which vary in size. A 4LDK then is a housing unit that has four rooms in addition to a living room, dining room and kitchen area. The size of individual rooms is often indicated by the number of tatami mats (roughly 3 ft x 6 ft) that can fit in the room. However, the number of square meters is now increasingly used as a substitute measurement. Advertisements for a housing unit may include the presence of a balcony, available parking space(s), existence of a special storage area (monōki), accessibility to public transportation and the year the unit was constructed.

Food, clothing and shelter are universally considered to be basic human necessities within the context of a supporting community. As Jesus prepared His followers for His impending departure, He unexpectedly gave them a wonderful promise of an eternal home that they probably did not immediately grasp (John 14:2). Jesus was going to prepare a place for them in the very presence of God for all eternity. Of course, this would only be possible at great cost through the cross, but all who believed in Him would be welcome to reside there. Our present homes on earth come in many forms, but they are all impermanent and inadequate. My home in heaven is forever where I will enjoy unparalleled communion with God and His people. That’s an edifice that will never be torn down.

My Hometown

“My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.” Isaiah 32:18

Furusto

Our “choir” for that day featured no gifted singers, but what it lacked in ability was more than compensated for by the heartfelt participation of the predominantly older voices gathered in one of the many temporary housing areas scattered along the northeast coast of Japan. We were serving coffee, tea and homemade cookies to those who had been recently displaced by the tsunami following the Great East Japan Earthquake. A team of volunteers then led everyone in singing the famous Japanese folk song “Furusato,” (故郷) translated “My Hometown.” As my wife and I listened to the well-known words to the song, we were emotionally unable to add our voices to those who had lost so much.

I chased rabbits in those mountains
I fished in that stream
I still dream now and then about those days as a child
How I long for and miss my hometown

How are my father and mother?
Are my old friends okay?
Whenever it is rainy and windy
I recall my happy childhood in my hometown

Some day when I've done what I set out to do,
I will return to what used to be my home
The mountains are green there in my hometown

Described as a song that reflects the heart of Japan, Furusato* is traditionally sung as a wistful contemplation of bygone days with the slight hint of hope that those happier times will someday be recovered. But the words on this occasion seemed empty as they were being mouthed by people who had lost their homes, loved ones, jobs and even their way of life within the span of a few minutes on March 11, 2011. The mountains and streams from their childhood memories still remained, but there would be no returning to the furusato they enthusiastically sang about.

That single moment, among the many we experienced doing relief work, captured for us the uniqueness of the Japanese and their amazing, resilient response to unmitigated, personal disaster. All that remained of many towns and neighborhoods along that coast were vast fields of empty foundations that eerily resembled ancient archeological ruins. Those who remained continued to press on, clinging to the memories of their furusato with little hope of livelihood, and many were still struggling to pay off loans on houses that no longer existed.

Although the song “Furusato” is known by all Japanese, very few are aware that the tune and lyrics were actually written by Christians. As such, the composers used the metaphor of furusato to portray the people of God as sojourners on earth waiting for their eternal, heavenly home. This theme comes out clearly in the last verse where it says “Someday when I’ve done what I set out to do, I will return to what used to be my home.” It is good to keep this worthier objective in mind as we seek to point the way to our eternal furusato to others, while standing shoulder to shoulder with those who have lost their earthly furusato.

*You can listen to the song Furusato through the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcmcXrCihrA

Sacred Treasures

“for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Philippians 4:11b

Sacred Treasures

According to ancient tradition, whenever a new Japanese emperor ascends to power, he is entrusted with three sacred items as part of the enthronement ceremony. The presentation of these special objects by the Shinto priests serves to establish the new ruler’s authority and validates his right to reign. Historically, these items are referred to as the “three sacred treasures” (三種の神器) and consist of a mirror (representing wisdom), a sword (symbolizing valor) and a jewel (signifying benevolence).

Following the devastation of World War II, most Japanese were left destitute and longed for a better life. Therefore, members of the media spoke of the “new three sacred treasures” that everyone was seeking to obtain as a symbol of status and improved living conditions. These “treasures” were identified as a washing machine, a refrigerator and a television, since very few Japanese could afford such luxuries at the time. For example, in the early 1950s, a young salaried worker only earned about ¥10,000 per month, but a small fridge cost around ¥85,000 and a black/white TV was generally priced at ¥140,000. Such everyday conveniences were well beyond the reach of the vast majority of Japanese. However, as the economy steadily improved with prices going down and wages going up, many more people were soon able to purchase these once unobtainable “sacred” objects. This trend increased to such an extent that by 1964, almost 90% of all households in Japan owned these items. As to be expected, new luxury items were sought after, so an automobile, an air conditioner and a color TV were soon identified as the “new three sacred treasures” everyone longed to possess. These in turn gave way to newer or bigger “treasures” such as luxury vacations, expensive cameras, computers, designer goods, cell phones and the list goes on and on. Life became increasingly easier in Japan, but did such treasures bring genuine satisfaction?

Obviously, the answer is “no,” as true happiness does not originate from the quantity or quality of our possessions. Rather, genuine contentment and satisfaction stems from something much deeper, beginning with a heart set on the things of God. The Apostle Paul hinted at this truth when he shared part of his testimony in Philippians 4, where he declared he had learned contentment that wasn’t dependent upon his circumstances. In the course of his life, Paul had experienced both abundance and scarcity, but because God was the ultimate “treasure” that he sought, he was able to find contentment in either situation. This is the opposite approach of the world around us, which erroneously pursues a contentment grounded in things or activities rather than the person of God. This is why Jesus advised His followers not to store up treasures on earth, but instead, store up treasures in heaven. Jesus then went on to wisely note that our hearts are closely linked to whatever treasures we value. (Matthew 6:19-21) In reality, there is only one “sacred treasure” worth pursuing, and that is God Himself. Nothing else is deserving of our devotion, time or energy in comparison.

Firm Foundations

“Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24

Foundations4

Due to the frequency of earthquakes in Japan, a lot of attention in building construction is given to the design and materials used for foundations. Even the simplest of houses requires construction techniques that are quite different from what we normally observe in the West. In addition, they are quite labor intensive, which adds to a building’s overall price tag. Several disasters and the subsequent collapse of numerous buildings in the past prompted the government to eventually enact strict anti-seismic structural standards that are constantly upgraded as technology improves. The building codes for skyscrapers are even more stringent, employing specially designed shock absorbers known as isolators embedded throughout the structure. Such modifications are developed through detailed research and placed according to precise calculations. Because of these many innovations, Japan is now considered to be among the world’s leaders in earthquake-resistant technology.

Of course the research behind all of this progress and the special materials and labor used to erect these buildings significantly raises construction costs. This has tempted some unscrupulous companies to take illegal shortcuts. The most famous of these scandals came to light in 2005 when it was discovered that the Aneha Architectural Design Company had falsified earthquake design calculations, violating numerous building codes in order to cut expenses. Hidetsugu Aneha admitted that due to pressure from developers, many of his building designs intentionally concealed potentially catastrophic defects, solely for the purpose of saving investors money. As a result, several newly constructed hotels were abandoned and many condominium owners had to vacate their recently purchased residences due to safety concerns. Many of these empty structures still stand as a dubious testimony to the dishonesty and greed of man.

Foundations are important. Therefore, Jesus used this subject as a powerful illustration at the conclusion of His famous message known as the Sermon on the Mount. After Jesus initially taught the gathered crowd some of God’s kingdom values known as the Beatitudes, He then proceeded to elaborate on these concepts through addressing the subjects of persecution, hypocrisy, reconciliation, retribution, pursuit of wealth, worry, judging others and the importance of prayer. Jesus then concludes His talk by using the analogy of two foundations and two builders. One builder was described as being “wise” and the other was depicted as being “foolish.” The wise builder constructed his house on rock which withstood the destructive elements of nature. However, the foolish builder used sand under his foundation, which ended in disaster under the same climatic elements. The intended lesson was that we must carefully choose what we build our lives upon. To put it simply, a life not built upon God’s values invites destruction. But those who deliberately center their lives around God’s Word and heed His instructions, reap eternal life. To avoid a disaster, choose your foundation carefully.

Slipper Etiquette

“You hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.” Matthew 23:25

Slippers

Shame can occur in many forms in Japan, but a rather comical and fairly common shame-related incident is for a guest to absentmindedly wear slippers designated exclusively for the toilet area into other parts of the house. This is considered to be a significant faux pas in Japanese culture, but even though it is acutely embarrassing for the unwitting perpetrator, it is usually ignored by polite hosts. However, to grasp the import of this particular incident, one must understand the broader concept of slipper etiquette in Japan and the values that undergird it.

Every house and even the tiniest apartments in Japan have at their entrance a space called the “genkan.” It might be referred to it as an “entry way” or something similar in western culture, but the purpose of the genkan is very specific. It is the designated area that separates outside dirt or uncleanness from the interior of one’s living area because it is unthinkable in Japan to wear shoes used outdoors into a house. Therefore, shoes are customarily removed in the lower part of the genkan while being careful not to step on the “contaminated” floor in socked feet. Following this initial maneuver, one is then expected to step up to the elevated portion of the genkan into slippers that are provided by the host. Usually, the host will then proceed to turn your shoes to face the door in the lower half of the genkan for your eventual departure. However, all this is only the first phase of proper slipper etiquette.

A general rule of thumb for successfully adapting to different customs in a foreign culture is to observe and copy the locals. The same applies to entering someone’s house as a guest and knowing where it is okay to walk in your provided slippers, as there can be subtle differences in application. For example, the common practice is NOT to wear slippers on tatami mats (woven straw flooring), a porch, balcony or in the toilet area. Different slippers are usually provided for the bathroom since that area represents another degree of uncleanness that should not be carried into other parts of the house. Separate slippers for a porch area are usually conveniently located at the entrance should someone chose to venture from the “clean” area of the house.

While it is not practical for companies and businesses to restrict employees or customers from entering their premises in outside shoes, it is surprising to observe that public schools, churches, hospitals, public baths and some hotels typically maintain the practice of expecting people to take off their shoes at the entrance. To facilitate this on a large scale, an array of small lockers or cubby holes are located nearby for the temporary storage of outside shoes and a steady supply of clean slippers are provided for general use.

In the Old Testament, God’s chosen people, the Jews, were well drilled on ceremonial law and as a result, they were fastidious in their efforts to ensure cleanliness in the external aspects of their daily lives. However, as Jesus strongly pointed out, this emphasis on external cleanliness often failed to carry over to the far more important dimension of moral cleanness. In fact, Jesus was quite outspoken in his criticism of this hypocrisy because matters of the heart or soul always outweigh superficial, external activities. The prophet Isaiah was keenly aware of this inconsistency when he cried out “Woe to me. I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:5) This verse is a vivid reminder that while it is a good thing to keep dirt out of one’s house, we should be far more diligent to avoid defilement in our lives.

An Uncluttered Life

“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1b

Clutter

The United States and many other countries have a problem, so a diminutive, young Japanese woman is ready to help. Her name is Marie Kondo and she is an expert in assisting people to declutter their lives. She recently rocketed to fame through her popular book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” and is now recognized worldwide as an organizing consultant. In countless seminars, and now through a Netflix TV series, Ms. Kondo preaches that if one tidies their personal space, it will transform their life. She explains that her philosophy of organization is partly inspired by the Japanese Shinto religion, with its emphasis on purity and cleanliness.

Popularly called the “KonMari” method, Marie Kondo’s approach to decluttering basically consists of gathering all of one’s possessions, one category at a time, and keeping only the items that “spark joy” in the owner. The items that remain are then neatly organized in a system to help maintain an uncluttered lifestyle. However, I must confess that my understanding of this methodology is still incomplete because most men, like myself, probably have a few old T-shirts that bring them “joy”, but such items likely spark different feelings from their wives! Perhaps Marie has an answer for this marital dilemma somewhere within the pages of her book.

Some popular US TV reality shows, particularly Hoarders, offer a revealing glimpse into the psychological depth and physical extremes a cluttered lifestyle can reach if left unchecked. But such extremes do not discount the real need for the majority of us to rid our lives of unneeded possessions that steadily fill our closets, drawers, garages and even rented storage units. While this appears to be an escalating problem in affluent countries, the greater need for decluttering occurs on a spiritual level and is common to all cultures. Left unchecked, overt sin, materialism, worry, jealousy, bitterness, anger and a host of other heart issues can dominate our lives, weigh us down and prevent us from running our spiritual race well, as the author of Hebrews points out.

Jesus warned His followers often about the danger of a life focused on possessions or anything else that could potentially distract us from our heavenly calling to pursue God and the things He values (Matthew 6:19-34). Marie Kondo likes to say “Tidy your space, transform your life,” which is certainly true on a limited, physical level. However, eternal, life-changing transformation, is a work of God that goes hand in hand with a heart set on accruing eternal treasure.

For more information on Marie Kondo, check out the following trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvyeapVBLWY