Anglican Church in Japan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nippon Sei Ko Kai |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Anglican |
| Scripture | Holy Bible |
| Theology | Anglican doctrine |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Primate | Luke Kenichi Muto, Bishop of Kyushu |
| Headquarters | 65 Yaraicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo |
| Territory | Japan |
| Members | 32,000 |
The Nippon Sei Ko Kai (Japanese: 日本聖公会, romanized: Nippon Seikōkai, lit. 'Japanese Holy Catholic Church'), also known as NSKK, is the official name for the Anglican Episcopal Church in Japan. It is the national Christian church representing Japan within the worldwide Anglican Communion.
As part of the Anglican Communion, the Nippon Sei Ko Kai shares many of the old beliefs and worship styles of the Church of England. However, it is a fully independent church. It is run by its own leaders and rules. Like other Anglican churches, the Nippon Sei Ko Kai sees itself as part of the "One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church." It is considered both Catholic and Reformed.
The Anglican Communion is the third largest Christian group in the world. It has about 80 million members. The Nippon Sei Ko Kai has around 32,000 members. These members are part of local churches across Japan, organized into eleven areas called dioceses.
Contents
Exploring the History of the NSKK
How did Christianity first arrive in Japan? (1549–1846)
Christianity first came to Japan in the 1500s. Jesuit Saint Francis Xavier and Portuguese explorers brought it. But in 1587, the Christian faith was banned. Christians, both Japanese and foreign, faced harsh treatment. The Nippon Sei Ko Kai remembers these early Japanese Christians every February 5. They honor the Martyrs of Japan for their strong faith.
Later, in 1640, all foreigners were sent away. Japan then closed itself off from the world for 200 years. Christian communities had to practice their faith in secret. When foreigners were allowed back in the 1850s, they found thousands of Christians. These brave people had kept their faith alive for centuries.
When did the Anglican Church start in Japan? (1846–1900)
Anglican mission work began in Japan in 1846. It started with the British Loochoo Naval Mission on the Ryukyu Islands. The first Anglican burial service in Japan was held in Yokohama in 1854. It was led by George Jones, a U.S. Navy chaplain.
More permanent Anglican priests arrived in 1859. John Liggins and Channing Moore Williams came to Nagasaki. Soon after, Anglicans in Yokohama started holding worship services. The first Anglican church, Christ Church, Yokohama, was built in 1863.
At first, priests could only serve American and British residents. This was because of government rules against teaching Christianity. Also, there was a big language barrier. The first Japanese person to be baptized by Williams was in 1866. He was a samurai named Shōmura Sukeuemon.
Other missionaries from the Church of England joined later. They spread out to cities like Osaka, Tokyo, and Hokkaido. John Batchelor worked with the Ainu people in Hokkaido.
After the Meiji Restoration, new laws brought more religious freedom. This allowed more missionaries to come to Japan. By 1879, much of the Book of Common Prayer was translated into Japanese. The full version was ready by 1882.
In 1883, the first two Japanese deacons were ordained. They were Nobori Kanai and Masakazu Tai. The Anglican Church of Canada also began mission work in Japan in 1888. They focused mainly on Nagoya and Central Japan.
Many lay missionaries also helped the Anglican Church grow. They were not ordained priests. They set up schools, universities, and hospitals. Women missionaries like Ellen G. Eddy and Alice Hoar started schools. Hannah Riddell and Mary Cornwall-Legh opened hospitals for people with leprosy. The Japanese Government honored them for their important work.
The first meeting of the Nippon Sei Ko Kai took place in Osaka in 1887. At this meeting, different Anglican missions decided to unite. They formed one independent national church: the Nippon Sei Ko Kai. Most of the people at this meeting were Japanese. In 1887, the NSKK had about 1,300 members. John Toshimichi Imai became the first Japanese Anglican priest in 1889.
How did the NSKK grow and face challenges? (1900–1945)
By 1906, the Nippon Sei Ko Kai had grown to 13,000 members. Many leaders believed that an independent, Japanese-led church was essential. This would help Christianity reach more people in Japan. Efforts were made to help churches become financially self-sufficient. The first Japanese bishops were chosen in 1923. They were John Yasutaro Naide (Bishop of Osaka) and Joseph Sakunoshin Motoda (Bishop of Tokyo).
In the 1930s, Japan faced new challenges. There was a growing focus on Shinto as a state religion. Also, militarism increased in politics. Christianity was sometimes seen as disloyal to Japan. The NSKK sometimes issued statements supporting the Imperial Army. The NSKK also expanded overseas during this time. It established churches in Taiwan, Manchuria, and absorbed the Anglican Church of Korea.
However, a period of government pressure began in 1937. Christian groups, especially those with ties to other countries, faced difficulties. The NSKK, with its links to the Church of England, was watched closely. Some church leaders publicly distanced themselves from the wider Anglican Communion.
During World War II, the Japanese government forced most Protestant churches to join one group. This group was called the United Church of Christ in Japan. But many Nippon Sei Ko Kai churches refused to join. They wanted to keep their unique Anglican identity. Because of this, some church leaders were harassed or imprisoned. These included Bishops Samuel Heaslett, Hinsuke Yashiro, and Todomu Sugai.
Many urban NSKK churches, hospitals, and schools were destroyed. This happened during the Allied bombing raids in 1945. St. Andrew's Tokyo was one of the churches that resisted government pressure. It managed to keep its land and identity until the war ended.
What happened after the war? (1945–Present)
The war caused damage to the NSKK's unity and buildings. Seventy-one of its 246 churches were destroyed. Many others were in poor condition.
After the war, the church began to heal. With support from the Archbishop of Canterbury, the NSKK was reorganized in 1947. Japanese bishops led each diocese. In 1948, Presiding Bishop Yashiro gave a special gift to the Archbishop of Canterbury. It was a beautiful silk robe and hat. This showed thanks for the strong bond among Anglican churches.
The Nippon Sei Ko Kai became financially independent in 1972. This meant it no longer needed funding from overseas. In 1996, the NSKK formally apologized for its role in the war. It has since worked on projects to promote peace and reconciliation in East Asia.
In 1998, Margaret Ryoko Shibukawa became the first woman priest in the Nippon Sei Ko Kai. She had been the first woman deacon in 1978.
In 2009, the NSKK celebrated 150 years of Anglican Christian presence in Japan. Important leaders from the Anglican Communion visited for the occasion. In 2013, the NSKK co-hosted a peace conference in Okinawa.
The NSKK Today
Luke Kenichi Muto, Bishop of Kyushu, became the current leader of the Nippon Sei Ko Kai on November 5, 2020.
Today, the Nippon Sei Ko Kai continues its work in Japan. It supports church life, hospitals, schools, and social causes. The church helps people who are disadvantaged or discriminated against. It also supports communities affected by the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake and the Fukushima nuclear crisis.
The NSKK also does mission work in other countries, like the Philippines.
Eight of the NSKK's dioceses allow women to be ordained as deacons and priests. Women have been ordained as priests since 1998. In 2021, Grace Trazu Sasamori was elected bishop of the Diocese of Hokkaido. She is the first woman to be elected bishop in the church.
How does the NSKK worship?
The main prayer book used in worship is the Ki Tō Sho (1959). Its latest version from 2000 includes the Lord's Prayer wording. This wording is also used by the Catholic Church in Japan.
The Bible readings in church mostly come from the Japan Bible Society Interconfessional Version (2018). This replaced an older version from 1987.
The hymnal used is Sei Ka Shū (2006). It replaced an older Japanese version of Hymns Ancient and Modern.
Dioceses and Important Churches
The Nippon Sei Ko Kai has eleven dioceses. There are over three hundred church and chapel congregations across Japan. Here are some important churches in each diocese, from north to south:
Hokkaido Diocese
The Anglican mission in Hokkaido began in 1874. Missionaries like Walter Dening and John Batchelor helped the Ainu people. Today, the Diocese of Hokkaido has 24 churches, 5 kindergartens, and 4 nursery schools. Its main church is Christ Church Cathedral, Sapporo.
The current bishop is Maria Grace Tazu Sasamori. She became the NSKK's first female bishop in 2022.
Tohoku Diocese
The first Anglican mission to the Tohoku Region (Northeast Japan) started in 1891. Missionaries were sent to Fukushima. In 1894, Rev. H.J. Jefferies came to Sendai. He started church meetings, sewing schools, kindergartens, and Sunday schools. The first church building in Sendai was finished in 1905.
The original Christ Church in Sendai was destroyed in the 1945 bombing. It was rebuilt in 1965 and again in 2014.
Kitakanto Diocese
The first Anglican mission in the Diocese of North Tokyo (now Kitakanto) was in Kawagoe in 1878. The mission then spread to other cities. The diocese's main church is St. Mattias' Cathedral in Maebashi. This diocese covers churches in Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, and Saitama Prefectures.
In 1901, the first church-affiliated kindergarten opened in Kawagoe. In 1916, Conwall Legh started a medical care unit for leprosy patients in Kusatsu, Gunma.
The current Bishop of Kitakanto is Francis Xavier Hiroyuki Takahashi.
Tokyo Diocese
The Diocese of Tokyo was officially formed in May 1923. It has 33 churches and 9 chapels. Many of these were first built in the late 1800s.
- St. Andrew's Cathedral, Minato-ku, Tokyo
- St. Alban's, Minato-ku, Tokyo. This is an English-speaking NSKK church next to St. Andrew's Cathedral.
- St. Luke's Chapel, Chuo-ku, Tokyo. It is located in the Old Building of St. Luke's International Hospital. This was one of the few NSKK church buildings in central Tokyo to survive World War II.
Yokohama Diocese
- St. Andrew's Cathedral, Yokohama
- Christ Church, Yokohama. This is a famous church in Yamate overlooking Yokohama Port. It has both English and Japanese-speaking congregations.
- St. Andrew's Church, Kiyosato, Yamanashi
Chubu Diocese
The Diocese of Chubu's main church is St. Matthew's Church Cathedral, Nagoya. It covers churches in Aichi, Gifu, Nagano, and Niigata Prefectures. Some parts of the Chubu Region belong to other dioceses for historical reasons.
The Anglican Church of Canada helped establish this diocese. The Nagano Holy Saviour Church was built by a Canadian missionary, J. G. Waller. It is now an important cultural property. St. Mary's College, Nagoya started from a school for child care workers founded by Margaret Young, another Canadian missionary.
The current bishop is Dr. Renta Nishihara. He became the tenth bishop in October 2020.
Kyoto Diocese
- St. Agnes' Cathedral, Kyoto
Osaka Diocese
- Christ Church Cathedral, Kawaguchi, Osaka. This is the main church for the Bishop of Osaka.
Kobe Diocese
- St. Michael's Cathedral, Kobe
Kyushu Diocese
- St. Paul's Cathedral, Fukuoka
Okinawa Diocese
Other Important NSKK Facilities
_1.jpg)
The Nippon Sei Ko Kai runs over two hundred educational, medical, and social welfare institutions in Japan. You can find full lists on the official NSKK website.
Seminaries (Schools for Clergy)
- Central Theological College, Tokyo. This school was founded in 1908.
- Williams Theological Seminary, Kyoto
Religious Orders
- Community of Nazareth, Tokyo. This is an Anglican religious order that started in 1936.
Universities and Colleges
- Rikkyo University, Tokyo, also known as St. Paul's University
- St. Margaret's Junior College, Tokyo
- St. Mary's College, Nagoya
- Momoyama Gakuin University, Osaka, also known as Saint Andrew's University.
- Heian Jogakuin University, Kyoto and Osaka, also known as St. Agnes University
- Poole Gakuin University, Osaka
- Poole Gakuin Junior College, Osaka
- Kobe International University, Kobe
- Kobe Shoin Women's University, Kobe
Hospitals
- St. Luke's International Hospital, Tokyo
- St. Barnabas' Hospital, Osaka
Notable People in NSKK History
Early Missionaries and Leaders (1859–1900)
- Channing Moore Williams (1829–1910): An Episcopal Bishop and founder of Rikkyo University.
- John Liggins (1829–1912): The first Anglican missionary in Japan.
- Alexander Croft Shaw (1846–1902): A missionary and founder of St. Andrew's Church in Tokyo.
- Edward Bickersteth (1850–1897): The first Bishop of South Tokyo.
- John Batchelor (1854–1944): A missionary who worked with the Ainu people in Hokkaido.
- John McKim (1852–1936): Bishop of North Tokyo.
- Arthur Lloyd (1852–1911): A missionary, scholar, and translator.
- John Toshimichi Imai (1863–1919): The first Japanese-born Anglican priest, ordained in 1889.
Leaders During Growth and Wartime (1900–1945)
- Paul Shinji Sasaki (1885–1946): Bishop of Mid-Japan, then Bishop of Tokyo, and a Presiding Bishop of the NSKK.
- Todomu Sugai (1883–1947): Bishop of South Tokyo and a Presiding Bishop.
- Henry St. George Tucker (1874–1956): Bishop of Kyoto.
- Joseph Sakunoshin Motoda (1862–1928): Bishop of Tokyo.
- John Yasutaro Naide (1866–1945): Bishop of Osaka.
- Rudolf Teusler (1876–1934): A medical missionary and founder of St. Luke's International Hospital, Tokyo.
- Mary Cornwall Legh (1857–1941): A missionary who helped leprosy communities in Kusatsu, Gunma.
- Samuel Heaslett (1875–1947): The fourth Bishop of South Tokyo.
- Walter Weston (1860–1940): A missionary and famous Japanese Alpine Mountaineer.
- Michael Hinsuke Yashiro: Bishop of Kobe, elected Presiding Bishop in 1947.
- Paul Rusch (1897–1979): A lay missionary and educator.
- Masayoshi Ōhira (1910–1980): A former Prime Minister of Japan (1978–1980).
See Also
- Tucker, Henry St. George. The History of the Episcopal Church in Japan. New York: Charles Scribners' Sons, 1938.
