Perhaps it is time to think about Akihabara. Recently, I watched NHK (Nihon Hikikomori Kyokai), somehow the issue of Otaku and Hikikomori just reminded me about Akihabara. As I was searching the video reels on Harajuku, I found Akihabara too. A friend called up just to remind me about Akihabara a minute ago.
Perhaps, I had overlooked something about this. What is that about Akihabara? What is the strong force behind it? What are the strong holds? If Akihabra is a place for Otaku, then it is a place that God's love must be revealed! Breaking forces through His love is nevertheless the best weapon! Pray for His love!
In year 2005, I had a vision about Shibuya in Tokyo. Around the same time, a prophetic church in HK received a vision to start a church in Tokyo, where they had started their church planting this March.
Weird, even it was only one day for me in these places, the images of the shops and the roads are still vivid in my mind. As if it came alive in me. The cry of the strong man, and the march of Christ! Do not miss the march!
It's time to exercise our spiritual muscle now! Pray for His church in Akihabra!
Akihabara, Shibuya, Harajuku, Shinjuku are all in Tokyo. Is Akihabara a walkable distance from Shibuya, Harajuku, Yoyogi, or Shinjuku? I'm not very sure. But Sibuya, Yoyogi, Harajuku and Shinjuku formed in one line, and are walkable from one stop to another. I don't speak the same language with Akihabara, though I am learning now, perhaps the whole course about Public Health and social study about Hikikomori is preparing me to this. But I do believe that some of you speak the language of Akihabara! God would had prepared your heart for this place! Let us know what God had put in your heart about this issue! Let us join hands in prayers! Let's bring this vision back to our own churches!
Praying for Japan, is not your own issue or my issue. It is about His issue. Regardless the church is called for this matter, as long as we are in the church, the church is for His people! Praying, is about God's business! Amen.
2 comments:
Hi Rose & everyone,
I haven't thought about Akihabara -- but I have thought a little about Nippombashi. In Osaka, Nippombashi (or "Den-Den Town") is the same as Tokyo's Akihabara. It used to be mostly electronic stores, but since Yodobashi Camera and Bic Camera have opened up in more convenient locations, Nippombashi's electronic stores are becoming fewer, and "otaku" stores are taking over in a big way.
I went through there a week or two ago with my brother and I told him about how the otaku culture is kind of a counter-culture. Once they would have been completely "outsiders", but now they have found more like-minded friends and have "places" they can go to that adjust to their interests. Additionally, the recent popular movie and television series "Densha Otoko" has popularized the otaku image. Some people don't call them "otaku" anymore, but "Akiba-kei" (I think).
I think you're right about there being some kind of spiritual root between this and the hikkomori phenomenon. It may have something to do with feeling "outside" or "different" or not accepted. There may be very few places that people can express their feelings, and they may not be taught how to do that anyway. I think most people here are raised with the idea that if you feel like an outsider, it's because there is something wrong with you.
More than once I've heard of children who were being bullied ("ijimeru") in school and who tried to tell their teachers about it. Many teachers respond, "You're probably being bullied because of something you did, or there's something wrong with you." It makes the kid feel even worse about himself/herself.
There is a myth in this society (and in every society) that everyone is "normal", and if you have a problem, then there's something wrong with you. In Japan it seems to be extra-strong. When praying about it back in California, we felt that it was a man-pleasing spirit. The spirit of looking to people for affirmation and acceptance, of putting their approval above God's approval and even above your own approval of yourself.
There is a lot of depression here, but because it's seen as a problem with "abnormal" people, most people don't realize when they're depressed and need help. And most people who are not depressed don't know how to act towards people that are depressed. I think this is a big root of a lot of the shocking youth violence that has been happening in the last several years. Conservatives & nationalists blame it on the breakdown of traditional values (and on "globalization"), but a bigger the reason that the family is breaking apart is because companies are stealing fathers from their families by making them work crazy hours and then go to the izakaya to drink with boss/co-workers after work until late hours.
Pray for the binding of the man-pleasing spirit in Japan, for people to see that Father God never leaves them and is always with them. Pray for the release of His captive and bound children here, that their souls and spirits will be released to cry out to Abba, their Father, and release their pain and confusion to Him. Pray for the Church to recognize these needs, and to go headlong into the areas like Akihabara and Nippombashi to set up 24/7 prayer rooms and ministries to love the people there. Yes, Jesus, all these things in Your name, amen!
P.S. One of my friends in Osaka (Jumpei) is co-heading a 24/7 prayer room in Ame-mura (Amerika-mura) in Shinsaibashi, Osaka. Just like Harajuku in Tokyo, Ame-mura is the big hangout for all the wild & crazy, young & fashionable, party animal and mate hunting. Please pray for their ministry, and for others like it to plant and grow in Ame-mura, Harajuku, Shibuya, and all over Japan. Jesus, all for You!
P.P.S. I forgot to add that the problems of hikkomori and even the 'outcast' feeling of otaku is because they have begun to believe the lies told to them by the man-pleasing spirit. The man-pleasing spirit lies and says that because others don't accept you, that there is something wrong with you and you might as well give up. You accept a low self-worth. Pray for the binding of the man-pleasing spirit's lies in Jesus' name! We bind your lies, man-pleasing spirit, in Jesus' name!
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