Pray for Tokyo: 23 Wards

The city of Tokyo is made of 23 ku (区) or wards. As we count down towards our Tokyo Vision trip we’ll take a look at each wards specific needs and how you can pray.

The 23 wards of Tokyo

Pray for Shinjuku-

Known for its thriving commercial and administrative centers, and home to the busiest train station in the world; over a million people pass through Shinjuku station everyday. Shinjuku is roughly an 1/8th of the size of Columbia and is home to a population of over 300,000; that’s 3 times more than Columbia. There are over 200 churches within Columbia and yet Shinjuku barely hits 50 churches.

Shinjuku Skyline

There are also a few special areas of interest within Shinjuku:

• Kabukichō: Tokyo’s best-known red-light district, renowned for its variety of bars, restaurants, and sex-related establishments.
• Golden Gai: An area of tiny shanty-style bars and clubs. Musicians, artists, journalists, actors and directors gather here, and the ramshackle walls of the bars are literally plastered with film posters.
• Shinjuku Ni-chōme: Tokyo’s best-known gay district.

Shinjuku is a very influential ward of Tokyo and yet very dry of gospel presence. Pray that more churches would be planted and that the gospel would be proclaimed throughout this city.

Pray for Shibuya-

Once the center of youth culture in Japan, Shibuya is best compared as the times square of Tokyo. The famous Shibuya crossing in known as the busiest intersection in the world. For many years, Shibuya functioned as the gathering places for many of Tokyo’s youth. The latest fashions, newest music, and hip trends would all begin in Shibuya. Districts like Harajuku became famous for niche fashions and cosplay. Today, this is slowly changing. The internet has become the new king of cultural influence. All around Shibuya; record shops, concert venues and fashion boutiques are calling it quits as the internet over takes their business.

Shibuya Crossing at Night

Shibuya is in the midst of a major identify shift. Pray that its new identity would be founded in gospel change.  Pray that the Christians of Shibuya would boldly proclaim the gospel amidst the slew of jargon spouted through the culture everyday.