[ Dec.2014 ] We visited Nikolai-do, an Orthodox church in Ochanomizu in Tokyo for the first time.
The official name is Tokyo Resurrection Cathedral.
At the entrance there was a woman who gave the pure impression and she explained the rule here politely, for example, that we could enter only up to certain point and that no photos were allowed inside and so on.
I have seen many Orthodox churches in many places (Armenia, Ukraine, Greece, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Romania) but this was the first one in Japan.
It was quite large but not too decorative and had the solem atmosphere.
A down-to-earth type of man came up to us and explained about the church, showing some old photos.
Apparently this church was started to be built by the bishop and later saint Nicholas in 1884 and it took 7 years.
But the tower and the dome was burned down because of 1923 Great Kanto easrthquake.
The current building is the one which they rebuilt.
It seemes that the original was more decorative.
He said that there are about 20000 believers in Japan.”It is not a big number, but…” he tailed off.
When we were sitting on a bench, some of the believers came in and went beyond the barrier and prayed.
Somehow I could not ask him, but I wonder what kind of people would became a believer of Orthodox church in Japan.
We came out without the answer.
By the way, the third diagonal dash of Orthodox cross is up on the left hand side.
That is because when Christ died on the cross, there were two robbers on his both sides and the one on the left repented and became a believer.
