Breakfast in our room while we got ready for church was quick and easy. We had picked it up from Daily on our way back last night. I had a brick of scrambled egg, strawberry yogurt, peach juice and an apple pastry. Mom had a teriyaki burger and she put sliced tomatoes on it from yesterday's salad we never ate since it didn't have dressing.
We attended a church service for the Anglican Church in Tokyo at St. Alban's, which is on the grounds of the Anglican Cathedral. We had searched and found this was the only place offering an Anglican service in English. We took the Metro and found our way, walking up a steep hill at the end. I was ready to sit and have some a/c! There is NO break from this humidity even in the AM hours.
We got there about 30 mins before the service started and found the Rector sitting in a pew talking with a young woman and walking her through what sounded like would be her Baptism during the service. We chose seats and I inquired about where I could find the toilet. I was directed through a back door into the community room where I saw several children and adults who were obviously part of the migrant community St. Alban's touts as their signature ministry.
The sanctuary was small, compared to All Saints at home, but it was absolutely full by the time the service started. We were among perhaps 15 White people and there were perhaps 20 Japanese people and the rest were migrants from, we found out, Nigeria and Liberia. I think the 3 young female acolytes were from Bangladesh. Mom thinks they were perhaps from India. All in all I think there were 100 people in the church!
The service was familiar, but also very different. The verbiage, we were told by the Rector afterwards (who comes from Maryland and has family in Pennsylvania), uses an English translation of the Japanese Anglican Communion. Today's service was slightly modified in that a Baptism was included. Before Communion, the Rector gave visitors an opportunity to introduce themselves and tell where they are from. I stood up and introduced Mom and I and stated we are visiting from the Los Angeles area.
Communion was very different from what we're used to. We're not sure if it's perhaps a holdover from Covid or if this is the way they've always done it. The Rector sat in a chair behind the communion rail and the congregants approached one by one and kneeled in front of of him. He dipped the wafer in the communion cup, that the Deacon was holding, and put it in the congregant's hands, and it was to be consumed at the handrail before returning to our seats. You can imagine how long that took for 100 people to receive communion! Immediately after the service a Japanese woman approached Mom and inquired specifically about the fires in LA at the beginning of the year and asked if our homes were in danger. We said we had been fortunate, but that my home was near the start of one of the fires. She expressed sorrow for those we know who lost their homes. She was very kind and Mom was very touched that she had made a point of seeking us out.
We looked to go to the coffee hour afterwards but the line to get into the community hall (and the line for coffee and snacks) was very long, so we decided to leave and find the guys. As we walked out we saw the young woman who had been baptized and congratulated her on her new journey. She spoke English very well and inquired about us and our visit to Japan.
The guys had gone to "Creepy Vending Machine Corner" while we were at church and suggested we meet for lunch at Tokyo train station. Kenji texted me the name of a restaurant that we could use at a meeting spot and decide to go from there. Let me tell you, not only is Tokyo train station a train station, but there are like 3 different malls there, too! Getting off the Metro and navigating to find the meeting spot was a huge challenge and quite frustrating at times, but thank goodness for Google Maps we made it! We ended up choosing a curry spot next door and waited a short time for a table for 4. It gave us enough time to peruse the menu. Mom and I decided to share a set (read: combo) of pork cutlet curry with rice that came with a small side salad and a bottle of lime soda. The salad was crisp and fresh with a light and yummy dressing and the soda was bright and refreshing! The curry was warm and yummy.
I was in need of a change of clothes at that point. (Let's be honest, I was ready for a change of clothes before we even got to church) The humidity is brutal. I know I've said that before, but seriously. I will never complain about the the wimpy humidity we have at home again. So Mom and I came back to the hotel and got into comfy dry, lay around the room clothes (jammies) and had a little rest.
The guys came back about 4 pm and had a rest and then we all went to Shinjuku together for dinner. The Metro was very crowded! We went to a place I had seen on YouTube for Gyudon. Think: Yoshinoya Beef Bowl, it comes with rice. Rice is life in Japan. The word "gohan" means both rice and meal. The restaurant has about 14 bar stools around the kitchen and the owner was a lively gentleman who was amused at my attempts at Japanese. His English was much better. We ate and left. Mom said she enjoyed the meal, but it went too fast. That's how most places are here. Eat and leave.
We walked through Shinjuku and Kenji took us to see the Godzilla Hotel since I didn't see it when we were here a couple of days ago. Mom commented how she has never seen so much neon! I told her to wait til we get to Osaka. We had to pass the 3D cat video screen again. So cute! Kawai! I suggested we have shave ice for dessert, but we were unable to find any in the area so we went back to our iced coffee restaurant where we could all sit in a booth together and talk. Kenji and I shared a large strawberry shave ice with condensed milk and soft serve ice cream. It hit the spot! It was cold and melted in my mouth and soothed all the heat.
After investigating the laundry facilities at the hotel, and making a plan to do laundry tomorrow (Monday) in anticipation of leaving Tokyo on Tuesday, we retreated to our respective rooms. I showed Mom a YouTube video I'd seen on how to use hotel laundry machines and we both blogged.
Here's to hoping for more than 6 hours of sleep at some point soon.
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