There are at least three processes happening while on this trip to Japan: reflection on what I am calling the "big questions" from a theological point of view, examination of the psychological nuances of personality and ministry in a totally foreign culture, and sightseeing.

The significant questions upon which I am reflecting are theological in nature: they deal with the nature of God or God's interaction with people, and they arise from experience. I should say at the outset that these are my questions and my reflections, but that this exercise has the feel of a reevaluation rather than an attempt to establish something foundationally new for myself. I have wondered about this a great deal and I keep coming back to some pretty fundamental beliefs about God, the church, and myself. So, perhaps, this would be better viewed as a reorientation of myself toward ministry after fifteen years of service. I am seeking to evaluate, and reorient as necessary. I am starting by reflecting on some things which have been on my mind, and then writing down some initial thoughts without a lot of precision or heavy editing.

These reflections follow two years of therapeutic attention. I have engaged in a professional examination of my history and present life from the point of view of a cognitive-behavioral approach to modifying some personal behaviors and attitudes, and have examined my outlook and approach to life with the wider lens of Jungian therapy. Over these past years there have been opportunities for study concurrent to therapy which came though work in the treatment of certain mental disorders in the setting of a state hospital. Alongside my own experience of therapy I have had ample opportunities to study the methods employed for me; then in ministerial settings, by me.

As I began to plan the trip to Japan I had the intention of planning a vacation. There is every opportunity for this trip to be that, but it became clear to me months ago that there was much more happening to just call this a vacation. It has been a year since I noticed a desire to explore other cultures in some significant way. Perhaps the spark was the publication of Carl Jung's Liber Novus or, rather, my viewing it. From that time an attraction began to grow for a more broad experience of human culture in order to explore our common origins and destiny. The decision to go to Japan is part of a larger impulse to look East, to cultures whose development is either concurrent or predates those of the West. I had to start somewhere, why not Japan? Vacation is not an appropriate word when I probably mean pilgrimage. Sightseeing might be more precise since it is akin to the figurative turning over of rocks which I intend to do. I want to see what I can see, both within and in the larger picture.

Several months ago I began with these ends in mind. My goals have seemed complicated to others as I've tried to give an approximate description of my purpose. This really seems simple to me, and probably to you too.

On every page of this Japan Journal I will attempt to give a basic introduction to the site or region I'm visiting via Wikipedia entries. That will be the substance of the first paragraph or so. Then I will give some introduction to the topic I'm considering, followed by some theological considerations if time permits. I started some of this portion of my reflections about a month ago. The depth of research at this point is dependent on how much legwork I could get done prior to the trip. If what you find seems insufficient, stop back in the weeks after I get back and you'll see this fill in. The last part of the reflections on a given page will take the form of some initial conclusions or perhaps resolutions.

Throughout these pages I will drop in lots of photos as I take them, as well as my own sketches and paintings as I consider appropriate. Subpages will be added as the trip progresses. Start with Origins.

It might go without saying that all of this is dependent on access to the internet and whether I am unexpectedly transported to some other dimension. I will be communing with Buddhist monks, after all.