Stories of Moving Encounters from My Japan Mission Tour

Final Episode of My “Thick Kansai Dialect Talk” series (originally published in Revival Newspaper, Sept. 2002)

By Pastor Itsuo Ueno

This summer again, I had the chance to go to Japan and do “enka evangelism.”

Now, I’m usually strong against the heat, but honestly, this summer was so hot that even this enka pastor had a hard time.

Starting in Tokyo, I traveled around Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu regions. This time it was quite a long stretch—about 40 days.

To all the pastors and church members who invited me—thank you so much.

Each year when I go to Japan, I can really sense more and more that gospel enka is being used for God’s work.

When I first started enka evangelism, people treated it like some weird sideshow.

But at the live concerts, people actually accepted Christ through this.

Slowly, more churches began to recognize that gospel enka really could be used for evangelism.

That makes me truly happy.

The fun part about live concerts is meeting all sorts of people.

Sometimes pastors come just out of curiosity, but after the concert they’ll say, “Next time you come to Japan, could you put our church on your schedule?”

Let me share a few stories from this mission trip that really moved me.

In a church tucked away in the mountains of Shikoku, so many local townspeople came that the place was packed out. It was the first time that newly built church ever held an enka concert.

They listened with joy—from nostalgic enka melodies, to gospel enka, to testimonies of salvation and the message of Christ. Seeing the pastor and members faithfully planting roots and evangelizing in such a tradition-bound area moved my heart.

Even at a church known for being “serious and stiff,” they let me do a gospel enka concert.

Afterward, someone said, “This is the first time I’ve laughed so much inside the church!” That touched me deeply.

Of course, my concerts are a flood of jokes, one-liners, and punchlines.

In a Fukuoka church, the time of singing with the audience got so lively that everyone sang “Tsugaru Strait Winter Scene” together—the whole sanctuary felt like a karaoke box!

What an atmosphere of freedom and joy. And that’s exactly the chance to share the gospel.

In another church in southern Fukuoka, the men’s fellowship practiced my gospel enka song “God Is Love” and performed it at their Christmas gathering. They told me it was a huge hit—everyone applauded and cheered. Hearing that moved me again.

(Feel free to listen to my recording of "God is Love" below!)

At that church, after worship service, they even practiced gospel enka regularly, and I got to join in. Once again, I was moved.

In Kumamoto, I was given the chance to sing gospel enka in the waiting room of a hospital. Another moving moment.

In Hakata, a pastor told me, “I never realized gospel enka was this good.” Seeing his joy was yet another moving moment for me.

In Kyoto, even on a Sunday morning, they allowed me to lead an evangelistic enka worship service. I sang with all my heart, shared my testimony and message, and gave an invitation—people actually made decisions for Christ. That deeply touched me.

At a youth gathering in Tokyo, people started tossing offerings one after another—coins and bills flying, hitting me all over. I was laughing so hard I fell over. But even then, I was moved.

There’s much more I could share, but for now, what I long for most is to see more people rise up to sing gospel enka.

After all, when it comes to reaching enka-loving people, gospel enka is the best tool.

Don’t you think so?