Roads to Japan - Our map (Sep 2025)
The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent…
Acts 17:30
God wants the nations back.
It's been almost a year since we began to feel convicted of this truth and felt called specifically to Japan. Click here for the story so far. We've thought, prayed and taken counsel about it, and this page is an attempt to map out where we are and make sense of it all. I write our thoughts transparently and in detail, firstly so I can be clear in my own mind, but also so you can be specific in your prayers for us, and so you can give us any thoughts and advice.
This is long post, so you can just jump to the summary and prayer points are at the end.
Plans
"Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."
Proverbs 19:21
This verse is very relatable right now, our plans are definitely many. Yet, our confidence is that the purpose of the Lord will stand, and our prayer is that He make clear our next steps, and that where He is so would we His servants be (John 12:26).
Below are the ideas we have considered about how the Lord may be directing us to Japan.
Considerations
Where to go?
City or country? In Japan over 90% of the population live in cities, and 70-75% live in the Greater Tokyo area, so it would make sense to live in the city to reach people. Living costs are more expensive however, at around £2000-4000 a month for a family of 3, depending on the city.
The country (inaka) is cheaper to live in, but is less populated and there are less work opportunities.
Akiya? We have also been looking at buying an abandoned home (akiya) to live in. Japan has over 9 million (akiya), which is 13.8% of all homes in Japan. There are different reasons for this, such as the declining birth rate, and because of people moving from the country to the city to work. They are very cheap, but can have significant issues. There are some companies that specialise in selling akiya to foreigners. Many akiyas are in the inaka though they can be in cities too.
What to do?
Teaching? Full-time mission work? A business?
I feel school teaching is something God led me into 1, and is what I've been most comfortable doing. I've also still got some ideas for it 2, but I don't see where these would fit in with Japan. So I'm praying about whether it is time to leave teaching behind for now, or whether the Lord still has purpose for it.
Full-time mission work is not something we've been involved in or feel particularly suited to or equipped for, but would be aligned with our purpose in Japan.
School Plan
Plan: This plan would be for me to get a job in a Japanese school, preferably an international school with a Christian mission. However, there don't seem to be many jobs at the moment. That may be just how it is, unless it's just a very narrow window I've missed.
Gospel opportunities: As a teacher in a Christian school I would work to equip the next generation to impact the world for Christ.
We could also support alongside a local church, or other Christian group, in reaching the community.
Finance: Salary provided by school which (hopefully) covers living costs.
What this means now: I would go back to work teaching for now and be ready to leave for Valor International in April if that works out, or wait until an opportunity comes at a different school.
Pros
Strengths: I have experience in teaching, enjoy doing it and I think this is where my strength lies. So this would be an opportunity to use what I'm good at for the kingdom.
Opportunity: A possible opportunity came about in a crazy way, which may well be God, or at least shows that God can make opportunities out of nowhere. I was on a call with a brother in California with a heart for Japan, and someone in the cafe he was in overheard our conversation and said he has a friend in Japan starting an international school in Japan with a Christian vision, and he connected me with his friend who is starting the school. I have applied for a position as an elementary teacher in a https://www.friendsofvis.org/school with a Christian vision opening in Japan in April 2026. There does not seem to be a huge amount of opportunity in general though.
Cons
Wouldn't spend as much time speaking Japanese and connecting with people outside school. I'm told international schools can be a bit of a bubble.
It may be a bit more difficult to find work now if I will be leaving in April.
English Teaching Plan
Plan: Teach english in a school in Japan is the most common way for english speaking foreigners to stay in Japan.
Gospel opportunity: We would look for doors the Lord would open to share the gospel.
We could support alongside a local church, or other Christian group, in reaching the community.
Finances: English teaching jobs don't have the best pay, but hopefully it should be enough to live.
What it means we do now: Find a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course. Find a job teaching english in Japan. Go back to work in a school for now.
Pros
There are many english teaching courses and opportunities available.
Cons
Would spend most of our time speaking english, making it more difficult to learn Japanese.
Entry-level english teaching positions don't pay much. It may be difficult to find one that pays enough to support our family.
Missionary Plan
Plan: Get training and serve as part of a missions organisation/church/church-planting team full-time. This would involve training to learn the language, and get experience of ministry in Japan, before working as a full time mission work in some capacity, as a church planter or supporting a church plant in some way.
Gospel opportunity: After learning the language, all of our time would be dedicated to making connections in community and sharing Christ with the Japanese people. We would also be serving alongside missionaries/church planters and churches.
Finances: We would be relying on support from mission partners.
What it means for now: I would go back to work, while trying to learn the language and study the bible.
Pros
Opportunity There are churches and organisations that provide missionary training and have mission opportunities. It would be good experience and a good opportunity to grow in sharing the gospel.
Reaching Japan provides a missionary internship which dedicates time to learn the language. For missionary couples, both men and women are required to learn the language.
All time spent toward directly sharing the gospel and making disciples, which is the purpose in going.
Cons
Not a strength: I don't see us having the church planters gift set. We tend toward serving and supporting in a church.
Cost: Language school and living costs not insignificant, especially in cities.
Childcare: If requires finding childcare for the little one both me and Louise would need to attend language school.
"Akiya Coffeehouse" Plan
Plan: This would not be a plan for the immediate future, but we like the idea of developing an akiya into a Christian coffee shop. Louise could sell her cakes and it could be a place to reach the community for Christ. I've heard the coffeeshop ministry work well in a few different places in and outside of Japan.
Many akiya are in bad shape, so are often sold cheaply and redeveloped. This benefits the government because of the issues associated with abandoned houses, so they give even financial incentives in some area to support redevelopment.
Most akiya are in the country, so those are the areas we would be looking to go.
Gospel opportunities:
Connect with the community to share Christ. Louise would like to host events (e.g. coffee mornings, parent groups) and building personal connections.
Finance:
Would have to work whilst setting up, but hopefully it would get to the point where the business was profitable.
What this means for now:
I go back to work and save money, and we learn the language.
Pros
Would be a good fit, especially for Louise's baking.
Would provide good place for ministry outside of church setting.
If in the country, connect with some potentially less reached people.
There are companies which specialise in supporting foreigners in buying and managing akiyas.
Cons
Difficult to set up and significant startup costs. To start this, we would need a business manager visa. However, Japan has recently made the requirements for this visa much stricter, making this unfeasible for us right now. It was feasible before the changes, but is much less so now.
Also, I hear there is a lot of bureaucracy in Japan, would need a lot of support for the legal side of things.
"Remote" Plan
Plan: Initially I thought it could be possible to do online tutoring in the UK from Japan, but I miscalculated the time difference. When I worked it out I realised the only way it would work would be to tutor between 9am and 1pm UK time, but most students are in school. But if it could work it would give more time to focus on other things (e.g. language) while having a source of funds.
Gospel opportunities: Serve alongside a church or others to reach the community. Make personal links with people and sharing the gospel in the context of life. Potentially, make gospel-centred content online.
Financing: Online work could provide income.
What this means for now: Learning the language, try to establish an online tutoring business that could work in Japan.
Pros
Flexibility: Gives flexibility for moving around.
Online work means we could potentially live in a cheaper area, like the countryside (inaka). There is less likely to be Christian presence in these areas than cities which could be a good opportunity. However, most of the people are in cities (92%).
Potentially, could give time to do things like study the language and work alongside a church or ministry.
Cons
Tutoring would have to be daytime in UK which difficult to setup.
Also I think to do this I would need the digital nomad visa, which has become more difficult to get this year. I would need to prove a yearly income of 10,000,000 yen (about
£50,540).
Lots of time may be spent not aligned with purpose of reaching Japan.
"Abraham-Peter" Plan
Plan: This isn't really a plan but when we first began to feel a call to Japan, these verses came to mind. It seems to be that sometimes we are to go, and step out and we only see later what God wants to show us, or even whether it was Him in the first place.
"Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you."
Genesis 12:1
And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.
Matthew 14:28-29
There have been those who have just gone somewhere with no plan and have seen the Lord meet them there, but I feel without a special confidence from God this would be irresponsible. Whatever way we get there, it may be that it's only in taking the steps we see the Lord in it or not.
Pros
There is a simplicity about this idea. If we stepped out and the Lord met us there and provided all our needs, it would be awesome and encouraging.
Cons
This is the "riskiest" plan in a sense. To clarify the "risk", it's not there is risk in stepping out in faith if the Lord is leading us to do that, it's whether the Lord is leading us to do that.
"Stay and Send" Plan
Plan: We know some are called to go and some are called to send. So it may be that we are called to stay and support others called to go.
Gospel opportunities: Serving and seeking to live out the great commission where we are, and supporting those called to go to Japan.
What is means for us now: We would have to figure out where to go from here. Don't ask me why I left my job without something lined up in Japan. I suppose you live and learn.
Louise would try to find a way to make the cake business work.
I would figure out whether to go back to school, or maybe start something myself. I have some ideas of content to produce I think could be helpful.
Pros
Missionaries need support and I would be able to get a job that could provide some support for missionaries who may be better suited than me for missions.
This is in someways the most sensible option. We're already here.
Blessed Bakes has been gaining some traction here, God may have more purpose for that here.
Cons
The main con is that Japan needs workers and we are willing to go.
Summary
There is no clear best way of getting to Japan right now. Becoming an english teacher would be the best way to get a visa, but the salary is low for a family of three. An international school may have better pay, but there aren't manu opportunities at the moment apart from Valor International School who are still in the formation process. Becoming missionaries would be a good way to get visas and would be exactly what we want to go to Japan and do. The main question for this route is if this is what we are called to do. I would be willing to go but I would want to make sure this is what we were called to, especially if we would be relying on others to invest in us. We would like to do the Akiya coffeeshop, but the new requirements on the business manager visa are extremely prohibitive.
Staying and sending others is the best option practically. And the more I think about it, the more I think in many ways I would be more useful here than there. However, the harvest in Japan is plentiful and the labourers are few, and we would like to be part of God's work in bringing salvation to that nation. With God all things are possible, so we don't rule anything out but we do acknowledge firstly, the barriers to going, and secondly, that they may mean that God does not want us to go, or not now at least.
So, I think the plan for now is to wait here, and figure out what things look like for us here. Louise has some great ideas for the baking business. But if the opportunity arises and the Lord makes it clear that He want us to go, we'll happily make plans to move ahead to Japan.
Prayer Points
If you have made it this far, thank you for you investment in us and our journey. Apart from the Lord Himself, there is nothing we need right now than prayerful friends, so if you would be willing to join us in prayer for the points below we would be very thankful.
- For a response from Valor international School so we can plan accordingly.
- For the Lord to make clear our next step.
- For the Japanese to be open to the gospel, and for the Lord to send out labourers into the harvest.
Devotion
Your way was through the sea,
your path through the great waters;
yet your footprints were unseen.
Psalm 77:19
A short devotion to end.
When we don't know where to go and it seems like there is no way forward God is able to make ways. As it was for the Israelites on the bank of the Red Sea, so it is for all of us today. And If God made a for His people to escape judgement by the blood of a lamb, and delivered them from their enemies, could His people not be sure He would not leave them stranded there? How much more can we be sure that if God made a way for us to escape judgement by the blood of His Son, the Lamb of God, and has delivered us from death to a sure hope of eternal life, can we be sure He will not leave us stranded.
The Lord is our shepherd Who is with us and shows us the way to go, yet we cannot see His steps. In this is a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is that we cannot see Him, and His plans may not be clear to us, so it takes patience and waiting to seek and follow Him. It can be confusing and frustrating at times. But with that comes the opportunity, to trust, and takes steps of faith confident that He is walking beside and before us as a shepherd walks with sheep.
Footnotes
1 I applied to be a music teacher through Teach First, not even realising at the time it was a reputable training provider, but was offered maths instead. Then I didn't even pass the initial interview day but was offered another chance. Then I could have been moved anywhere but placed in a school 20 minutes from home. And since then, the job has seemed to be a good fit for me and come fairly naturally. I see all these things as encouragements from God that he had/has a purpose in it for me.
2 I've had some ideas to make some content about teaching and learning, and maths to help parents and independent students.
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