Akita-ken sites 秋田県の場所

 
 
 

Akita

Missionaries first arrived to live in Akita in June 1969, during the days of the 'Japan Mission,' one year before the East Mission (1970) and five years before the Sendai Mission (1974) were formed.
 
Akita branch held its 50th anniversary commemoration on 14 Sep 2019. Several Teruya RMs participated-see separate report & pictures. 
 
 
 
 
Akita's meetinghouse is located at Higashidōri Nakamachi 2-31 (map) (street view), just one block east of, and is visible from, the east exit of the eki (station) that was remodeled for the arrival of the Shinkansen in 1997. (In the picture at left, the eki is visible at right where yellow loft sign is).  This building, dedicated in August 1990, is fairly small, and appears similar in size and design to the building in Iwaki. Akita has a population of around 350,000 people and is legendary throughout Japan for its Akita Bijin (beautiful women).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Historic Akita
This large house served as the first combined meetinghouse and missionary quarters in Akita starting in November 1969, five months after the first missionaries, Kent Burton and Kirk Baggaley arrived. Prior to that date, meetings were held at a rented 'kaikan' in the central business district and elders lived in a small apartment. Five years later, by December 1974, six missionaries lived here but meetings were once again being held in a rented building downtown (see below). While probably one of the oldest and draftiest buildings in the mission, it had one of the best sekiyu stoves. Seeing your breath in the morning before the stove was lit made getting out of your toasty futon warmed by an electric blanket even harder. Adding to the charm of this place, a small cemetery was located directly across the street. This building stood until at least 1999 when I found it during a meetinghouse picture-taking trip. By 2011 it had been torn down - street view. The original address was Narayama Tatenokoshi 55-1, but with municipal changes over the years, its address is now Higashi dōri tatenokoshi 4-39, Akita, Japan 010-0006. By 1976, missionaries had moved to a different house.
 
1970s Downtown Akita Meetinghouse at Nakadōri 6-7-15. The majority of the front of the second floor of this downtown building is where Akita church meetings were held in the mid-1970s and into the early 1980s. The building was called the Shougikaikan, and the Japanese chess-like game of Shougi was played in rooms in the back. Elders housed in Tsuchizaki ( a suburb north of Akita) also attended meetings here.
 
 
 
 
 
 
This picture, contributed by RM Chris Barnes, shows the combined Akita meetinghouse/elder's quarters in Akita in 1980. If anyone has the address and/or other meetinghouse pictures/location information for the 1980s, please Contact Us.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Odate

A branch has been located in Odate since September 1974. Odate is one of the most remote cities in the mission, and as such, retains the charm, look and feel of an older, less modern Japan. 
In June 2012, Odate branch moved to the second floor of this building near the Odate City Office and main post office at Keijo 1 (map)(street view), about 30 minutes walk from Odate's JR Station. Note the signs in the window and on the side of the building that designates the name of the Church. 
(photo: 2019)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Historic Odate
This house at 13-19 Izumi-cho served as Odate's first meetinghouse and missionary quarters when Dave Wakefield and John Mason opened Odate to missionary work on 27 September 1974. This picture in front of the building is of Wakefield Choro, who was only in Odate about two weeks; his mission ended 10 October 1974 when Taniuchi Yoshihiko transferred in and three weeks later David Burnham and Leonard Langford transferred in to make Odate a four-man branch. Odate's first baptism after the branch opened was Tsubakida Ryoko, who was baptized 25 November 1974. Thanks to John Mason for sharing this valuable historical information and pictures as well.
 
One of the first sacrament meetings held in Odate, October 1974. John Mason and Taniuchi Yoshihiko were the only attendees. Photo courtesy: John Mason
 
By the end of 1976, Odate's meetinghouse was relocated to Tokiwagi-cho 23-4.
 
 
 
 
 
Odate's meetinghouse in 2000 was very close to the eki (station) in Ōnari-cho. The door on the left-hand side of the lower floor was the entrance.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ariura 4-9-32 (2001 through Jun 2012)
In this rented meetinghouse located near Higashi Chuu(East Middle School), meetings were held on the ground floor and a family lived upstairs.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Yokote

Yokote (map) (street view) was opened to missionary work in 1986, according to RM Shaun Ellsworth.  Yokote is located in the mountains east of Akita, and is known for very snowy winters and its yuki matsuri (snow festival). This meetinghouse, located at Yachikishi 22. has been used since 2004. The building was formerly a Tohoku Denryoku (Tohoku electric power) office. It is located right across from a rice field, about 10 minutes walk south of the train station.

The Yokote missionary apartment was closed for a few years (2009-2012) due to low incoming missionary numbers.
 
 
 
Historic Yokote
Here's the Yokote meetinghouse in 2000. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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