While finding a suitable location for a church gathering may not be the most critical factor in church planting, it is undoubtedly an important one.
In this article, we will cover some possibilities available to you as a church planter in Japan for meeting spaces.
Whether you are starting by yourself, building a cell group of home fellowship into a large gathering, or planting with a team, the following are some suggestions of where to look and what to look for.
One of the hurdles you may need to overcome is finding a place to meet. While you probably will not need a place that seats 300 people from the start, below are options that can help anywhere from the 10~150 people range.
Types of places you can rent
Rent a building (become a tenant)
The first might be the most obvious way: Rent a building and put up a sign. Having a fixed location helps establish a sense of permanence. Additionally, you don’t have to worry about setup and teardown each week, which is a tremendous blessing. But a fixed location also comes with some cons.
First is the cost. You will have to pay upfront realtor fees, deposit money, rent, as well as utilities and maintenance for the location. Ongoing maintenance is also an issue. While major repairs will be the owner’s responsibility, you will be responsible for the day-to-day things that need care and repair.
If you are just starting out and only have a few services a week, with little to no launch crew, you will incur not only the financial drain, but also the mental and physical time and energy to upkeep the facility.
If you are starting solo or don’t have many people to start with, the last thing you need to be focused on is being a facilities manager, so becoming a tenant and renting a semi-permanent facility may not be the wisest choice.
Some people may tell you that trying to rent a place simply cannot be done. There are hurdles, but it is not impossible.
The key through this whole process is typically to have a good real estate agent (不動産屋) with a little bit of experience and credibility. They will act as the middleman and also help you with negotiations and details in the contract. When we moved to Nagoya, we were blessed to have a church south of the city introduce us to a Christian real-estate agent who has opened doors for us to rent a building.
Rental Spaces
In recent years, rental space websites have taken off. Sites like Instabase or Spacemarket are the equivalent of Airbnb for conference rooms and other meeting spaces. You go on the website and type in the area you are looking for. They will show you spaces that you can rent hourly and how much it costs.
This is a low-commitment way to have a place that can easily host a gathering. However, if you decide to use a rental space, remember that you will have to do the setup and teardown. Most listings let you book far out in advance, but there may be a time when you can’t book for your desired time slot. In case this happens, you will need to have a backup plan (where to meet, how to communicate the change etc.).
You also do not get the long-term visibility. For example, if someone wants to scope out what kind of place it is on a day that you aren’t renting the space, they might struggle to find you.
Dance Studios
Another option you would have is to rent out a dance studio. Whether used for hip-hop, waltz, aloha or something else, there are oftentimes dance studios everywhere. These places usually have a large mirror wall on one side. A major advantage is that usually they have some kind of soundproofing. However, you would have to do a lot more setup, setting up chairs and tearing down. However, they tend to be open and accessible.
Community Centers
Community centers can be a helpful option for people just starting out.
However, not all community centers are the same. I have been to community centers that said, no religious activities. And then I have also rented a community center before in the name of a church. Depending on the community center, the answer you get may be different so just keep in mind that it’s not always no and not always yes!
Most of the time, the rooms come with chairs and tables. As long as you put everything back the way it was when you walked in, you can change the layout however you would like. There is the added advantage of being in a “public” place so first-timers may be more comfortable coming because others are around.
Usually community centers rent out morning, afternoon and evening blocks. (3-4 hour chunks). If you register with the community center, it is also easier to reserve the space on a recurring basis. Also, because they are publicly owned, the fees are usually less than half of what you would pay on other platforms.
While they can be cost-effective, the location might not be best suited to your target demographic.
Conference rooms
Hotels and businesses often have conference rooms of varying sizes that you can rent. Often they are located in downtown areas or near train stations.
These types of conference rooms tend to be more expensive, but do come with some perks. If you are renting from a hotel, you can tell them how you want the chairs set up and they will do that for you.
There have been churches in Tokyo who have used this method with good results.
Event spaces at Clubs and bars
Depending on your convictions, another option would be bars and clubs.
Many times, clubs and bars have event spaces complete with GREAT audio setup and a screen projection system. Since clubs and bars are typically not open on Sunday mornings, you may be able to find one that has a space for rent that you can use.
Things to keep in mind
As you look for a space, here are some things to keep in mind.
Walk the Street
If there is a specific area you are looking to rent a facility in, don’t forget to walk that area. Sometimes people have rental spaces or buildings for rent that are not listed online.
We found the first building we used on a permanent basis like this. Additionally, look for rental spaces or studios that may not be listed online. Keep your eyes open for words like レンタルスペース、貸し会議室、レンタルスタジオand the like.
While there is a lot online, don’t rely purely on online information.
Appearances & Impressions
Make sure the place you are meeting and the way to get there is nice.
People will be concerned that they might walk into something that they can’t get out of. While our desire is for people to stay and hear the good news about Jesus, make sure they know the space you are using communicates openness. If people can’t see into a space (such as a place you are renting as a tenant or from instabase), first-timers might feel unsafe because the watchful eye of the public is not there to protect them. Those renting conference centers and community centers don’t need to worry about this quite as much because they are already “public” spaces with a third party (hotel, community center) in charge of the location.
Make sure the building doesn’t look too old or sketchy either. In Japanese, there is a consciousness of “Easy to Enter” and “Hard to enter” (入りやすい・入りにくい) when it comes to entering a new place. This doesn’t apply only to churches but also restaurants and stores. You would do well to understand this mindset and keep it in mind. A sign pointing to a dark hallway with a light at the end where you are meeting is “hard to enter”. Bright open windows, white colors, and inviting entryway is “Easy to enter”. If you are unsure about the nuances, be sure to google (in Japanese) for tips.
Since Japan is a first-world country, stores and establishments are well-designed and look nice. The appearance establishes a little bit of trust in the minds of those who come. Therefore, cheaper is not always better.
Associations
You will also want to keep in mind what the typical Japanese person would associate you with or think of when they hear about where you are meeting.
For example, some literature in the United States mentions funeral homes as a viable option to meet in.
While I have never personally tried this, I do not recommend it because of the superstitions surrounding death and going to places and rites associated with death. If a significant number of people go so far as to remove the number 4 from apartment room numbers and parking space numbers (4 is pronounced “shi” which is also the reading for 死 or “death”) you would probably want to consider this first. They might say 「縁起が悪い」(“Engi ga warui”) or “Bad luck” and steer clear of your gathering.
Furthermore, women and families may not be comfortable if you are meeting in a sketchy building filled with bars, clubs and pubs in an area notorious for providing female companionship to male clients.
Sound
Whether it’s a place that you are renting on a permanent basis or a temporary space that you rent ALWAYS be mindful of noise. If it is a space where sound can be heard next door, then that can be a problem.
Are the neighboring businesses open when you meet? Will the business or the customers there be annoyed? Is there a house next door? Is the facility sound proofed or in an area that it is OK to be reasonably loud? Sometimes people don’t care, but you will ALWAYS want to consider the aspect of sound.
Some community centers have soundproof rooms (“shicho-shitsu” – 視聴室) that are specifically for this purpose of playing instruments and things like that. If you’re holding a worship service with music/singing and the neighbors complain, this can turn into a very big problem, so please be careful.
There has been an EXTREME incident where a man and his wife were stabbed because of a sound issue (they rented the facility as a gospel music club but their online information said it was a church). This is an extreme incident with someone who is not normal, but goes to show the importance of making sure you keep unnecessary sound problems to a minimum.
Take everything with a grain of salt
Finally, just because someone tells you can or can’t do something doesn’t mean it is true.
Just because someone (even someone with a lot of experience as a missionary) says you can or can’t rent a certain type of building or certain type of place doesn’t mean it is not possible.
These people mean well, but they usually say these things because they have been told no a few times.
Understand that it was a specific person in a specific place at a specific time that said no and that does not apply to everywhere all the time. The culture and openness varies by city and prefecture so just because someone was told no once doesn’t mean you will always get a no everywhere.
I have been told you can’t rent community centers but I have rented a community center before. I have been told that you can’t be a tenant in a building as a church, but we have rented a building as a church before.
Growth potential
Last but not least, what is the potential for growth at the location you are looking at? It may not be realistic to have 100 people regularly attending in 3 months, but allowing for growth and some ability to expand without having to make radical changes should be in the back of your mind. For example, if you sign an expensive lease but then need to move in 2 months, because you now have a larger group, you might want to consider other options first. Let’s expect God to do great things!
Would you add anything?
What about you? What have you found to be feasible options for small, mid, and large size gatherings in Japan for churches?
We would love to hear what kind of doors God has opened up for you to worship as a church in the comments section.