Harvest Time Inspires the Japanese Faithful

Harvest Time, broadcast Sunday nights at 10:00 pm on KSCI, Channel 18, is an unusual type of program on the Japanese television schedule. Religious programs are common in America, but not so in Japan. Since less than 1% of the Japanese population professes to be Christian, there is little interest in television programs that cater to that sensibility. However, Harvest Time has more to offer than just spiritual comfort.

Hosted by Reverend Nakagawa Kenichi, Harvest Time offers inspirational stories in a relaxed setting. Typically, Reverend Nakagawa interviews people from all walks of life about how they came to be Christians and how it has changed their lives. He has talked to professional golfers and musicians, entrepreneurs and authors, shopkeepers and students. They all have interesting stories to tell. And what is best, everything is translated into fluent English.

In fact, the subtitles in Harvest Time are more accurate than any other program on Japanese television, including NHK, which usually has quite accurate subtitles. The subtitles in Harvest Time (which, incidentally, is Shukaku no Toki in Japanese) are always precise and well-timed with the Japanese speakers’ words. Perhaps that is due in part to Reverend Nakagawa’s time spent studying in the United States. He speaks fluent English himself. Certainly great care is taken with these subtitles by people who are obviously fluent in both Japanese and English.

Reverend Nakagawa was born in Osaka in 1947. After graduating from Hitotsubashi University, he worked as a salaryman for six years. Then, he came to America and attended Trinity College as an exchange student. In 1986, he established the Harvesttime Ministries as part of the Gospel Television Broadcast Group. At the present time, Harvest Time is televised once a week on 13 television stations in Japan and four in the United States. Reverend Nakagawa is also the author of numerous books and articles.

Another regular feature on Harvest Time is footage taken on trips to Israel. Reverend Nakagawa leads tour groups to Israel and has been there more than 40 times. He usually introduces these segments by bringing out a poster size map of the country and uses a magic marker to trace the route that the group took on the latest tour. Typical stops on those tours include places like Jerusalem, Masada, the Dead Sea, Israeli kibbutz and Bedouin settlements. (The tours avoid big cities like Tel Aviv, as well as Palestinian areas. Harvest Time is apolitical and steers clear of all controversial topics.)

Reverend Nakagawa is well-versed in the history of the area, the famous landmarks and the special points of interest. He will point out the requisite highlights of a tour of Israel, like the Wailing Wall or Damascus Gate in Jerusalem, but he will also take the tour on interesting side trips. Often the tour will stop at places where Israeli guides will explain in detail about the area and show the group artifacts that pertain to the history of it or how they relate to the Bible. At times like that, Reverend Nakagawa will translate fluently from English to Japanese. He is practically as good as a professional interpreter. Anyone who is interested in the art of translation will be well-served by watching Reverend Nakagawa when he assumes that role. He translates quickly and accurately and although he sometimes simplifies the words, it is never at the cost of producing a misleading impression.

On the most recent tour, the group went to Mount Carmel among other places. Reverend Nakagawa explained the geography of the area and made a number of other interesting comments. Then, he plunged into an impromptu sermon-like talk. At that time, he drew the group into his talk, asking two men to stand next to him to illustrate the point that he was making. This, too, is typical of the Harvest Time tours. Reverend Nakagawa never passes up an opportunity to deliver homilies in these settings.

But it never gets heavy-handed. Reverend Nakagawa keeps his words light and he is quick to laugh. All of the members of his tours seem to heartily enjoy every moment of these trips. In fact, the tours are always booked up solid. The November tour this year was filled well before the deadline. The December tour is scheduled to leave Japan on December 26 and return on January 2, 2008. It is being dubbed the “New Years in Israel” Tour. One can be sure that it will be as well-attended as all of the others.

After the footage taken on the latest tour has been shown, the camera returns to the studio and Reverend Nakagawa reflects on the experience. He offers various comments about the value of making a trip to the Holy Land and how much everyone enjoyed it. After going to Israel so many times, it is natural that he has made many friends there and he sometimes talks about his interaction with those people as well.
At the end of every Harvest Time program, Reverend Nakagawa reads a passage from the Bible in Japanese. Naturally, this is also given in English in the subtitles. It is interesting to hear familiar words rendered in Japanese and all students of Japanese can learn something from this part of the program.

Harvest Time is religious in nature, but the tone is never proselytizing. It can be enjoyed for many things other than the spiritual aspect.

Harvest Time, Sunday evenings at 10:00 pm on KSCI, Channel 18, subtitled in English



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