Name

Kōenji Catholic Church

Dedicated to

St. John Mary Vianney

Date of Establishment

1928

Parish Priest

Paul Kenji Takagi

Number of Parishioners

1,914 (as of Dec.31,2022)

Sunday Mass

Sunday: 7:30 am/ 9:30 am (All in Japanese)

Weekday mass

6:30 am (Except Thursdays, 7:00 am on National holidays)
First Friday: 11 am

Volunteer Activity

Activity

Various activities Church Information desk, Mini goods shop

Address

2-33-32 Kōenji-Minami, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 166-0003

Telephone

03-3314-5688

Fax

03-3314-8954

Website

http://www.koenji-catholic.jp/

Facilities for the Handicapped

Slope (or Barrier free), Toilet, Sidewalk marked in Braille at the church garden, Hearing aid inside the chapel

Directions

10 minutes walk from Higashi Kōenji Sta. or Shin Kōenji Sta. on Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Subway Line. Or 15 minutes walk from south gate of Kōenji Sta. on JR Chūō Line. From JR Chuo Line Nakano Station take Kanto Bus , No.Naka 35 for Itsukaichi Kaido Eigyosho, or No.Naka 36 for Kichijouji Station and then get off at Suginami shako Teiryujo. Only 2 minutes walk from the station. From JR Chuo LIne Asagaya Station take Toei Bus or Keio Bus No. Shibu 66 for Shibuya Eki and the get off at Suginami ShakoTeirujo. Only 2 minutes walk from the station. GoogleMap 【History】 After the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, the population of Tokyo began to move toward west suburbs. In response to this phenomena, land was purchased in Koenji, Suginami Village, Toyotama County to build the Catholic Koenji Church dedicated to St. John Mary Vianney as the 10th Catholic Church in Tokyo Archdiocese. In those days Koenji area still retained the traces of calm farm village along the Oume Road with row of zelkova trees and the Church was surrounded by farming field. 　 Archbishop Jean-Baptiste-Alexis Chambon appointed Fr. Gustave Mayet M.E.P. as the first chaplain of the Church on 15th of January 1928. Fr. Mayet had set about construction of the temporary chapel and completed it in November of the same year. According to the statistic made on the1st of August, 1928, the number of Parishioners of the Church was 298 while it was 11,240 in total Tokyo Archdiocese with 10 Prefectures. In 1931 the real chapel was built at the basement but it has been burnt out during the second world war. In 1949 the new chapel has been constructed on the old underground chapel. In the midst of rapid changes of Japanese society and world situation Archbishop Peter Tatsuo Doi has been ordained as the first Japanese Archbishop of Tokyo in 1938 and Fr. Saichi Nishida has been appointed as the first Japanese chaplain of the Church in 1939. In 1941 Fr. Yoshimatsu Noguchi ( the former Bishop of Hiroshima Diocese) has been assigned as the next chaplain. He had endured the persecution against the Christian faith during the second world war and then devoted himself entirely to the evangelical mission and restoration of the Church after the war. After long years has passed, the Church has celebrated 75 years anniversary in 2003. During these years many foreign missionaries, priests, religious brothers & sisters and the lay people have offered their vocations and works for the mission of the Church. Among them it is very honorable that Bishop Dominic Yoshimastu Noguchi, Bishop Aloysius Nobuo Soma and Archbishop Peter Takeo Okada’s home Church is here at Koenji Church. Further more fruit is that Kichijoji Church and Ogikubo Church have been separated from Koenji Church and they have grown up as each independent Parish.　 【Present Situation】 On the Easter Sunday in 2009 67 people have been baptized and joined newly to the Church community as of June 2009 total number of the parishioners became 1,970. Also we can not forget the strong support and presence of Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz. The Sisters has run the Koen Girl’s Schools next to the Church, walk with the history of the Church, and work together with the Church community members shining on the light of the Good News to the students and their parents. In such a way many girls have joined the religious life of the Mercedarian Missionary Sisters and the graduates became the devoted supporters for the Church activities.

History

After the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, the population of Tokyo began to move toward west suburbs. In response to this phenomena, land was purchased in Koenji, Suginami Village, Toyotama County to build the Catholic Koenji Church dedicated to St. John Mary Vianney as the 10th Catholic Church in Tokyo Archdiocese. In those days Koenji area still retained the traces of calm farm village along the Oume Road with row of zelkova trees and the Church was surrounded by farming field. 　 Archbishop Jean-Baptiste-Alexis Chambon appointed Fr. Gustave Mayet M.E.P. as the first chaplain of the Church on 15th of January 1928. Fr. Mayet had set about construction of the temporary chapel and completed it in November of the same year. According to the statistic made on the1st of August, 1928, the number of Parishioners of the Church was 298 while it was 11,240 in total Tokyo Archdiocese with 10 Prefectures. In 1931 the real chapel was built at the basement but it has been burnt out during the second world war. In 1949 the new chapel has been constructed on the old underground chapel. In the midst of rapid changes of Japanese society and world situation Archbishop Peter Tatsuo Doi has been ordained as the first Japanese Archbishop of Tokyo in 1938 and Fr. Saichi Nishida has been appointed as the first Japanese chaplain of the Church in 1939. In 1941 Fr. Yoshimatsu Noguchi ( the former Bishop of Hiroshima Diocese) has been assigned as the next chaplain. He had endured the persecution against the Christian faith during the second world war and then devoted himself entirely to the evangelical mission and restoration of the Church after the war. After long years has passed, the Church has celebrated 75 years anniversary in 2003. During these years many foreign missionaries, priests, religious brothers & sisters and the lay people have offered their vocations and works for the mission of the Church. Among them it is very honorable that Bishop Dominic Yoshimastu Noguchi, Bishop Aloysius Nobuo Soma and Archbishop Peter Takeo Okada’s home Church is here at Koenji Church. Further more fruit is that Kichijoji Church and Ogikubo Church have been separated from Koenji Church and they have grown up as each independent Parish.　

Present Situation

On the Easter Sunday in 2009 67 people have been baptized and joined newly to the Church community as of June 2009 total number of the parishioners became 1,970. Also we can not forget the strong support and presence of Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz. The Sisters has run the Koen Girl’s Schools next to the Church, walk with the history of the Church, and work together with the Church community members shining on the light of the Good News to the students and their parents. In such a way many girls have joined the religious life of the Mercedarian Missionary Sisters and the graduates became the devoted supporters for the Church activities.