Tokyo Japan Temple Annex is Dedicated

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held the dedication ceremony of the new Tokyo Japan Temple annex on Sunday, January 10, 2021.

The temple annex started as a prefabricated house when the Tokyo Temple was first consecrated in 1980. It was used as a lodging facility for the Japan Missionary Training Center and also a patron house for people entering the temple from afar.

The newly completed temple annex was built using all the land that was once the old annex and parking lot. New sets of parking lots were built on the 1st and 2nd basement. The 1st basement also houses the receiving area, temple entrants’ dormitory, family history center, and garment center.

The chapel is located on the 1st and 2nd floors of the temple as well as a multipurpose hall, and many classrooms. Currently, the chapel is used by the Tokyo 1st Ward, Tokyo 2nd Ward (English units), and Shibuya Ward (Japanese unit). The mission home is also located on the 2nd floor of the temple while the 3rd and 4th floor is used as offices of the Church’s North Asia Area.

The dedication ceremony was Presided by Takashi Wada alongside Elder James R. Razband, and Elder John A. McCune.

“This new building is called the ‘temple annex’. The ‘annex’ usually refers to a secondarily important building, but a larger and more important one. All activities carried out within this building, including chapels, offices in the North Asia region, new welcome centers, accommodation for temple entrants, and even parking lots,” said Elder Razband. “I hope it will be understood as a building that supports and serves the great purpose of the Israeli annexation.”

Elder Gerett W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles also sent a congratulatory video: “There are two blessings to the dedication ceremony of the Tokyo Temple Annex. First, the completion of the annex will allow the operations, meetings, and activities that take place within the annex to take place in the consecrated space. Secondly, after today’s consecration ceremony, we will be able to fully concentrate on the upcoming consecration day of the Temple of Tokyo … Not only is this place itself consecrated, but this consecration ceremony is for me. It will be an opportunity to consecrate ourselves, our faith, and our efforts,” said Elder Gong.

Elder Wada, who prayed for the consecration, said in his prayer, “The view of this building enhances the view of the sacred Tokyo Temple, and it becomes a blessing for all the people in the community, including non-members, and becomes an important landmark. I pray that visitors to this building will have a special impression, be welcomed and loved by entering the building … and when the Tokyo Temple is reopened, I pray that we deserve the blessing. Today is the day for us to make the decision to be faithful to the gospel of God. For our children and youth to enter the temple. Bless me to be worthy, to receive holy rituals, and to be determined to nurture them. “