Hymnal 21 (Sambika 21)

Hymnal 21 (Sambika 21)  The Hymnal 21 (Sambika 21) was published by the United Church of Christ in Japan in February 1997. It was designed to reflect the fresh spirit and diversity of congregational songs for the 21st century.  Predecessors of Sambika 21  The first interdenominational hymnal in the history of Japanese hymnody was published in 1903, marking a new development in Japan. The 1903 edition contained 459 hymns with additional service music, including settings of the Gloria and Sanctus. This hymnal was revised and expanded in 1931 to include 604 hymns and service music. For the first time, texts and tunes written by Japanese authors and composers were included. Following a...