The second round-the-world assembly, held October 14-19, 1969, found us assembled at the Tokyo Korakuen Cycling Stadium for our first large open-air assembly. On the green lawn of the stadium, a thatched-roof Japanese cottage served as platform, while thousands of flowers spelled out the name of the assembly against a Mount Fuji backdrop.

Less than two years later, at the same stadium, and without the presence of great numbers of overseas visitors, there was an attendance of 16,508 at the “Divine Name” District Assembly, with 879 being baptized.