Shingō, Aomori

Shingō
新郷村
Village

Shingō Village Office

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Seal

Location of Shingō in Aomori Prefecture
Shingō

 

Coordinates: 40°27′49.19″N 141°10′27.53″E / 40.4636639°N 141.1743139°E / 40.4636639; 141.1743139Coordinates: 40°27′49.19″N 141°10′27.53″E / 40.4636639°N 141.1743139°E / 40.4636639; 141.1743139
Country Japan
Region Tōhoku
Prefecture Aomori Prefecture
District Sannohe
Area
 • Total 150.85 km2 (58.24 sq mi)
Population (June 2016)
 • Total 2,685
 • Density 17.8/km2 (46/sq mi)
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
- Tree Aesculus
- Flower Asian skunk cabbage
Phone number 0178-78-2111
Address
039-0801
Website Shingō Village

Shingō (新郷村 Shingō-mura) is a village located in Sannohe District of south-central Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2016, the village has an estimated population of 2,685 and a population density of 17.8 persons per km². Its total area is 150.85 square kilometres (58.24 sq mi). The village promotes itself as the home of the Grave of Christ (キリストの墓 Kirisuto no Haka) after a local legend.

Geography

Shingō is in south-central Aomori Prefecture, east of Lake Towada. Much of the village is mountainous, rising to over 1000 meters in altitude near the border with Akita Prefecture. The village has a cold maritime climate characterized by cool short summers and long cold winters with very heavy snowfall.

Neighbouring municipalities

Aomori Prefecture

Akita Prefecture

History

The area around Shingō was controlled by the Nambu clan of Morioka Domain during the Edo period. During the cadastral reform of 1889, Herai Village and neighboring Nozawa Village were formed. On July 29, 1955 the western portion of Nozawa Village merged into Herai, which was then renamed Shingō.

Economy

The economy of Shingō is heavily dependent on agriculture. Notable crops include edible chrysanthemum, Japanese yam and tobacco. Traditionally a horse breeding area, Shingō is also known for its cattle ranches.

Transportation

Highway

Local attractions

Tomb of Jesus Christ

Crosses mark the graves. The cross on the right is the alleged grave of Jesus Christ.
Sign explaining the legend of the grave of Jesus Christ, in Japanese.

Shingō village is the location of what is purported to be the last resting place of Jesus, located in the "Tomb of Jesus" (Kirisuto no haka), and the residence of Jesus' last descendants, the family of Sajiro Sawaguchi.[1] According to the Sawaguchi family's claims, Jesus Christ did not die on the cross at Golgotha. Instead his brother, Isukiri,[2] took his place on the cross, while Jesus fled across Siberia to Mutsu Province, in northern Japan. Once in Japan, he became a rice farmer, married, and raised a family with three daughters near what is now Shingō. While in Japan, it is asserted that he traveled, learned, and eventually died at the age of 106. His body was exposed on a hilltop for four years. According to the customs of the time, Jesus' bones were collected, bundled, and buried in the mound purported to be the grave of Jesus Christ.[3][4]

Another mound near the alleged grave of Jesus is said to contain an ear of the brother of Jesus and a lock of hair from Mary, the mother of Jesus, the only relics of his family Jesus could carry when he fled Judaea.[5] The claims started in 1933 after the discovery of supposed "ancient Hebrew documents detailing Jesus' life and death in Japan" [6] that was supposedly the testament of Jesus. These documents were allegedly seized by the Japanese authorities and taken to Tokyo shortly before World War II and have not been seen since.[7]

The English text on the sign explaining the legend of the Tomb of Christ reads:

When Jesus Christ was 21 years old, he came to Japan and pursued knowledge of divinity for 12 years. He went back to Judea at age 33 and engaged in his mission. However, at that time, people in Judea would not accept Christ's preaching. Instead, they arrested him and tried to crucify him on a cross. His younger brother, Isukiri casually took Christ's place and ended his life on the cross.

Christ, who escaped the crucifixion, went through the ups and downs of travel, and again came to Japan. He settled right here in what is now called Herai Village, and died at the age of 106.

On this holy ground, there is dedicated a burial mound on the right to deify Christ, and a grave on the left to deify Isukiri.

The above description was given in a testament by Jesus Christ.

References

  1. ↑ "From Japanese text of the sign included in this article".
  2. ↑ "Japan Travel: Jesus in Japan". Metropolis. Archived from the original on 2006-08-25. Retrieved 2006-12-13.
  3. ↑ "The Japanese Jesus Trail". BBC. September 9, 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-13.
  4. ↑ "Land of the Rising Son". Fortean Times. May 1998. Retrieved 2006-12-13.
  5. ↑ Bird, Winifred, "Behold! Christ's grave in Shingo, Aomori Prefecture", Japan Times, 25 December 2011, p. 10.
  6. ↑ "The Japanese Jesus Trail". BBC. September 9, 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-13.
  7. ↑ "Land of the Rising Son". Fortean Times. May 1998. Archived from the original on 2007-03-10. Retrieved 2006-12-13.

Media related to Shingō, Aomori at Wikimedia Commons

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Shingo.
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