Amazing AOMORI

Christ Park in Shingo Village was created based on the legend that Jesus Christ did not actually die on the cross at Golgotha but instead escaped to Japan and died in Shingo Village at the age of 106. The park is the site of Christ’s alleged tomb, as well as that of his younger brother Isukiri.

The park also contains the Christ Village Tradition Museum, where visitors can view exhibits such as the “Legend of Christ Corner” introducing historical documents, figures, books, and customs that became the source of the Christ legend; displays of farming implements and everyday items that have come to be regarded as folk art; the “Herai Exhibit Corner” highlighting the culture of Herai Village, as Shingo Village was known when the Christ legend emerged; and the “Mysterious Video Box” introducing the village’s legends, folklore, and folk entertainment through videos. Other fun features include an area reproducing ways of life during the early twentieth century, where visitors can take commemorative photos wearing a traditional costume and watch demonstrations of making soba noodles and mame-shitogi, a kind of rice cake made with green soybeans. The “Shingo Village Tourism Information Corner” has a three-dimensional guide to nearby tourist attractions, making this a convenient place to get travel information. The facility is also popular for its exclusive souvenirs unable to be purchased anywhere else.

Every June, a “Christ Festival” is held, featuring events such as Shinto offerings of tamagushi (branches from a sacred tree), a lion dance, and Shingo Village’s traditional Nanya Doyara dance (a kind of Bon Festival dance). During this time, the village bustles with tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of the mysterious festival.