Grave of Jesus Christ

Deep in the mountains of Aomori Prefecture, the small village of Shingo preserves a peculiar local legend - that Jesus Christ escaped crucifixion and traveled to Japan, settling here to live as a rice farmer until his death at age 106. Two mounded graves marked with wooden crosses sit on a hillside, said to contain the remains of Christ and his brother. The adjacent Legend of Christ Museum (Kirisuto no Sato Denshokan) displays reproductions of the Takenouchi Documents, which purportedly recorded this alternative history before the originals were destroyed in WWII. While the historical claims have no mainstream acceptance, the site offers a fascinating glimpse into Japanese folk syncretism and the way legends take root in isolated communities.