Shingo, Mountain village in Aomori Prefecture, Japan
Shingo is a mountain village in Sannohe District, Aomori Prefecture, Japan, following National Route 454 through forested slopes and valleys with peaks rising above 3,300 feet (1,000 meters). Settlements sit in lower zones where fields open between the hills and small rivers flow toward the coast.
The area belonged to the Morioka Domain under the Nanbu clan throughout the Edo period until administrative reforms in 1889 created new village boundaries. The present settlement formed in 1955 when Herai and Nozawa, two older communities, merged into one.
The village maintains strong agricultural traditions with the cultivation of garlic, edible chrysanthemum, Japanese yam, and tobacco as primary economic activities.
Travelers take the Nanbu bus from Hachinohe Station to Gonohe, then transfer to another bus that runs deeper into the countryside. Roads in the area are narrow and winding, so plan extra time if driving during winter or rainy weather.
A site in the village is locally known as the Tomb of Jesus, marked by two wooden crosses on low earthen mounds. The legend claims that Jesus traveled to Japan and ended his life here, though the story remains little known outside the region.
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