{"id":7793,"date":"2012-08-31T08:40:34","date_gmt":"2012-08-31T13:40:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theamericanjesus.net\/?p=7793"},"modified":"2012-08-31T08:40:34","modified_gmt":"2012-08-31T13:40:34","slug":"jesus-was-a-rice-farmer-in-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/zackhunt\/2012\/08\/jesus-was-a-rice-farmer-in-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"Jesus Was A Rice Farmer In Japan?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Well, I guess you really do learn something ridiculous<\/del> new every day.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Japanese Jesus Trail<\/h2>\n

By Duncan Bartlett, BBC News<\/em><\/p>\n

A Japanese legend claims that Jesus escaped Jerusalem and made his way to Aomori in Japan where he became a rice farmer. Christians say the story is nonsense. However, a monument there known as the Grave of Christ attracts curious visitors from all over the world.<\/strong><\/p>\n

To reach the Grave of Christ or Kristo no Hakka as it is known locally, you need to head deep into the northern countryside of Japan, a place of paddy fields and apple orchards.<\/p>\n

Halfway up a remote mountain surrounded by a thicket of bamboo lies a mound of bare earth marked with a large wooden cross.<\/p>\n

Most visitors peer at the grave curiously and pose in front of the cross for a photograph before heading off for apple ice cream at the nearby cafe.<\/p>\n

But some pilgrims leave coins in front of the grave in thanks for answered prayers.<\/p>\n

The cross is a confusing symbol because according to the local legend, Jesus did not die at Calvary.<\/p>\n

His place was taken by one of his brothers, who for some reason is now buried by his side in Japan.<\/p>\n

The story goes that after escaping Jerusalem, Jesus made his way across Russia and Siberia to Aomori in the far north of Japan where he became a rice farmer, married, had a family and died peacefully at the age of 114.<\/p>\n

A villager hinted that I might be able to meet one of Jesus\u2019 descendents \u2013 a Mr Sajiro Sawaguchi, who is now in his 80s.<\/p>\n

His family owns the land on which the grave stands and his house is at the foot of the mountain.<\/p>\n

I set off to find him but was told he was too ill to speak to me.<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 \u00a0 Well, I guess you really do learn something ridiculous new every day. The Japanese Jesus Trail By Duncan Bartlett, BBC News A Japanese legend claims that Jesus escaped Jerusalem and made his way to Aomori in Japan where he became a rice farmer. Christians say the story is nonsense. However, a monument there […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3437,"featured_media":7797,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7793","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nJesus Was A Rice Farmer In Japan?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"    Well, I guess you really do learn something ridiculous new every day. 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