Japan Travel International Travel

Metropolis - Japan Travel: Jesus in Japan JAPAN TODAY | METROPOLIS | CLASSIFIEDS | PERSONALS | JOBS Issue Index Original Features Features Mini Features Cultural Features Life in Japan Big in Japan Rant & Rave Cars & Bikes Health & Beauty Interiors Practical Jobfinder Money Talks Tokyo Tech Web Watch Food & Drink Food & Drink Restaurant Reviews Bar Reviews Word of Mouth Travel Travel Features Japan Travel International Travel Travelogue Style Art Artifacts Fashion Tokyo Talk In Store Buyline Music Japan Beat CD Reviews In Person Concerts Clubbing TRAVEL Jesus in Japan Jesus' supposed resting place Photos by Mary King Mary King hunts down the Messiah in the small village of Herai in the wilds of northern Japan. Church bells will ring out louder this year as millions of Christians across the world join in songs of praise for Jesus Christ's 2000th birthday. While most turn their thoughts to Bethlehem, Nazareth and Jerusalem, few know of the important role some claim Japan played in the life of Christ. There are probably very few Christians who have even heard of the small village of Herai that lies tucked away in the northern reaches of Aomori Prefecture, but some here maintain this to be the place where Jesus settled, married and died at the ripe old age of 106. Although it's commonly held that Jesus grew up as a carpenter in the Galilee town of Nazareth, according to the legend of Herai, or Shingo as it's now known, the 11 "missing years" of Christ's life not accounted for in the New Testament of the Bible were spent in Japan. According to the local legend, Christ first came to Japan, aged 21, during the reign of the 11th emperor, Suinin, and landed at the port of Hashidate on the Japan Sea coast. Apparently, he settled in Etchu province where, under the tutelage of a great master, he studied Japanese language, literature and various other subjects. The Legend of Daitenku Taro Jurai (Daitenku Taro Jurai was the name Christ is said to have later taken) claims that at the end of his 11-year stay, Christ returned to Judea, aged 33, where he taught about the "sacred land" of Japan. But, unfortunately, "Christ's teachings about Japan were considered too radical," and he was condemned to death. The New Testament teaches Jesus was crucified at Golgotha, rose from the dead after three days and later ascended into Heaven. However, according to the legend of Herai, Jesus escaped this fate, and instead his brother Isukiri was nailed to the cross and died. Christ, meanwhile, fled with his disciples and went into hiding, carrying locks of the Virgin Mary's hair and his brother's ear. After an arduous journey across Siberia, Christ finally returned to Japan and settled in Herai where he changed his name, married a Japanese woman called Miyuko, fathered three daughters and lived to the age of 106. Devout Christians may insist that the Garden Tomb, which lies not far from Damascus Gate outside the Old City of Jerusalem, is Jesus' true burial site, but the people of Herai have another story to tell-marked by a large wooden cross, Jesus' tomb ( Juraizuka ) sits alongside his brother's ( Judaibo ) in Herai. Isukiri's tomb holds his ear and locks of the Virgin Mary's hair. It's hard to imagine anyone, let alone Christ, would have schlepped out to one of the remotest parts of northern Japan in days of old, as even today it demands a great deal of effort to reach the village. Herai epitomizes the middle of nowhere. The place is little more than a lonely grocery store, a sprinkling of farmhouses and scraggly garlic fields and rice paddies blanketed with snow at this time of year. Most tourists either already know about the tombs, as well as the "pyramids" said to predate those of Egypt, or are so intrigued by the wild talk they hear of Herai while trekking out near Towadako Lake they can't resist coming to check it out. Remains of the Mirror Stone pyramid Pyramid scheme The first pyramid of the "O-Ishigami Pyramid" circle, we are told, was discovered in August, 1935 on Mt Towari, exactly one day after the discovery of Christ's tomb in the village. According to the "history of the Divine Age" found in the documents of the Takenouchi family, there are seven pyramids in Japan, dating back tens of thousands of years and older than the Egyptian pyramids. Legend has it that the largest of these "pyramids," the Mirror Stone, used to stand upright and had writing engraved on it, but fell over during an earthquake in 1857 and became embedded in the ground. Disappointingly, not one of the rocks slightly resembles a pyramid in the Egyptian or Mexican sense, but apparently Japanese pyramids are different from those found elsewhere. They were triangular rocks situated on the top of mountains and used for sun-worship in ancient times. A local standing by what may be Jesus' grave Tomb of the unknown Savior The "pyramids" are a five-minute drive from the Kirisuto no Sato Denshokan (Village of Christ Legend Museum; Tel: 0178-78-3741), where you can read about the history and customs of Herai, and catch the audio-visual show of the Kirisuto Matsuri (Christ Festival) held in the early summer. The museum is open from April to October. Contact the Shingo Business and Tourist Section at Shingo Village Office (Tel: 0178-78-2111) for visits during other times of the year. The present museum, open for the past five years, also records the uncanny circumstances surrounding the tombs of "Christ and his brother Isukiri" as well as old folk songs and customs that resemble ancient Judaic-Christian ones and various theories that either support or quash links between the Japanese and Christians of Jewish descent. Even the name of the village, Herai, is said to be derived from the word Hebrai (Hebrew). It sounds like a tall tale, but no stranger than stories of burning bushes, the parting of the Red Sea and water being turned into wine. For the people of Herai too, the revelation that Christ is buried in their village came as a shock when documents claiming Jesus had resided in Japan were discovered in Ibaraki Prefecture in 1935. Said to be Christ's will and testament and the proof that he had lived and died in Japan, the "Takenouchi documents" later proved to be fake. For years, many villagers felt that the shroud of mystery surrounding the large ancient tombs in a bamboo thicket had finally been lifted. The documents explained some of the village's customs, such as marking a cross on the forehead of a child when it first leaves the home and why Sanjiro Sawaguchi, a village elder, had "blue eyes like a foreigner." The museum explains mysterious local customs The tombs are located close to the Kirisuto no Sato Denshokan, marked by two large wooden crosses and are sitting on a small hill overlooking those of the Sawaguchi family-local garlic farmers who are said to be the descendants of Christ and who, to this day, care for their great ancestor's tombs. "Somebody special lies there but I don't really believe it's the tomb of Christ. It's probably the tomb of a foreigner who settled in the village at some point. It's certainly interesting that some of the old customs in this village are said to be similar to those of ancient Judea, and it may explain why some people in the village have blue eyes. But this village has always been Buddhist and the Shinto shrine in the village is more than 1000 years old, so I really don't think that there are any ancient links between Japanese and Jews or Christians of Jewish descent," said Yoshiteru Ogasawara, who runs Nobara Pension (Tel: 0178-78-2484). Regardless of what you believe, Herai makes an interesting-if somewhat barren-destination, and you're guaranteed a great travel story to share with friends. Getting there: From JR Ueno stn, take the Tohoku shinkansen to Morioka stn and change to the express train for Hachinohe. From Hachinohe, take a bus to Gonohe, where you can change to a bus for Shingo (Herai). For information on the local bus service, contact the tourist section of the Shingo Village Office (Tel: 0178-78-2111; Fax: 0178-78-2118). Getting around: Those seriously thinking of venturing out to this part of the world to see the tombs and the "pyramids" should consider hiring a car or taxi from Hachinohe or Gonohe as the local bus service is irregular, and getting around Herai on foot is nigh-on impossible, especially during the winter months. TRAVELOGUE WORLD TRAVEL TRAVEL FEATURES JAPAN TRAVEL: SEPTEMBER 389: God speed The mother of all Shinto temples, Ise Grand Shrine AUGUST 385: Hattoji Highland hamlet JULY 380: Nagasaki Remembrance of things past 378: Kawagoe From modern Tokyo to "Little Edo" 376: Tottori Tottori's stunning landscapes JUNE 375: Kyushu Bed and bath under the volcano 373: Ryogoku Land of the giants 372: Osaka Universal Studios Japan MAY 371: Osaka Amerika-mura: Osaka's funky town 369: Mie Mikimoto Pearl Island 368: Takarazuka Hyogo-ken's all women theater group APRIL 365: Kawasaki Kawasaki's annual fertility festival 364: Aomori A day on Fear Mountain MARCH 362: Nagano Chill out snowboarding 361: Asuka One foot in the grave FEBRUARY 356: Yamanashi Hakushu's hidden treasures 355: Waseda Tram Trip A streetcar named... 352/3: Aomori Jesus in Japan 351: Kumamoto Under the volcano in Kyushu 350: Sado Island Explore the forgotten charms of Shukunegi ISSUES 348- ISSUES 298- TOP

Germany travel newsletter today!

Travel to Germanys Historic Cities Free German Travel Newsletter! Enter your email to subscribe to the Historic Highlights of Germany travel newsletter today! HTML Text AOL Travel to Germanys Historic Cities Travel to the Historic Highlights of Germany, 13 cities chosen for their special charm, architectural brilliance and historic character. Our cities have banded together to provide a single point of contact to help you plan your travel to Germany. How to use our site Click on Cities to learn more about our charming towns what to do, what to see, and where to stay. Learn about history, culture, food and wine, attractions, excursions, activities, events and the general region. In Interests , find out about German art, literature, music, religion, architecture and history and to learn which cities to visit to match your travel preferences. Click on Plan a Trip for tips on hotels and travel packages you can use as building blocks to prepare your own personal itinerary within Germany. Our new Personal Planning Guide lets you assemble a booklet with information you choose from our cities. Our planning wizard helps you create a kit you can use as you plan your travel in Germany. Visit our cities In the Historic Highlights of Germany, youll travel in the footsteps of emperors and kings, bishops and scholars, and generals and presidents who changed the face of Germany, Europe and the world. Youll travel to cities where seamen and merchants built the power of the Hanseatic League. Marvel at our architecture. Freiburgs cathedral with its 381-foot tower ranks among the masterworks of Gothic architecture. Wrzburgs baroque Residenz took 24 years to build. In Augsburg, rococo grew so prevalent that it became known as the Augsburg style. Walk amid gothic-renaissance Heidelberg Castle, Wrzburgs massive baroque Residenz and Potsdams Sanssouci Palace, the 18th-century retreat of Frederick the Great. Or travel to Mnster, the land of 100 moated castles. Trace the roots of Martin Luther and the Protestant faithand spend the night in Luthers former monastery. Walk through Roman ruins, medieval town centers, and thriving marketplaces. Taste history, too. Enjoy wine and seaside specialties in restaurants founded by captains nearly 500 years agoand with reserved tables where todays skippers carry on the tradition. Our vintners and brew masters will take pride in your pleasure. One of our monasteries has been brewing since the 11th century, and we can even serve you wine from your birth year. Travel to our cities, where history lives! © 2003 Historic Highlights of Germany, info@historicgermany.com Map of Germany click on the city icons to get more information Inbounds in Historic Germany: The Soccer Games The 13 cities of Historic Highlights of Germany are quite close* to the stadiums of the World Championships and even closer to Germanys rich history.... more... Featured Travel Packages: Germany's Architectural Treasures Special Travel Values German Christmas Markets Proud Travel Partners Lufthansa German Rail German National Tourist Office Gemuetlichkeit Travel Letter for Germany, Austria, Switzerland & the New Europe

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Vacation Rentals, Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and More - Rentalo.com -- Vacation Rentals, Hotels, Bed & Breakfasts Testimonials | Contact Rentalo | Help (Live) Enter a destination: Subscribe "WOW! I have been surfing the web for weeks now to find a condo in Destin. Unfortunately, Rentalo just today came up on my search engine! I have received calls just seconds after I emailed! I will have a room today and my fruitless searching will be over! Thank you so much for having such an effcient web site, you guys keepn up the good work!" Ivan " Just want to say that you provide excellent service! Very organizedand easy to look through you website when looking for rentals. Veryprompt responses. Made our search so easy! Thanks" Kim "Awesome, quick response to my inquiries. I will definitely share this found service oriented web site. Thank You in advance.Warm Regards." Susan Hill "Your service worked very well for us. We contacted Renalo on very short notice while trying to find a weekend getaway in the Sarasota area. We were contacted by at least a half dozen properties within 24 hours, and one of them worked out perfectly. We never would have found them without your service." Barry Torman "LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT. Found some great properties at great, reasonable prices. If only the family could be as accommadating as RENTALO. Even with last minute (7-10 days) there were still great properties." Valerie "Just wanted to say that your web site has been very helpful and the we rented a 5 bedroom villa from one of your renters. The site made the process extra easy which is gratefully appreciated. Will definitely use your site for future trips. " Leja McKinney "Amazingly quick response. Not only did I get notification from Rentalo, but less than a day later, an email from the condo owner, a phone call from her (she lives about 25 miles away) and an offer by her to put me in touch with friends living in Mazatlan. She also answered many question and offered to bring back lots of information when she makes a trip down there this next month. Thanks for the professionalism." Steve Cline See more testimonials United States Orlando Miami Beach Mammoth Lakes Poconos South Lake Tahoe Ft Lauderdale Beech Mountain Kissimmee Ocean City Las Vegas More... Europe London Zermatt Geneva Interlaken Paris Zuerich Amsterdam Rome Barcelona Dublin More... Canada Mont Tremblant Blue Mountain Whistler Toronto Banff Canmore Vancouver Montreal Collingwood Victoria Shell Lake More... Caribbean St John Aruba St Maarten St Martin Negril Bahamas Cayman Islands Turks And Caicos Islands Bermuda San Juan Ocho Rios More... Mexico Puerto Vallarta Playa Del Carmen Cancun Rosarito Mazatlan Bucerias Tulum Acapulco Ixtapa Zihuatanejo Troncones San Jose Del Cabo More... Asia Bangalore Agra Jaipur Tokyo New Delhi Chennai Goa Hyderabad Mumbai Singapore More... South America Rio De Janeiro Belo Horizonte Buenos Aires Punta Del Este Bogota Brasilia Margarita Island San Isidro Lima Quito More... Central America Belize Quepos Bocas Del Toro Managua Antigua Manuel Antonio Puerto Viejo Limon Puntarenas San Jose Tamarindo More... South Pacific Sydney Perth Gold Coast Byron Bay Auckland Melbourne Coogee Beach Fiji Fiji Island Goroka More... Africa Cape Town Durban Cairo Cameroon Yaounde Egypt Somalia Algeria Libreville More... About rentalo.com - Rentalo is the largest, fastest growing, most relevant global directory for vacation rentals, bed and breakfasts, hotels, and other lodgings, with over 100,000 property listings in close to 15,000 destinations worldwide. Travelers & Vacationers - In Rentalo you find the best values in vacation rentals, bed & breakfasts, hotels, and other lodgings. Property owners & managers - With Rentalo you receive the best return on investment (ROI) for your rental or lodging business. Enter your email to view the rental offers you have received help Search New Destination | Vacation Rentals | Press | Affiliates | Newsletter | Site Map | © 2005 Rentalo.com | Legal Disclaimer | Privacy

Germany Travel

Regensburg, Germany - Travel Photos by Galen R Frysinger,Sheboygan, Wisconsin Regensburg SteinerneBrcke (1135 - 1146) Regensburg , city in southeastern Germany, in Bavaria, a port at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers. Along with its shipyards, the city's industries manufacture processed food, machines, leather goods, chemicals, and printed materials. on the Danube Salt House in background Regensburg is considered one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Germany. in the old city building detail the windows Among the many historical buildings here are Saint Peter's Cathedral (begun 13th century), the former city hall (14th-18th century), Saint James's Church (early 12th century), and Saint Emmeram's Church (5th century). the locksmith's shop Its abbey of the Benedictines became an important center of European learning, and the abbey's library contains more than 200,000 books and illuminated manuscripts. Saint Peter's Cathedral has maintained a well-known boys' choir for more than 1000 years, and has a museum of medieval and Renaissance church art. the cathedral spire passage from the Bishop's residence to the cathedral The city's Stone Bridge across the Danube (completed 1146) was the only Danube crossing for hundreds of years, and was the starting point of the second and third Crusades. The city is the seat of a university. the square different style window treatment Around 500BC Regensburg was a settlement of the Celts. The Romans later utilized the community as a fortress city from the 2nd century to the 5th century. Porta Praetoria Northern gate of the Roman Fort Regensburg became a free imperial city in 1245. From 1663 to 1806 it was the permanent seat of the diet of the Holy Roman Empire and one of its most important commercial and political centers. Saint Albertus Magnus taught in Regensburg from 1236 to 1240 and was its bishop from 1260 to 1262. Bischofshof the restaurant The painter and architect Albrecht Altdorfer spent most of his life in Regensburg. In 1810 the city became a Bavarian possession. Population (1990 estimate) 120,900. Text from Microsoft Encarta Returnto Germany page Returnto Europe page Returnto People and Places

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