Church Planting Aomori
Aomori Prefecture
Aomori Prefecture is at the northern tip of Honshu. The population is around 1.5 million. It is noted for the production of apples, and outspoken locals. Also noteworthy are the 2 impenetrable dialects and the fact of being second from the
bottom in income and educational attainment in Japan. It is an area of great natural beauty. The locals are pragmatic, hard-working people. There are many Christians from Aomori, but not many in Aomori. The official count is 71 Protestant churches, plus a few Catholic ones.
The old castle town of Hirosaki has the second church in Japan to "go public" after the lifting of the death sentence against Christians in the 1870's. Many of the persecuted Christians of the 1500's apparently fled to Aomori as well, so the message of Jesus is not unknown here ~ just steadfastly resisted. Many are interested in and positive about Jesus, but are terrified to be publicly identified with the faith.