There is a place in Nagano that will make you feel like, "Maybe God really exists..."

When you leave the hustle and bustle of the city and stand on a clear, clear land, don't you feel like the "spirit of prayer" sleeping inside you is awakened?
Suwa Taisha in Nagano Prefecture is not just a tourist spot, but one of the "oldest shrines in Japan" that has continued since ancient times.
Here are five reasons why you should visit Suwa Taisha.

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🏯 5 reasons why you should visit Suwa Taisha

① [The head shrine of 25,000 "Suwa Shrines" nationwide]

The roots of all the "Suwa Shrines" located all over Japan are here.
📎 **Trivia: ** Suwa Taisha has a unique structure with a total of four shrines, divided into Kamisha (Honmiya and Maemiya) and Shimosha (Harumiya and Akimiya)!

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② [The "Onbashira Festival" is one of Japan's three strange festivals]

A dynamic festival held once every seven years in which giant trees are pulled down from the mountain by hand.
📎**Trivia:** The weight of the Onbashira (pillar) can reach up to 16 tons! It is also a local pride as it is a life-risking event.

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③【Shintoism without a building】

Suwa Taisha and Kamisha Honmiya do not have a main hall, and the forest itself is the deity. The form of nature worship remains as it is.

📎**Trivia:** This is the very form of "ancient Shinto", and it is very rare for a shrine to have no main hall.

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④【Enjoy it as a hot spring resort】

Lake Suwa and hot springs are dotted near Shimosha, making it perfect for a relaxing time after visiting the shrines.

📎**Trivia:** There is "geothermal energy" at the bottom of Lake Suwa, and in some years you can see "Omiwatari", where steam rises from part of the lake!

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⑤【The land of the dragon god legend and the wind god】

The deity enshrined at Suwa Taisha is "Takeminakata no Kami", the god of strength and water.

📎Trivia: He is also worshipped as the "wind god" and has been revered by farmers all over the country as the "guardian deity of wind and rain".

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✨Summary

Suwa Taisha is a place where history, nature, and faith quietly but surely live on.
Not just a place to visit, but an experience that will touch your "deepest tranquility in your heart".
Why not choose "one of Japan's oldest shrines" as your next travel destination? #Suwa Taisha #Nagano #Domestic travel