Suwa-taisha Shimo-sha Akimiya

This is the headquarters of Suwa Shrine, which has about 25,000 shrines throughout Japan.
Formerly known as “Suwa Shrine,” it is also called “Suwa-sama” or “Suwa-daimyojin. Suwa Shrine has existed so long that it is considered one of the oldest shrines in Japan.

Four fir tree pillars called “go-bashira” are erected at the four corners of the shrine pavilions, and the layout of the pavilions also has a unique shape. The shrine pavilions are all made of unglazed wood, and many are designated as Important Cultural Properties.

The upper shrine has the Hongu and Mengu, and the lower shrine has the Akimiya and Harumiya. There is no hierarchy of shrine ranks.

The Shimo-sha consists of the Akimiya and Harumiya shrines, and unlike the Kamisha, the two shrines have had the same rank since ancient times. The southern side of the shrine is open and has been cultivated for a long time, giving it an agrarian character.

The area is the center of Shimosuwa, and in modern times, Shimosuwa-juku was established as a post town on the Nakasendo and Koshu-kaido roads.

Akimiya Shrine is located at the eastern edge of the town of Harumiya in Shimosuwa. The Nori River flows in the east.

The shrine is called Akimiya because the deity is enshrined every year from August to the following January.
The precincts of the shrine include four buildings that have been designated as national important cultural properties.

The area around the shrine is a hot spring area, and there is a sacred hot spring within the shrine grounds as well. The shrine pavilions are the same as those of the Harumiya shrine, and in the old days, the building techniques of the two shrines competed with each other.

The area around Akinomiya Shrine is where the Nakasendo and Koshu Kaido roads intersect, and was a bustling post town in the busy highway area, where many stores still stand side by side.

As a tourist destination, the main street of Omotesando is lined with souvenir stores, restaurants, and inns.