Suwa-taisha Shimo-sha Harumiya

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,” “Suwa-daimyojin,” etc. Suwa Shrine has existed for 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.

Harumiya Shrine is located at the northern edge of the town of Shimosuwa, about 1.2 km northwest of Akinomiya Shrine. It is believed to be the first Shimo-Suwa shrine to be relocated. The Tomigawa River flows to the west.

The shrine is called Harumiya because the deity is enshrined from February to July each year.
Three of the shrine buildings on the grounds have been designated as national important cultural properties.

The Shimobabashi Bridge, a drum bridge on the approach to the shrine, was built in the Muromachi period (1333-1573) and is the oldest structure in the Shimo-sha Shrine. It is said that all visitors, regardless of status, must dismount from their horses to cross the bridge, and even today, only the portable shrine is allowed to cross it during the relocation ceremony.

In a field on the side of the shrine grounds sits the 2-meter-high Manji no Ishi Butsu (Stone Buddha), a heartwarming and unique stone Buddha built in 1660 and affectionately called “Amida-sama” by the local people.