Suwa Taisha, Upper Shrine, Front Shrine.
It's just the right distance for a day trip, so I decided to visit Suwa Taisha.
I didn't feel much power from the buildings themselves, but I felt a strong power from the four pillars standing in the inner precinct. I felt a stronger power than last time, so perhaps it's because the pillars were replaced this year for the annual pillar festival, and that's why they have a stronger power than last year. And perhaps, as time passes, the power weakens, and then new pillars are replaced. That might be the case.
It's just the right distance for a day trip, so I decided to visit Suwa Taisha.
I didn't feel much power from the buildings themselves, but I felt a strong power from the four pillars standing in the inner precinct. I felt a stronger power than last time, so perhaps it's because the pillars were replaced this year for the annual pillar festival, and that's why they have a stronger power than last year. And perhaps, as time passes, the power weakens, and then new pillars are replaced. That might be the case.
Kitoboshi Shrine, located near Kamisha of Suwa Taisha.
Since the description mentioned Ama-no-Mina-Kanu-shi, I decided to visit. There is also an interpretation that, in the Kojiki, this is the god of the universe itself, which created heaven and earth. I don't know much about it. Is it related to the worship of the Big Dipper?
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Suwa Taisha, Upper Shrine, Main Shrine.
Previously, some buildings were under renovation, but now they are open. The large taiko drum is still there, and many people are visiting. There are many dragons.
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Suwa Taisha, Shimosha, Harumya, and the stone Buddhas of the Manji period.
It was unclear why there was a "Shimosha" (lower shrine) when it's located in the north. However, there was an explanation written in a nearby museum. It seems that until the Kamakura period, the family remained united and not separated. Shimosha was the main family, and Ueshisha was a branch family. However, during the Kamakura period, the branch family, Ueshisha, became more powerful, and the branch family claimed, "We are the Kami-shi (godly family)," and "We are Ueshisha," leading to a conflict. As a result, the main family, Shimosha, created a new surname, "Kami." Although Ueshisha was more powerful at that time, now the area in front of Shimosha is more prosperous.
When I spoke to the local people, the priests explained that Suwa Taisha is one of four shrines, and that they are all equal and the same. However, in reality, each shrine has different responsibilities for the festivals, especially during the Omihara Festival, where Ueshisha and Shimosha hold separate ceremonies, and even at Haruhime and Akihime, the responsibilities are actually different. It seems that although there was a conflict in the past, and there may still be some underlying conflicts, they are officially presented as being equal. Well, after all, they are human, so that's probably the case.
This year, for the sake of "Korochan," the procession was done with a trailer instead of being pulled by people. Normally, the parishioners pull the procession down the mountain.
I asked about tips for sightseeing at the Omihara Festival. I was told that the festival lasts for three days, and that on the first day, only parishioners are allowed to enter the mountain to cut down the trees, so it's better to visit on the second day. Hotels are fully booked and expensive, so many people stay in places like Kofu and commute back and forth. It's possible to do a day trip from Tokyo if you can reserve a train ticket, but the next opportunity is in seven years, so I wonder if I should do it. By then, I might have forgotten all the tips.
The "Banji" stone Buddha located behind Haruhime is also very interesting. It is said that a stonemason was supposed to make a torii gate, but blood came out of the stone, surprising the stonemason, who stopped making the torii gate and instead made a stone Buddha, which is said to "calm all things." There are instructions on how to worship it, which is to circle it three times clockwise.
When I spoke to the local people, the priests explained that Suwa Taisha is one of four shrines, and that they are all equal and the same. However, in reality, each shrine has different responsibilities for the festivals, especially during the Omihara Festival, where Ueshisha and Shimosha hold separate ceremonies, and even at Haruhime and Akihime, the responsibilities are actually different. It seems that although there was a conflict in the past, and there may still be some underlying conflicts, they are officially presented as being equal. Well, after all, they are human, so that's probably the case.
This year, for the sake of "Korochan," the procession was done with a trailer instead of being pulled by people. Normally, the parishioners pull the procession down the mountain.
I asked about tips for sightseeing at the Omihara Festival. I was told that the festival lasts for three days, and that on the first day, only parishioners are allowed to enter the mountain to cut down the trees, so it's better to visit on the second day. Hotels are fully booked and expensive, so many people stay in places like Kofu and commute back and forth. It's possible to do a day trip from Tokyo if you can reserve a train ticket, but the next opportunity is in seven years, so I wonder if I should do it. By then, I might have forgotten all the tips.
The "Banji" stone Buddha located behind Haruhime is also very interesting. It is said that a stonemason was supposed to make a torii gate, but blood came out of the stone, surprising the stonemason, who stopped making the torii gate and instead made a stone Buddha, which is said to "calm all things." There are instructions on how to worship it, which is to circle it three times clockwise.
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Shimozawa, Hakka-zan Jion-ji Temple.
There is a Zen temple called Jyunji between the Spring Palace and the Autumn Palace. I stopped by on a whim, and it was surprisingly impressive, with a well-maintained garden. It is said that Takeda Shingen also visited, so I thought it was a temple with a long history.
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Suwa Taisha, Shimosha, Akimiya.
Because I arrived a little late, it was surprisingly not crowded. Among the four Suwa shrines, the Honmya of Kamisha and this Akimiya of Shimocha have a similar atmosphere, but personally, I liked the Akimiya better because it felt more serene. I might like this area.
The Honmya of Kamisha has a more simple feel. It seems that Kamisha is for the male god and Shimocha is for the female god, and when you think about it, the serene feeling of Shimocha, especially the Akimiya, might be because of that. The simple feeling of Kamisha also makes sense when you hear that it is for the male god. In winter, it is said that a phenomenon occurs where the male god of Kamisha crosses the frozen Lake Suwa to visit the female god of Shimocha, creating cracks in the ice, but recently, it is rarely seen due to the warm winters. It seems that it cannot be seen unless the ice is frozen at least 10cm thick.
There is a slight difference in the crests of Kamisha and Shimocha; the root part has four lines for Kamisha and five lines for Shimocha. I heard the origin, but I can't remember it for some reason.
It seems that the men in this area get excited during festivals, and when you see the footage, they look like mountain men. So, I thought this area might be a town for men, but when I talked to the locals, I learned that in this area, women have always been strong, whether in their jobs or anything else. For example, at the Tomioka Silk Mill, women were more skilled and valued. Even now, there are many factories such as Epson in this area, so women have never had trouble finding jobs. Therefore, this area is a town for women, said the old man at the museum. Is that so.
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