April
Cherry Blossom Festival in Suigetsu Park
(
φχάΒθ)
‘ Place: Suigetsu Park( φ)
‘ Inquiry: The tourism and industry division in the Town Hall / Tel : (0266)27-1111
Row upon row of 1000 trees of Someiyoshino(υδgμ) and Kohiganzakura (¬ήέχ), which are two varieties of Japanese cherry trees, dominate the park spectacularly. At night they are floodlit with 700 light bulbs arranged in the shape of Mt. Fuji. The park itself is a scenic spot offering a bird's eyes view over Lake Suwa. There are also more than 30 monuments of famous writers and poets, such as Akahiko (ΤF), Shiki (qK) and Basho (mΤ).
¦ Indulge yourself in hot spring after the scenic beauty of cherry blossoms ,and you can get a free giftI Simply collect two stamp marks. One is available at Suigetsu Park from April 6th (Sun.) to April 30th and the other is available at one of the 4 following hot spring.
on Nakasen Highway
1. Yusen House Koyu (VςnEX),
2. Tanganoyu (UίΜ),
3. Shinyu (V)
on Lake Suwa
4 .Hitotsuhama(κcl)
Kanayaki Jizo
Annual Festival
(ημΔn ΈαΥ: Kanayaki guardian deity of children)
‘ Place: On the premises of Raiko Temple(}: Raiko-ji)
‘ Inquiry: Raiko Temple / Tel: (0266)27-8234
This guardian deity appears in a legendary story of a peasant's daughter "Okane" and used to be a guardian angel of Izumi Shikibu (a Japanese poetess of the 11th century). Hojo Tokiyori-ko (kπφ, a lay priest of Saimyo Temple (ΕΎ) is said to have had the deity brought to Raiko Temple. On this festival Kanayaki Jizo is exhibited to the public.
¦ Free amazake (Japanese sweet drink made from fermented rice) and cotton candy are served on the premises.
(zKΞJ«: Suwako Opening Ceremony for the season)
‘ Date: April 29th (Thu.) of Greenery Day
‘ Place: Shimosuwa Harbour on Lake Suwa
‘ Inquiry: The tourism and industry division in the Town Hall / Tel: (0266)27-1111
By this time of the year the lake and its surroundings are starting to show signs of the beginning of spring and hence the start of the tourist season. The ceremony offers prayers for peace and prosperity on the lake for the coming season.
The first 100 visitors on the Ryugu Maru (³{Ϋ) excursion boat can ride free of charge.
In May
(©s)
‘ Inquiry: The tourism and industry division in the Town Hall / Tel: (0266)27-1111
Freshly picked local vegetables, flowers, apples, quinces and processed farm products (jam and juice, etc) are on sale in the market. Open until 6:30A.M.
In June
‘ Place: The square in Yashima Highland Camping Site
‘ Inquiry: The tourism and industry division in the Town Hall / Tel: (0266)27-1111
Yashima Highland is located in the northwest of Kirigamine (Άͺτ) in the National Park of Yatsugatake (ͺx), which is in the center of the Shinshu district. At an altitude of 1,620m in Yatsugatake lies a National Natural Monument, Yashimagahara Koso Shitsugen (ͺ΄wΌ΄: Yashimagahara Highland Marshes). In this highland camping site, the ceremony attendants will pray for the safety of the summer activities in the park.
¦ Omiki (δ_π: Sake offered to the shrine) is to be shared among the people attending the ceremony. Free gifts of commemorative badges will be given away on a first-come-first-served basis.
In July and August
‘ Place: Some designated places in Shimosuwa Town
‘ Inquiry: The tourism and industry division in the Town Hall / Tel: (0266)27-1111
Yoi Matsuri (Festival Eve)
On the day before Ofune Matsuri (Boat Festival), car traffic is shut off and many places in the town are pedestrianised. A lot of different events take place, such as fire works, night stalls, a parade of a group of people carrying Nagamochi (Japanese large oblong old days' clothing chests) and volunteers wearing comic characters' costumes.
At Hon Matsuri (Main Festival) of the Boat Festival, which is the biggest and most exciting festival of all the annual events, the symbols of the deity are carried on a boat from Haru Shrine to Aki Shrine. This is done to shelter the deity from the cold winter in Haru and send him to the warmer Aki Shrine for winter. The frame of the boat is assembled with Keyaki (O: a Japanese tree of the genus Zelkova) and brushwood is arranged to make up the shape of a boat. With two effigies of an old man and an old woman standing on the top of the boat, it is dragged by the parish representative, called Otogo (¨ͺ½: meaning community representatives).
Spectators are treated to not only this procession, but also several others, including a group of people carrying Nagamochi (·: Japanese large oblong clothing chests), a parade carrying a palanquin shrine and a fancy parade in Japanese traditional costumes.
In September
‘ Place: Any apple orchards in Shimosuwa Town
‘ Inquiry: Shimosuwa Tourist Information Center / Tel: (0266)28-2231
Don't forget to make a reservation for apple picking when you book your accommodation at Shimosuwa Hot Springs. You can enjoy apple picking at a special discount rate (not available for those who stay on Saturdays and Sundays).
¦You can get apples for free gifts.
In December and January
(literally means 2 years' visit to a shrine, in which people pay homage at a shrine on Dec. 31st and Jan. 1st at a time)
Hatsu Mode (the first visit of the year to a shrine)
‘ Place: Shimosha (or Aki Shrine or Lower Shrine) of the Great Shrines of Suwa
‘ Inquiry: The Great Shrines of Suwa / Tel: (0266)27-8035
On New Year's Eve and New Year's Day Shimosha, which is the principal Shinto Shrine of the district and which belongs to the Great Shrines of Suwa, swarms with local people who visit the shrine for Ninen Mairi or Hatsumode. The precinct and the approach to the shrine are filled with stalls selling good luck charms and mascots. The most popular of these is Dharma Doll (named after an Indian saint of Buddhism, Bodhidharma). This is a Japanese traditional good luck doll made of paper whose white eyes are to be blacked out on each occasion when people have good luck in the following year. Many holidaymakers come from all over Japan as well and they all pray for the well-being of their families, road safety and thriving businesses in the new year.
In February
‘ Place: Shimosha of the Great Shrines of Suwa
‘ Inquiry: The Great Shrines of Suwa / Tel : (0266)27-8035
One of the traditional rituals and festivals of Shimosha of the Great Shrines of Suwa. This ceremony is quite unique in the way Senza (meaning transfer of a Shinto Shrine) is held twice in a year.
Setsubun Sai
(ίͺΥ: Festival for the calendrial beginning of spring)
(February 1st marks the change of the seasons: the end of winter and the
beginning of spring.)
‘ Place: Shimosha of the Great Shrines of Suwa
‘ Inquiry: The Great Shrines of Suwa / Tel: (0266)27-8035
One of the traditional ritual ceremonies and festivals of Shimosha of the Great Shrines of Suwa. Those who are in their bad-luck ages (according to Japanese traditional astrological table) in the town perform the Bean-Throwing Ceremony and play quoits, wishing to drive away evil spirits. The precincts will be packed with people trying to pick up the thrown beans and quoits and catch their luck for the new season.
₯₯₯Try our Local Public Bath Exploration Tour !
There are 10 hot spring public bath houses in Shimosuwa. Now you've got a chance to enjoy bathing and getting a free gift of a Japanese hand towel as a souvenir (for the first 500 arrivals only). Simply come to the bath and collect one commemorative stamp mark at 2 or 3 public bath houses out of the following three:
1. Yusen House Koyu (VςnEX)
2. Tanganoyu (UίΜ)
3. Shinyu (V)
₯₯₯Try Shimosuwa's Historical Japanese Inn Tour on Nakasen Highway
Shimosuwa has always thrived due to its location next to the Grand Shrines of Suwa. In the Edo Era this old hot spring post-town on the junction of two historical highways, the Koshudo and the Nakasendo, used to be the busiest spot on the Nakasendo highway. Now, let yourself be transported back to those old days as you wander among the historical buildings. Then get a free souvenir of your trip back to the old days. Just visit the following 5 historical spots and collect each commemorative stamp mark. Then, you can get a replica of an old Japanese Passport to Shimosuwa Post Town (ΊzKhθ`: Shimosuwajyuku Orai Tegata). In the Edo era, people were not allowed to travel without this pass. They were used as identification cards as well as passports. (The gifts will be available for the first 500 arrivals).
5 historical spots offering commemorative stamp marks:
(1) Honjin ({w: The officially appointed inn for feudal lords in old days)
(2) Rekishi Minzoku Shiryokan (πj―°ΏΩ: History and Folklore Museum)
(3) Yusen House Koyu (VςnEX: A public bath house)
(4) Raikoji (}: Raiko Temple)
(5) Manji (‘: The stone image of Buddha)
₯₯₯Why not try your hand at a Tanka (a Japanese verse of 31 syllables) or a Haiku (a seventeen-syllabled Japanese poem).
Don't miss your chance to track down Shimosuwa's many historic and scenic spots. Enjoy locating all those such as the Great Shrines of Suwa, Manji (‘ the stone image of Buddha), Shiin-Sanboi`AR[), Kamakura Highway (qXΉ) called the Romantic Path. Then once you've soaked in the historical air why don't you try writing a tanka or haiku? The form is available at both Manji (‘) and Shiin-Sanboi`AR[j. When you've finished, just place the form in the attached boxes. A prize will be sent to each winner.
₯₯₯How about making a rubbed copy of literary monuments.
In Japan it is one of the popular hobbies to rub Indian ink on a piece of paper placed over a literary stone monument. So don't miss the chance to try it. Enjoy literary stone monuments galore in Shimosuwa town. There are more than 90 of them, such as Shimaki Akahiko (ΨΤF), Saito Mokichi(Δ‘Ξg), Masaoka Shiki (³ͺqK), Matsuo Basho (ΌφmΤ), Kobayashi Issa (¬Ρκ). If you are a beginner, free instruction by the local stone rubbing club members is available. (Material costs are extra).
Please contact one of the following members of Takusokai (ρο: the brass rubbing club).
Suwa Meisanhinten (zKΌYiX: Suwa Local Product Gift Shop) (0266)27-7659
Mr.Kumazaki (0266)28-1007
Mr.Fujimori (0266)27-6231
Mr.Nakahara (0266)27-7417
₯₯₯Let's make a petition to the guardian deity of children.
Pay a visit to Raiko Temle (}) and pray for your dream to come true. Kanayaki (ημΔ) Jizo (n : the guardian deity of children) of this temple is a good but little known place for answering your prayers. Write down your wish on a Koifuda (φD: a talisman for love) and leave it with Kanayaki Jizo.
(Koifudas are available at every inn and hotel in Shimosuwa Town and at the Tourist Information Center: 2 for 500 yen).