■ Kanazashi Morizumi（金刺盛澄）
Kanazashi Morizumi was an Ohori, which was the highest rank of Shinto Saints, at the Lower Shrine of the Great Shrines of Suwa. He was well known for his mastery of military arts, which made him the head of samurais in Suwa area in the Kamakura period. Having been once on the side of Kiso Yoshinaka, one of the cousins of Minamoto Yoritomo (源頼朝), who was to kill Yoshinaka later and become the first Shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate, Morizumi was admitted into Kamakura Shogunate and served under Yoritomo as his guard after Yoshinaka had perished.

〇 Kiso Yoshinaka (木曾義仲) and Kanazashi Morizumi
Minamoto Yoshitaka (源義賢) had a contest with his brother, Yoshitomo, but was defeated by Yoshitomo's first son, Yoshihira (義平), also called Aku (literally 'bad') Genta. When his father, Yoshitaka, was killed, Yoshinaka was only two years of age and then called Komaomaru (駒王丸), which was his childhood name.

He was about to be killed by Hatakeyama Shigeyoshi (畠山重能) at the command of Yoshihira, who was afraid of a future retaliation for his father's murder. Hatakeyama, however, didn't dare to kill the innocent infant and left him in the care of Saito Betto Sanemori (斉藤別当実盛). Sanemori finally entrusted the boy to Nakahara Kaneto (中原兼遠) in the Shinano district, for his wife had been Yoshinaka's wet nurse. Kaneto, otherwise Chuza Gonnokami (中三権守), was a local of the Kiso area and also a Shinto priest of the Lower Shrine of the Suwa Shrines, where Kanazashi Morizumi served as Ohori at that time. Worrying about the constant flow of visitors to the Lower Shrine, Kaneto hid Komaomaru at Miyanokoshi in the Kiso area, where the boy was brought up. That led to his later choice of the Shinshu district as his power base.

The oldest history book of Suwa Shrine, named "Picture scroll with captions of Suwa Great Gracious Deity (諏訪大明神画詞)", also offers us the story, in which Morizumi married his daughter to Yoshinaka and they had a baby daughter. Consequently, according to the story, Morizumi became Yoshinaka's father in law.

When Yoshinaka levied troops in Shinano, Kaneto joined the troops together with his younger brother Tezuka Taro Mitsumori and they marched against the Taira in Hokuriku Province. During the war, Morizumi, however, had to return to Suwa in order to attend the annual Misayama Festival (御射山祭: the Shinto festival held at Misayama Mt.).

On January 20th, in the Genryaku Era (1184), Yoshinaka was killed in a battle against the troops Yoritomo had sent. After the death of his master, Morizumi was recalled to Kamakura by Yoritomo. Unfortunately, Morizumi was then participating in Yabusame (流鏑馬: A sport during the time of Kamakura Shogun; The competitors on horse back galloped at full speed and, in the act of leaping, shot arrows (kabura-ya) at 3 or 5 targets in a line. The targets were made of small earthenware held between thin boards which were stuck into the ground) at Seinanji (城南寺: Seinan Temple) in Kyoto. So, he was late for the muster, which caused Yoritomo's rage. As a result, he ordered Morizumi's execution. Kajiwara Keiji, however, knew Morizumi's mastery of Japanese archery and riding horses, and told Yoritomo that it would be a shame to lose such a peerless adept in military arts. Keiji suggested that Morizumi be given a chance to show his Yabusame to Yoritomo.

On the day of Yabusamea, Morizumi succeeded in manoeuvering the most spirited horse and took it under control without missing the smallest target of earthenware (Kawarake: かわらけ), which impressed Yoritomo. He said it could not have been a human being's work. Knowing that Morizumi was serving at a shrine, Yoritomo thought Morizumi had been under the divine protection and the mastery had been gifted by the Deity. So, finally Morizumi was allowed to go back to Suwa.

Today ,a parade called "Kanazashi Morizumi Jidai Gyoretsu (Kanazashi Morizumi's Parade in traditional Japanese costumes) is a popular part of the Ofune Matsuri (お舟祭り: Boat Festival) of the Lower Shrine of the Great Shrines of Suwa on August 1st.

■ Ishigaki Tozan (石城東山)
Ishigaki Tozan was a royalist in the closing days of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Born in the Tenpo period to the Satomi family in Iizima of today's Suwa City, his ingeniousness was well known as a child. Ishigaki Soemon (石城宗右衛門) , who was one of the local samurais adopted the boy and let him succeed the patrimony of his family. Tozan worked as a lecturer at Chozenkan (長善館), where sons and heirs of local samurais were educated.

At that time a conflict was about to erupt between the government of the Shogun and the advocators of the restoration of the supreme power into the hands of the Emperor, and Tozan was one of the latter. He had such reverence for the Emperor that in the Keio Era of the Edo Period (1865) he left the samurai family he had been adopted into and transferred his hereditary fortune and privileged post under the local lord to a son he himself adopted. He regained his original name before adoption and associated with fellow royalists. He played an active role as one of the adherents to the monarchy together with Sagara Sozo. But before he could witness the Imperial Restoration, in the Keio Era (1867) he was captured in Meguro and died in prison at Tenma-cho. He was then 34 years of age.

Later in Taisho period (1916), Tozan's disciples and followers raised the monument to his memory in Takashima Castle Park to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his death. Unfortunately it had to be removed in 1925, so Tozan's local following and volunteers in Shimosuwa Town had the monument transferred to the terraced site along National Highway 142 in Shimosuwa Town. Today, next to the memorial is another monument called "Ishigaki Tozan Hosan no Hi" (石城東山奉賛の碑: the monument to celebrate Ishigaki Tozan ) , which was erected in December 1985 by his followers party ,"Ishigagi Tozan-sensei Hosan-kai（石城東山奉賛会）".

■ Sagara Sozo (相楽総三)
In the Keio Era, with demise of the Shogunate (1868), the Kangun (官軍: the army which supported the Imperial Restoration against the Shogunate) won further victories against the remains of the Shougunate army in Toba and Fushimi. Sagara Sozo belonged to the Kangun and was the commanding officer of Tobaku Senpo Kyodotai Sekihotai (倒幕先鋒嚮導隊赤報隊), which played a supporting role for the Western and Southern clans, such as Satsuma-han or Choshu-han. These clans led the movement to overthrow the Shogunate. The Kangun set up the imperial standard and one of their main pledges was a 50 % tax reduction on the common people after fulfilling the Imperial Restoration.

In the middle of his punitive expedition against the former government of Shogun, Sozo was given the order to return to headquarters. Thinking that it was too soon to leave the army, he did not obey and was branded a pseudo-royalist as a result.

On February 28th, 1868, Sozo was informed of arrival of Iwakura Tokisada (岩倉具定) at the officially appointed inn in Shimosuwa, where Sozo had been staying. Iwakura was the governor of Tosando (東山道: One of the large divisions of Japan, including the whole of the North of Hondo) then. Consequently, he vacated the accommodation for the governor and he retired to Toyohashi. On March 1st, Sozo was summoned to the war council at the base, where he was caught by Iwakura. The other members of Tobaku Senpo Kyodotai Sekihotai were also to fall victims to foul play. They were sent for one after another to go to the scaffold. Their decapitated heads were exhibited for some days to bring disgrace on them at Haritsukeda in Tomono-machi.

It is said that the Imperial army made Sozo and his fellows the scapegoats because the new order of the Imperial Restoration couldn't possibly fulfill their promises, such as the 50% tax reduction, publicly promised. Therefore they publicly disgraced Sozo and his fellows hoping this would distract people's attention from their own broken commitments.

Later, the memorial to Sozo named Sakigake-zuka (魁塚: literally the hillock of pioneers') or Sagara-zuka (相楽塚: literally the hillock of Sagara's) was erected by the locals who believed that it was Sagara Sozo, the commanding officer of Tobaku Senpo Kyodotai Sekihotai, who had led the Imperial Restoration as the pioneer of the new epoch.

In Meiji period, 1912, the grandson of Sozo resolved to redeem Sozo's honor in front of Sozo 's grave. He continued to make desperate efforts for the rest of life time until he was rewarded in the Showa period in 1928. At the Enthronement Ceremony (御大典: Gotaiden) of Showa Emperor, Sho Go-i (正五位: literally Major 5th rank) was conferred on Sozo, and Ju Go-i (従五位: literally Minor 5th rank) on Shibuya Soshi (渋谷総氏).

Today we can see 5 memorials at Sagara-zuka. In the middle is the one to Sozo and his 5 soldiers. The next on the left is Shibuya Soshi's, and on the far left is the monument for Kanahara Chuzo and the other 4 soldiers who died on the battlefield in Sakamoto, Oiwake in Shinshu district. Second from right is a commemoration to the bestowal of Sho Go-i on Sagara Sozo. Lastly, on the far right is Ishigaki Tozan's, who played a role as a pioneer of the Imperial Restoration in Takashima Clan.

The local members of Sagara-kai (相楽会: Sagara Club) have been associating with the descendants of the Tobaku Senpo Kyodotai Sekihotai and the memorial services are held annually for the deceased on March 3rd.

■ Satsuma Shonin (薩摩上人: Holy priest Satsuma)
No materials on his background are available now, but Satsuma is said to have lived in Gyoya (行屋: a hut at which delegates paying homage to sacred mountains. They used to stay before and after their pilgrimage) in Shimosuwa. He is believed to have taught reading and writing to the local children and to have served Juozo (十王像: Images of 10 judges of Hell).

In the Kanei Era of the Edo Period, there had been a feud over the registry of the boundary in Ono between Higashiyamada Village (東山田村) and Shimonohara Village (下の原村). Worrying about the conflict, Satsuma tried to mediate between the two villages. He expressed his wish to be buried on the boundary between Higashiyamada Village and Shimonohara Village.

In 1635, his wish was granted and he was laid to rest between the two villages. Later in the Meiji period (1885) people in Shimonohara Village celebrated the 250th anniversary of his death and erected a tombstone on his grave. In Showa period (1975), a new tombstone was built on the new site when they moved the grave from its original place.

■ Tenryu Dojin (天竜道人: Tenryu Buddhist Priest)
Tenryu Dojin was born into the Itabes (板部). The family was a principal retainer of the Kashima (鹿島) clan, a branch from the Saga (佐賀) clan in Kyushu (九州).

He grew up to study drawing as well as medicine. When he was 19, he went up to Kyoto, where he determined on his loyalty to the Emperor. So, he joined the on-going movement of overthrowing the Shogunate led by Takeuchi Shikibu (竹内式部). Tenryu Dojin was actively engaged in the movement together with the many Imperial Restoration enthusiasts, such as Yamagata Daisuke (山縣大貳).

Later, however, he realized the time was not quite ripe for the drama and he secluded himself in Shimosuwa away from the political agitation. He was about 50 at that time.

He called himself Shibukawa Kyoan (渋川虚庵) and devoted the rest of his life to reading and writing prose and poetry or drawing. His favorite subjects for drawing were grapes and falcons, which we can see in his works today.

He died at the age of 93 in the Bunka Era (1810) and was buried in Tsuchida Cemetery. The characters of the epitaph on his gravestone were engraved, following his original manuscript.