Goshuin numbers 29 and 30 are from two shrines in the Suwa Taisha complex, a very old group that is mentioned in one of Japan’s oldest history books. This complex is known for more than just being ancient; every six years, a huge festival is held here where they replace the giant wooden pillars located around the shrines. This is done in a very complicated way, as huge trees are felled, then carried over rivers and through town. The climax of the festival is when teams of men attempt to ride the giant logs down a steep hill! The next time is in 2022.

There are four in the complex, two north of Lake Suwa and two to the south. The ones I visited were the northern ones, the 秋宮 (Akimiya) and the 春宮 (Harumiya) .

The Akimiya was just a short walk from Shimo-Suwa Station and is located in a wooded grove.

It consisted of this main building, with another one behind it. The large straw cord hanging in front marks it as a sacred space. Izumo Taisha, in Shimane Prefecture, has a much larger one!

Here’s the stamp from the Akimiya:

From the Akimiya, it was about a 20 minute walk to the Harumiya.

The layout of this one mirrored the Akimiya; a main building with a building behind.

This building actually leads to the most sacred part of the shrine, but regular people aren’t allowed to see it. On each corner of this area (two in front and two in the forest behind) are the logs that get replaced during the festival.

Here’s the stamp!

Date received: July 14th, 2018