Hello, fellow travel lovers!
This time, I visited Suwa Taisha – Shimosha Harumiya in Nagano Prefecture!
Believe it or not, this shrine has a very unique tradition — the deity “moves” between two shrines depending on the season. So I planned my visit to catch the god while residing at Harumiya, their spring home 🌸
✨🏔 A Surprise Greeting from Mt. Fuji!?
On the way to Suwa, I was treated to a perfect view of Mt. Fuji —
covered in snow and shining against the blue sky!
Right then I thought, “Today’s going to be an amazing trip!” and my excitement skyrocketed from the start!
⛩ Morning at Harumiya – So Fresh It Sparkles
There’s just something magical about visiting a shrine in the morning.
As I passed through the torii gate, I felt the air shift — crisp, clean, and sacred.
With hardly any tourists around, the quiet atmosphere helped my heart settle into peace.
Step by step, I entered with a gentle “Excuse me, kami-sama.”
🏯 The Main Hall & Those Mighty Pillars!
Harumiya’s main hall radiates quiet dignity.
Its solid, majestic presence almost made me stand up straighter without thinking.
And then — the famous Onbashira!
Two giant sacred pillars stand boldly at the front of the grounds.
Thick, tall, and completely impressive — and yes, these were carried here by people. Sinsyu folk are seriously strong.
🍶 A Wall of Local Sake Barrels… and a Sake Crawl!?
Tucked into a corner of the shrine grounds, I found rows of beautifully labeled sake barrels, offered to the gods.
I couldn’t stop staring at the labels — new sake names kept catching my eye!
Naturally, I whipped out my phone and Googled the breweries and stores nearby (Thanks, Google-sensei 🙏).
Which led me, quite smoothly, to a 2-store sake crawl.🍶
Mission complete — I brought home a couple of bottles for later 🍶✨
🍶A separate post with details about the breweries and sake shops is coming soon — stay tuned!
🍞【Tasty Detour】"Pain moji" – A Hidden Gem for Bread Lovers
Okay, I confess — I totally planned this one.
I had researched this natural yeast bakery, called “pain moji,” which only opens on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
And lucky me — it was open!
It’s a tiny shop near Harumiya Shrine, but you can feel the love in every loaf. There weren’t many types of bread, but each one whispered, “I was baked with care.”
One bite — soft texture, the mild aroma of yeast, gentle sweetness from the flour...
I almost turned to the heavens and said, “Is this a blessing too, kami-sama!?” 😄
※ The shop is only open on certain days, so check in advance!
The journey continues... Wishing you all a wonderful trip! – TabiJun
＊＊TabiJun＊＊
